Sweaty palms, extensive research, and last-minute angst. Yep, it’s the holiday season! This time of year is a bank account drainer and a challenge for the average college student. Every year, I want to get everyone I love something nice or at least something they’ll use, but I’m either too caught up in studying for finals or tight on money to get something nice. With the circumstances of 2020, you might feel more pressure than ever to make the holiday season extra bright, but no fear, there’s a way around this yearly challenge. Make shopping this year affordable, ethical, and stress-free by following these tips.
- Before the Amazon search, look at your local or small boutiques.
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It’s easy to resort to the trusted google search, but believe me, the purchase will be so much more fulfilling if you check out some local shops first. Since online platforms have taken over the shopping scope, small shops need your business now more than ever. Plan a study break to take a shopping spree nearby or ask around about student-owned companies. When you shop small, you can also find high-quality products. If nothing you want is available locally, do a quick scroll on #smallbusinesstok (Small Business Tik Tok) or a search on Etsy. You can find so many unique and special gifts by shopping small, and you can end up discovering businesses that have much better quality and prices than you’d find at a mall.
- When in doubt, DIY.
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It always feels better to get a homemade gift than something bought. If you’re crafty and balling on a budget, getting in touch with your creative side is the perfect thing to do. Whether it’s embroidering a tote bag or baking your closest friends some cookies, anything is appreciated. Suppose you’re feeling weird or embarrassed about crafting this holiday season, DON’T. Imagine how special it would be to receive a homemade gift, and put it into perspective that we’re facing difficult times. Also, we’re going into a second lockdown and the semester’s ending soon, so there’s no better time to try out that Tik Tok resin or candle twisting project you’ve been dying to make. With a cheap and quick trip to Michael’s, you’ve got five gifts covered for your loved ones.
- Space the shopping out!
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I often find myself trying to cover everyone’s gifts on the same paycheck, which never works out. This year, I planned to buy a few gifts for my loved ones with each paycheck. When you shop last minute, you’ll inevitably pay the extra markup price on a random holiday item that the person won’t even use. Look at all your favorite stores and do some snooping on when they drop their deals for the season (P.S. lots of stores have Black Friday all month long). For example, my self-care loving sister wanted a product from Ulta, and I was able to see when that particular item was going to be 40% off. Planning out when to buy items is a sure-fire way to get things crossed off your shopping list while getting the best deals.
- Ask yourself, “Is there a discount code?”
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Many influencers make a commission off of a discount code and can get you a good chunk of your bill taken off. Hopefully, the people you follow are ethical, and you can support smaller influencers by doing a quick check on their LinkTree. I’ve been able to get several lovely gifts for my friends by just doing a quick check on my favorite people or friends’ pages before purchasing. I don’t mean using “Code JAMES” for 20% off your next Morphe purchase (although I don’t blame you), but I encourage you to support the people who are trying to utilize their page and create content full time (and stand for the right things of course). Going on the hunt for codes is just another way you can feel a little less guilty about spending some coin this season.
Before you indulge this season and spoil the people around you, think twice about where and when you need to shop. You can do many little things to feel a bit better financially and ethically about the products you buy. This year is a great time to start some new holiday shopping tactics and try new businesses. Most importantly, have fun and do what is best for you.