As the holidays approach, we are all anxious to shop for ourselves and loved ones (if we haven’t done enough during Black Friday). We could all use a few tips to help save money while shopping this year. Here are a few tips to help you save money!
1. Create a Budget
Creating a budget is one of the most important first steps when planning to shop. Creating a budget allows you to stay organized as well as helps you spend only within your means.
2. Make a List
Make a list of what you want to purchase and who it’s for. This will help save time and money once you get begin to shop. To make your shopping trip even easier, look up prices of the items you want to purchase, so you will know if it is out of your price range or not before heading to buy it.
3. Pay Cash
We can all agree that we are more easily tempted to spend more when we use our credit cards. To prevent overspending, take out what you set your budget to be in cash and leave your credit cards at home. This will help prevent being tempted to buy unnecessary items once you’re inside the store.
4. Preparation Time
One mistake we all have probably made before was wait until the last minute to do our shopping. This can take the fun out of getting gifts for our loved ones. Try to begin shopping weeks in advance. Or shop for half of the items on the list you made earlier during one trip, and for the rest on another.
5. Remember the Reason for the Season
During the holidays, it is easy to forget the reason for the season. It is important to remember what matters most, which is spending time with the ones we love and being thankful for all that we have. Be sure to not get caught up in the hype of spending lots of money for gifts, or even receiving, but before all, have fun!
HCXO!