It’s the Christmas season, aka the time to stress about not knowing what to buy everyone you know, and when your bank account cries more than usual. The time of year where you complain about having no money, while endlessly swiping your credit card. But, fear not! Today I’m going to give you some tips on how to get your Christmas shopping done in time without stressing too much and without breaking the bank.
Make a List
What’s your little brother into these days? Have you noticed your dad’s socks are extra holey? Has your best friends been eyeing that top for months? Think about what your friends and family need, and the kind of stuff they have been interested in lately and go from there.
Prioritize
Who is most important to buy for? Obviously your parents (if you don’t get your parents gifts, I’m judging you), then your siblings and then, depending on how close you are with other family members, you can decide from there. If you’re super close with your grandma, get her something small, I’m sure she’d appreciate it. But does Great Aunt Mildred really need that $30 sweater? Doubt it.
Talk to your closest friends about doing gifts. It is very likely you’re all poor students, so maybe setting a low budget or even starting Secret Santa could be a good idea. If everyone’s super broke but you guys are really into Christmas, have a festive Christmas party where you bake cookies and watch movies. That’ll be a way to get into the spirit and spend time together without breaking the bank.
Budget
How much can you afford to spend this year? Consider any bills you have coming up and how much extra money you have to spare before going out so you don’t faint when you get your credit card bill at the end of the month. No one wants their rent cheques bouncing.
Look for Deals
If you know Aritzia is your sister’s favourite store, try looking online to see if they have any sales going on so you can plan to get her something then. A lot of places have deals before Christmas, so make sure you look out for any coupon codes to get the best bang for your buck!
Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
We’ve all been there. Suddenly it’s a few days before Christmas and you’re stressed and in a rush, so you start buying random things that seem like a good idea at the time, but end up being an impulsive buy. Or you’ve found something online, but now have to pay for rush shipping.
Good luck and happy shopping!