The Holiday Season is always a little stressful. Gifts, parties, pageants, shindigs, get-togethers, gift buying and wrapping, decorating… it’s a little too much sometimes. The last thing you need to worry about is if you’ll have enough cash to afford it all. Here’s a few expert examples on how to get your gift buying out of the way on time and on budget.
Get it done early!
Don’t procrastinate! Getting your holiday shopping done as soon as possible is the best way to both save money and time. Take advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals both in stores and online and keep your eyes out for more deals before the beginning of December. Many retailers like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy are all starting sales earlier than Black Friday this month as well. Imagine not having to do any last-minute shopping this year!
Know what you want to get
Don’t stand in the aisles and wonder if someone would enjoy this gift or that gift. If you know exactly what to get for someone, you’ll save time and you’ll be able to find deals faster than if you guess or impulse buy. Take notes on what recipients want as well. Nothing feels better than giving someone exactly what they wanted!
Set a schedule
It can be easier to shop for your family early, but what about friends and coworkers? Set a schedule and shop twice a week in December. That way, you can systematically check off each gift you’d need to buy before giving them to their recipients.
Use price matching to your advantage
One of the advantages of shopping early is price matching. Some retailers like Target offer a price-match guarantee, meaning any purchases made early can qualify for a price adjustment if it drops any lower at Target between now and December 24th. If the price drops at Target, you get the difference back to your pocket. They also match prices for items at the time of purchase from retailers such as Amazon, Costco, GameStop, Walmart, Best Buy, and more.
Use online sites and extensions for good deals
Popular browser extensions include Honey and Karma, which instantly apply coupon codes at checkout for most shopping websites. If you’re shopping almost exclusively on Amazon, camelcamelcamel.com can make sure you’re getting the lowest price, as it tracks item prices for months beforehand. Keepa is another price tracking extension for Amazon that can show recent price changes.
Take advantage of ALLIANCE Loan Deals
Have a loan with ALLIANCE? Take advantage of our special loan payment plans this season! You can either skip a loan payment between November 1st and December 31st, or completely skip payments until February 2023! These plans don’t last long, so check them out and keep some jingle in your pocket this season!
