Some of the deals lately have made me start paying attention to my Christmas list this year. I wanted to quickly toss a few ideas out there to you and ask for some ideas that you might have.
I Christmas shop almost year round. If I find a KILLER deal on something that I just can’t pass up in June I will grab it and out it away for December. Starting about now, I really buckle down and start planning.
Last year we spent about $800 TOTAL on all 6 kids and the gifts my my husband and I gave each other. To me this doesn’t seem like very much for that amount of people. I also need to say that my kids got NICE gifts. I really hate cheap toys and toys that just take up space ( we don’t have much) so I prefer less toys and things and more quality.
Out of the $800, only about $350 was cash out of my pocket, the rest was from me cashing in Swagbucks as Amazon gift cards and other online rewards programs like Shop at Home and Ebates etc.
These are the things that I think about and pay attention to:
Make a plan. Know what and how many gifts you are buying.
Know who you are buying for.
Start cashing in Swagbucks and other Rewards. (some take a long time to get)
Set a budget and STICK to it.
Find a safe place to store gifts where the kids don’t find them.
It is easy when you start far out like this to overbuy! That is why you have to be disciplined, have a list and a budget. In the frenzy of other shoppers in December, panic can set in that you need to keep buying although you have thought you were done. I have felt this way so many times and try really hard to avoid places where I feel like I need to keep buying.
I like to start early so that I can get the best deals, and BE DONE early. I love to spend December celebrating the season with my family and not shopping. I have in the past, made my husband and children miserable by killing ourselves running around everywhere right up until Christmas Eve. I just decided I wasn’t going to do it anymore.
How do you Christmas Shop? What are your tips?
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