Thrifty Thursday: Start Early to Save on Holiday Gifts
I'm in Singapore this week, and since there's no Thanksgiving here, the Christmas decorations are already going up! While this may seem crazy in early November, it is the perfect reminder for me to start trolling for great holiday gifts at bargain prices.
I know that Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) is traditionally seen as the bargain opportunity of the year, as well as the kickoff to the U.S. holiday season. But throughout the entire year, you can save money on holiday gifts by strategically shopping for the people on your list. As you hear them mention a book they'd like, or a kitchen gadget they need, write it down and keep an eye out for that item in your usual rounds of shopping.
I also do this with birthday gifts. If I find a great, inexpensive gift for a 5-year old, I buy two because I know my daughter will inevitably be invited to more than one birthday party. The only trick is keeping the kids out of my "gift closet" since they tend to wander in and drool over all the goodies.
What's your method for holiday gift shopping? Far in advance or last minute? Or perhaps somewhere in between?
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More Thrifty Thursday advice from About.com:
I always try to shop early! I’ve got a lot put away already. What I need is a better system to find the stuff I’ve hidden!
I am a procrastinator! But this year I am going to do better. My problem is that I wait for my kids to give me guidance about what their families want and need. Then they get busy and don’t get back to me. This year I’m going to just buy everyone something that I think they’ll like. And I’m going to do it all online.
You always have such good tips. I can’t wait until we see Christmas going up around here.
I shop all year round, but the problem is that some people come to mind more readily than others or are just plain easier to shop for. When I take stock of my “gift shelf” in December, I might find I have 10 items that are perfect for one person and none for someone else, so I have to redistribute the items or do last-minute shopping.