10 Tips for Last Minute Holiday Shopping on a Budget!
There are only 6 more days until Christmas. Unfortunately, this is the time when even couponers and frugal shoppers tend to throw out their conservative spending habits and do crazy things…like pay full price. Time is ticking away, final items need to be purchased and then top that off with the items you forget to get at the grocery store. What happens next is not pretty. Overspending on items you would never buy at full price.
Don’t fall into that overspending trap this last week before Christmas. Check out our tips to stay focused and still stay in budget during the last week of holiday shopping.
1. Make a list of gifts you still need to buy. I know that seems like a pretty obvious task but you probably have had a list you have been working off of for the last month. Throw that out and start over. Now you need a crunch time list. Things you should include on the list:
1. Presents you need to buy for family members
2. Stocking stuffers you still need to get
3. Will you be going someplace you will need a small gift..(i.e the dog groomer, hair dresser, holiday party, etc)
2. Finalize your holiday menus for the next week. If you are having the holidays at your house, be sure you know exactly what you will be serving.
3. Make a list of grocery items you need. Now that your menu is complete, make a list of ALL the grocery items you need for your menu. Even if you are not having the holidays at your house, chances are you will still need to make something. Decide what you will be bringing to someones house or the baking you will be doing and write down the ingredients on your grocery list.
3. Look for coupons and deals. Once you have these lists made, check the coupon database for coupons or the Grocery Price Comparison to check on coupons and deals on the items on your grocery and gift list.
5. Take advantage of gift card offers. Many places have gift card deals where you can buy a restaurant gift card and get a bonus gift card. You can use them for yourself or as additional gifts. Be sure to check out our list of Holiday Gift Cards Deals for 2013.
6. Make a budget for yourself and stick to it. Go through the items on your list and decide how much you will spend. You can set up a budget per item or do a more general budget. For instance, set an amount for your last minute gifts and an amount to spend on groceries. It’s much easier to shop when you have a budget to stick to. It keeps you focused and definitely prevents overspending. Make sure to go over the budget each night to be sure you are staying on track.
7. Stick to your list. When the cash is flowing during the last week of shopping, it’s easy to spot something you want for yourself or for the house and throw it in as a last minute purchase. Have you said to yourself, what is one more item? Well, one more item turns into 2 more, turns into 3 more and before you know it, you are way over budget on things that you did not even intend to buy
8. Think outside the box. Think of ways to keep your spending down. Are there things you can make yourself? Maybe you won’t see someone until after Christmas and you can take advantage of after Christmas sale prices when buying their gift. Or consider gifting your services. For instance, do your parents need their gardens cleaned out this spring? Give them a homemade gift certificate for spring cleaning.
9. Consider Discounted Magazine Deals. We are always posting great discounted deals on magazine subscription which make great gifts that last a whole year. After you order them subscription, print a copy of the magazine cover or pick up a copy of the magazine at the store and use our free magazine gift tags.
10. Plan for dinner during the next week. Working, shopping, wrapping, baking…what gets overlooked? Dinner each night! You wind up stopping to grab a bite to eat or calling for take out. Do that for a week and that will really throw your budget out the window. So, be sure to plan ahead. Make simple meals like a casserole you can heat up at night or fire up the crockpot in the morning so it’s ready to go when you get home. Check out these easy Slow Cooker recipes.