A strategic shopping always saves your pocket for your better future.
Had you spend a lot on shopping for the last Christmas, and want to be a bit frugal this time?
According to Gallup poll, you are not alone, there are nearly 60% of Americans prefer saving to spending. But they do not know how to start.
Don’t get worried. There are ways that you can follow to save money on this holiday season. And you can easily trim your expenditures without sacrificing any of the holiday experience.
Let’s deem the topic, how to survive the holiday shopping season without busting your cash or going crazy.Here it goes..
Make an budget
A budget helps you to monitor the expenditures. And surely, avoid impulse buying is one of the easiest ways to save good pennies.
This holiday, you should remove some unnecessary items from your shopping list. Write down everyone, you want to buy a gift for and plan the gifts that you want to present each person. This will help you to manage and track expenses on the gift items.
It is impossible to control your expenditures if you don’t track your money. So, if you want to save a lot in this holiday then start to track expenses.
After all, the fundamental of your budget totally depends on your frugality. Isn’t it?
Do online research
You can take help of the internet to find cheaper and best products available in the online market. There are so many price comparing website, which can help you compare the products for the lowest price. So if you make a good research online before going to shopping then it will help you to save money easily.
Pricegrabber.com is one of the best sites for price comparison online. You also can check user’s feedback for specific products at Amazon.
Setup price alert or subscribe to store e-mails
There are lots of apps that alert their users for lower price for a product available in the market. You can subscribe websites or retailers as well, so you can get notifications easily when there is any offer for you.
You also can get some special coupons and offers directly by subscribing updates for online stores.
Use discount coupon
If you wouldn’t like to sign up for lots of retailers and store’s emails then using discount coupon is an amazing way for saving lots of cash on holiday shopping.
Retailmenot.com and couponcabin.com are some popular coupon offering sites that can be used before making any online purchase.
Purchase in bulk
Try to buy the utilities in bulk mostly. In fact when you have a thorough list of purchasing item then try to buy everything in bulk. It can save your good pennies easily.
Bulk purchasing also parsimony the transportation cost.
Try to never pay for shipping
Seller or retailers mostly give offers like free shipping when we spend over a certain amount so as a hard-core parsimony you should always look for free shipping services.
There is another way to get free shipping i.e. ship to store option. Actually, some big box stores like Walmart, Target, and Sears etc. give ship to store option, where you have buy things online and pick up from their stores for no additional costs.
Or wait until 18 December (free shipping day) for Christmas shopping if you want a good saving on this holiday. Actually, on 18 December, lots of retailers offer free shipping and guaranteed delivery before 25 December at no additional charge.
Don’t buy gifts buy DIY
There are lots of wonderful ideas online for DIY or homemade Christmas gifts. So you can save big cash by present self-made gifts to your relatives and friends.
It is not as tough as looks so don’t overwhelm about this. With the help of YouTube videos, you can easily make these handmade of stuff and save a lot.
There are lots of things that can be easily made at home, for example pickles, hand-knit hats, shopping bags, handicraft stationaries, beautiful earnings, and many more things.
So don’t expense your money on those things that can be DIY. You can take help of YouTube videos and some books also.
Leave your kids at home
Shopping with kids is not a good idea when you think about saving. A research said, “with our kids, we expense 25% more than regularly”.
Marketing science institute study found that “the bigger shopping party, the more stuff you’re likely to grab”. So not only your kids; leave your friends and spouse behind also.
And sometimes we forgot to buy something because of lack of concentration when we are with our children.
Follow your brands and stores on social media
Indeed, nowadays mostly brands and store publicize special deals, offer or daily discount for their social media follower for more publicity. So if you will connect with them then you can save some pennies on shopping easily.
According to freeman, “try to follow your favorite brands on Twitter and Instagram can make you more frugal buyer”
Final words:
Saving money on holiday shopping is quite easy if you’re serious about it. All you need to plan and execute.