With the Christmas 100 sleeps away, it’s easy to go break into a cold sweat and feel a knot of dread in your stomach when you think of all the cash you’ll spend on gifts. It shouldn’t have to be this way; a fortune needn’t be spent to show generosity and imagination under the tree for each and every loved one. Here’s how; our 5 IDEAL ways to save money on your festive shopping.
MAKE USE OF DISCOUNT & LOYALTY CARDS
Before paying cash on something you’ve deemed essential, check if you can get a discounted gift card on the item and get instant savings. Several gift card shops, such as High Street Vouchers or Card Yard, sell discounted gift cards and e-gift cards that save you a whopping 5-16% on high-end stores. So, while it may seem long-winded, it’s super thrifty to invest in a gift card for a store you’ll likely be doing your Christmas shopping in, at this discount price, and then buy your gifts using it.
Go further. As the guys at Latest Deals recommend sagely, using a voucher code will help you save money and get all your Christmas shopping done. On websites such as theirs, you can break down a seemingly endless list of voucher codes by category, whether that’s fashion, travel or electronics, and then drill down into exact gifts and their related discounts from there.
BREAK DOWN & BUDGET
Before embarking on the big, never ending Christmas shopping expedition, it’s prudent to set aside the exact amount you want to spend on gifts, taking into account the state of your account, of course. Once you have a clear budget set and summarised, make a list of all the gifts you want to buy for your loved ones, prioritising them based on cost.
Examine where savings could be made. Would a paperback be cheaper than hardback? Do you really need to get an extra gift for your niece? Will your second cousin removed even notice if you don’t send that annual pair of socks this year? Every little helps here. You could even make a suggestion which at first may seem miserly, but will actually be welcomed by most; that this year, the whole family will only get gifts for the kids. Novel, we know, but it makes sense, right?
VISIT CASHBACK SHOPPING SITES
Cashback shopping sites have affiliate relationships with all the stores listed on their websites. This allows you to get a discount on everything you buy online regardless of whether the store is holding a sale or not. These sites make money by getting a commission every time they refer a customer who ends up purchasing a product; but if you look at it simply, it’s a case of everybody winning, right? Money Saving Expert has a useful list of the best cashback sites here; check it out!
POST-CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
Sure, we’ve all had fantasies of what to buy or where to shop if you won the lottery. But if you want to get discount, cut-price designer goods in reality rather than your dreams, then doing your Christmas gift shopping after the big day can make you some huge savings on the high street.
Many people assume that the best time to shop is when a shop puts those ‘Holiday Sales’ signs up in the window. On the contrary, the best deals on most items come after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and after the seasonal sales period. Following this shopping bonanza, many retailers want to reduce unsold inventory and will sell them at discounted prices. Take advantage of this time to purchase gifts that are illustrated at Christmas and are suitable after the holidays, such as electronics.
SEEK FREE SHIPPING
During holiday season the hidden cost of deliveries (particularly last-minute, next day orders for those relatives you’ve forgotten about) can really mount up. Whenever making such a purchase, look for free delivery options or alternatively, sign up for the premium membership and then immediately cancel it (Amazon Prime, for instance, allow you to do this, granting free delivery temporarily without any financial commitment to a long term membership).
Christmas shopping done, should you also be stressing about the Christmas dinner, then check out these; our 5 tips for cooking the IDEAL turkey on Christmas day.