Brainy Savings presents: tips on how to do your holiday shopping to save money and get everything you want!

Let’s face it: holiday shopping can be a stressful experience, especially if you’re not prepared and just go with the flow. You have to go to different stores to get that special thing for someone you deeply care about, stay within a budget, not waste time, and do so many other things.

I remember that one time, my husband and I didn’t get gifts for one another in time, so on Christmas Eve, we went to the mall, and it was packed. Hundreds of people were there, doing their last-minute holiday shopping, and as you can imagine, there were not that many things available.

We had to buy basic items, and while I managed to get my partner two gorgeous T-shirts with his favorite characters from a TV show, I went home with a lamp, and I can’t say I was too excited about it.

So if you don’t want to make the same mistakes I did, you’d better read this article on how to do your holiday shopping right and not spend all of your savings. Without further ado, let’s get this party started!

1. Have a budget

One of the reasons people spend a ton of money when they do their grocery shopping is because they don’t have a budget. Even if you don’t plan to limit how much you’ll pay for someone’s gift, it’s still a smart idea to have a budget in mind, because it’s going to filter out things for you, and you’ll know exactly what category of things you should look at.

2. Make your holiday shopping list ahead of time

How many people do you plan on getting gifts for? That’s the second thing you need to consider before going out to do your holiday shopping or browsing the Internet.

This is going to keep you focused and organized, and it will also give you a clear idea of how much money you’re going to spend. If you don’t know someone that well and you can’t get them a personalized gift, think of something generic, like a gorgeous Christmas mug or a special Christmas globe with a nice handwritten note. It will surely be special, and not that expensive either.

3. Choose your time

At the beginning of this article, I told you that once, my husband and I forgot to get gifts for one another, so we spent Christmas Eve at the mall. Not the best idea, considering that the mall closed at 5 p.m. instead of 10, so we only had one hour to get something, pay for it, and then head out.

Organization is key when it comes to holiday shopping, so if you already have a budget and know the people you want to get gifts for, who said you have to wait until the season comes to start your holiday shopping spree?

The sooner you start, the better it is, because you won’t have to go through crowds and wait hours in line, you won’t deal with items out of stock, and you’ll be more peaceful knowing that you took care of things way ahead of time.

4. Consider online shopping

If you don’t have time or you hate going to the store, online shopping is the best thing you could do for your holiday shopping spree. You can browse your favorite websites and look at tons of offers from the comfort of your home, press buy, and then just wait for the delivery person to bring them to you.

However, just like with shopping in person, don’t forget to get your items as soon as you can, so that you won’t get panicked that you can’t find all the things you want and risk them being out of stock.

Moreover, doing your holiday shopping before the gift season begins might help you get some deals after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so that’s always great for your wallet.

5. What about second-hand items?

If you have a friend or a family member who’s passionate about vintage items, such as books, jewelry, accessories, China, furniture, artwork, shoes, or things that can generally be found in thrift stores and antique boutiques, why not visit them?

You might be lucky to find some low-cost gifts that are unique, so don’t neglect thrift stores and yard sales because you might be avoiding a gorgeous treasure.

6. Shop smart

Doing your holiday shopping right also means being smart about your spending, so this means reviewing your account statements, being on top of your bills, and using online banking to easily keep track of your accounts.

So if you do your holiday shopping with a credit card, using a card that offers you cash back or other rewards is a smart way to take care of this task.

Think of it this way: since you already spent a ton of money to surprise your friends and family with some of the best gifts you could find, why not get something in return? Whether it’s a travel deal or a retail discount, It’s still something, and you shouldn’t miss this opportunity.

7. Pay attention to shopping deals

Something tells me that you started to hear about all sorts of “doorbuster” deals in October, but that might not always be a good way to spend your money. If you’re taking advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers, I have to tell you that they’re not always honest with you.

For instance, some brands raise the prices for particular things a couple of weeks or months before these special shopping days and then lower them back, saying that you’ll get an amazing deal when in reality you get that item at a normal price.

If you know for sure that you want a certain item but you wait for a major sale to get it, pay attention to the way the price changes—if it changes, of course—and then look for it again on that day to see if the offer is indeed real or was made to seem like one.

Speaking of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, just because these two days are known for being a treat for shoppers all over the world, don’t forget that there are plenty of other sales too. Instead of wasting time focusing on event-style sales only, look for offers every day, because you might save serious money with this tip.

8. Tip for electronics

If you, your friends, or family members are into gadgets, I have a tip for your holiday shopping extravaganza. The newest electronics are important for some people, but not for everyone, and generally speaking, there’s not that big of a difference from one kind to another.

For instance, is there a major difference between the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 12? Not really, so you might be paying more for something that is not as improved as what you already have.

This holiday shopping tip means that you can save lots of money by purchasing an older version of a device that was the newest and the best just a couple of months ago.

This is also great because when a new gadget is available, the previous versions are lowered in price, and that’s a win for those who want to get them but for less money.

If you have someone who likes Amazon and you have no idea what to get them, I recommend you get them an Amazon gift card so they can buy whatever they might want. Happy holiday shopping to all of you!

If you liked this article from Brainy Savings and you want to read something else from us, here’s another fantastic post for you to check out next: Dollar Store: Don’t Buy These 10 Things From Them (They’re More Expensive)