How To Avoid Overspending On Christmas Gifts
Most people do not know how to get their
loved ones gifts this Christmas without looking like a mean gifter. Most people
spend so much money on gifts that by the end of the festive season they are
facing financial challenges. This Christmas, try to stay debt free by avoiding
overspending on Christmas gifts. Contrary to what most people believe, you can
get gifts for way less and still make the people in your life feel loved. These
are some ways in which you can save money this Christmas.
Plan
Ahead
Most people wait until it is too late to
get a gift. They postpone the shopping until the malls are crowded and stores
have overpriced things. This is the wrong way to approach things. Start
planning early. Take note of stores that give discounts and collect coupons and
gift cards. You will be surprised to find that there are plenty of gifts that
you can purchase for a fraction of the price that you would have spent on the
last minute rush.
Use
Social Media
Most retailers offer discounts which they
advertise on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. You could end up
getting codes that will give you great discounts on many Christmas gifts. Just
a quick search online will save you lots of money.
Use
Online Chats With Stores
There are stores that offer live chats with
customers. You can request them to give you a discount on the goods you are
planning to purchase. This will most likely be possible if you buy many items
from the place. There are also stores that have discount codes that they give
to customers shopping online. You can inquire if they have any discount codes
before you start putting the items in your cart. Some of the sites where you
can get these kinds of discounts are RetailMeNot.com, SecretPrices.com, and
FreeShipping.org. You can even find some items that can be shipped free of
charge.
Shop
Using Cash
One of the ways that people end up
overspending is through buying gifts using credit cards. You will not be very
aware of the situation and may get carried away with the excitement of the
season. This is usually a recipe for disaster. To avoid this, withdraw cash
from your accounts and allocate a certain amount of money for each person on
your gift list. Once you have done this place the money in separate envelopes
containing the name of these people on your list. This will reduce any chances
of overspending significantly.
Give
Gift Groups A Try
If there are any groups that have been
formed to purchase a gift for one person for instance in the office, then you
can try these to avoid spending too much on one gift. You will find that this
method will save you money.
Do
Not Buy Yourself Gifts
It is easy to be tempted into buying gifts
for yourself when you are out there shopping for others. This is a sure way to
end up overspending. Remember that you are there to buy gifts for other people
and that there will be gifts to you from most of the people you are gifting
anyway. Focus only on getting the gifts that you went to get and do not let
yourself get carried away. Keep in mind that these things may be overpriced
because of the season and the prices will most likely drop during after-season
sales.
Avoid
Getting Caught Up In Promotions
Many stores try to get people to sign up
for their credit cards and you may be tempted to do so. However, find out the
interest rate on the cards before you decide to sign up because the whole deal
might not be as sweet as it looks when being presented. Furthermore, there are
the buy more get a certain percentage off promotions that get most people. If
you see promotions like these, ask your self if you really need more than one
of the commodity that is being sold. If not, then buy just one at the usual
price.
Use
Deal & Freebies Sites
One of our favouraite sites WOW Free Stuff offers not only offers free samples from huge UK brands which make
great stock fillers but also coupons. You can also try websites like Hot UK
Deals who offer some amazing deals to save you a lot of money.
