Save Money On Christmas…Shop All Year Long!
There are some people, actually probably many people, who read the title of this post and roll their eyes. If you are not one of those people…you get me! Christmas is HUGE for my family and I. We go all out. Our floor is literally covered in presents Christmas morning and I wouldn’t change that for anything. There is no season like the Christmas season🎄 The snow, the carols, the bells, the lights, the gifts… I could go on forever! There is something about Christmas that makes me feel so warm and fuzzy, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. However, to make the season truly magical, I work hard to save money on Christmas.
How to Save Money on Christmas Gifts-Shop All Year Long!
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To create an awesome Christmas that I can afford, I shop for Christmas 12 months a year. Yes, every month of the year. I save hundreds and hundreds of dollars by doing this and end up with double the amount of presents I would be able to afford if I only shopped in December. Here’s how to save money on Christmas by shopping year round…
1. Shop for Gifts All Year
Shopping for Christmas is expensive and the sales leading up to Christmas are not really that great. The stores will put out flyers with what seem to be “Doorbuster” prices but really aren’t. Shopping early allows me to snag bargains on Boxing Day, Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, back to school sales and fall warehouse sales. Trust me, the prices are so much better during these times than in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Each week I browse flyers with Christmas gifts in mind. You’ll be shocked at what you find on sale when specifically looking for Christmas gifts in the summer! This is one of the most important tasks when looking at how to save money on Christmas gifts.
2. Shop Boxing Day Sales for Christmas Items
Wreaths, wrapping paper, centerpieces, ornaments and more! All of these items are super cheap after Christmas! Everything you need to create your own decor is even cheaper! I’m a huge DIYer when it comes to centerpieces and wreaths. Beautiful things can be made for a tiny fraction of the cost of buying it ready made. Shop Boxing Day sales for gift wrap, decor, and more!
3. Dedicate a Monthly Christmas Budget
By shopping year round I am able to put aside a smaller amount of money every month for Christmas shopping. I could spend $100 per month for 12 months or $1200 all at once in December. $100 per month, that’s $25 per week or just over $3 per day. Skip that morning latte and save for Christmas! Let’s be honest though, many people don’t save for Christmas. They pay for everything by credit card in December and end up with New Years resolutions relating to all of the debt they just racked up-which brings me to number 3…
4. Avoid Debt
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I pay for everything with cash or debit. I am not a credit card user, I have no interest in buying anything with interest attached. Yes, I know there are tons of rewards cards out there and maybe I’ll try one someday. For now, I buy what I can afford and that’s it. I can usually find $25 per week in decent deals for Christmas and if I can’t, then I don’t shop for Christmas that week. Shopping year round is about smart shopping year round, period.
With a proper budget, you can plan ahead and avoid the end of year credit crunch! Set a budget that works for you…there is not right or wrong here, but it has to be smart and followed.
5. Pick Up Little Things That Can Be Made Into Bigger Things
If I find body wash or hand soaps on sale and can combine the sale with coupons, I buy lots! If can get those soaps and body washes for $1, I can create a beautiful gift basket with them. A smaller gift basket with 5 soaps or a larger one with 10, at $1 for each item, a lavish hand made gift basket is actually quite affordable.
6. Amazon Prime Day
Ok, I love Amazon Prime Day so much that it has it’s own spot on my list. My phone is literally glued to my hand on Prime Day as I watch the lightening deals come and go, snagging all of the best sales that I can. Last Prime Day I was able to get this Game of Thrones Monopoly for $20! Free shipping too! Loved that deal! And yes, it was bought as a Christmas gift for my husband. What an awesome gift for a Game of Thrones fan!
7. Take Time to Even Things Out
I have a lot of people to buy for and sometimes it’s hard to make sure everyone gets the same amount-or isn’t missed! I am very careful about the amount of money being spent on each person. It must be fair. I spend more on my children than anyone else but hey, that’s what moms do.
I shop for Christmas regularly starting every year on Boxing Day and by November, I have sorted through everything I’ve collected throughout the year. I then create a plan to finish each person. That gives me a month to finish up all of the shopping, ensure everyone receives a comparable amount and get everything wrapped. We have a fairly large family and buy lots of gifts so wrapping is a serious task.
8. Enjoy It!
This is most important. I truly love shopping for my friends and family. I love creating one of a kind gifts. There is nothing that I do not enjoy about preparing for Christmas.
Something to consider...
The only thing you must consider when Christmas shopping outside of the Christmas season is that it may be too late to return them by the time Christmas comes along.
Buying practical, useful gifts will decrease the chance that it will need to be returned and help ensure that your floor is full of presents on Christmas morning. Plus, since you shopped all year, you will have some money in the bank! Happy shopping!
Want to save money on Christmas and stay organized? Here are some products to help...
These storage bags are perfect for keeping all of your gifts purchased throughout the year ready to gift once the holiday season arrives 🎄
For all of the gift wrapping supplies snagged during boxing day sales, this storage box will hold it all neatly in place until you are ready to wrap all of your gift purchases next season 🎁
When browsing sales in the new year, stock up on ornaments while they are dirt cheap and store them in this ornament organizer. It holds up to 128 ornaments so you can shop away 🎅
As always, thanks for stopping by!
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