5 Holiday Shopping Tips You Should Know

#5

Shop Early! Many of the hot items get really hard to find the later into the holiday season one waits. I know I dislike this one the most simply because I think that Christmas and other winter gifting holidays are pushing further and further into the fall holidays and that we need less consumerism not more. Simply put though, we are going to buy gifts, we should at least do it wisely.

#4

Pre-Order what you know your going to buy. Often toys will hit the market right in the middle of shopping season and again, will be near impossible to get. Pre-order now from your favorite stores to be sure you get that must have gift. As a young parent I failed to heed this tip and goodness did I pay for it in more ways than one. You don’t want to be one of those pathetic parents paying triple the cost of the toy on Ebay 3 weeks before Christmas because no one can find them and your child wants it. We can tell ourselves as Crunchy parents that we are not “those” people but I have to admit, I have been there and I know a lot of  others who have been as well.

 #3

Research! All this talk of Hot Toys and you might be asking yourself just what those will be this year. If you’re a Crunchy like me, you don’t have normal TV. If you watch TV at all chances are it streamed online. This means chances are your children are not yet in the know. It will not take long for them to be though when friends are talking about those must have gifts. So to be in the know too, do your research! Search blogs for hot toy lists and gifts guides this year!

  #2

Be creative in how to spend! There are rewards programs for certain stores that make shopping with them better than some others. Check with your bank or credit cards to see what rewards programs they have to offer. Your going to be spending money, you might as well get something more for it! I was online and it looks like our UK friends can find Cheap credit cards at Totally Money.  I have been looking into perks to find a great card to use for my holiday shopping.

  #1

Follow deal blogs to find the best prices on items you actually want! Blogs these days all have facebook and twitter pages and the best ones send blasts to their readers like I do when we find something we think you will not want to miss. While my blog is not a deal blog, I still try to keep in mind that parents are busy and might miss things so if I find something I am glad I did not miss, I pass it on. Do go looking for deal blogs though, specially this time of year. They work really hard so you and I don’t have to and so that we can spend more time doing the things we really love doing.

Wishing you very happy holidays and in hopes gifting is a pleasure not painful for you!