Making Your Christmas Shopping Plan

In life, when it comes to Christmas shopping, there are two types of people. There are those who plan well in advance to save last-minute rushing around and those who do exactly that, leave it to the last minute! The date of Christmas never changes and so there are no excuses not to set a plan as this will not only ensure you are organised come Christmas day, but it will also ensure that you are more effective in your Christmas purchases, that you don’t overspend and you will probably even be able to save yourself some money along the way! Carry on reading to find out more about how you can make an effective Christmas shopping plan.

Know Who You Are Buying For

As we all know, Christmas shopping can quickly get out of hand and before you know it you have bought presents for even extended family and friends. This can quickly add up and so it is important that you first establish who exactly it is that you want to buy for. This should be a decision that you are comfortable with and this will then help you to work out how much you need to budget and save.

Set Your Budget

We’ve all been there where we are trying to scrape money together in November and December to buy last minute Christmas presents. However, when budgeting for Christmas you really should be putting money aside all year round. Saving a small amount each month in a separate bank account will ensure that you don’t go and spend it and that when Christmas comes around, which is always much quicker than you think, that you will have the funds there to buy the presents that you have budgeted for.

Start Christmas Shopping Early

Christmas shopping for the following year can start as early as Boxing Day! This is when you will find all of the best bargains and these sales can save you a tonne of cash and ensure you are prepared for next Christmas! We would recommend that you keep an eye out on sales that are happening throughout the year, such as the end of summer, as this is when you will be saving the most money.

Don’t Procrastinate

One of the worst things that you can do when it comes to Christmas shopping is procrastinate and put off the inevitable. In your shopping plan, you should not only make a list of what you are buying, but also put in dates of when you will be getting these items. For example, schedule in a few evening shopping trips in December to ensure that you have the time to get everything that you need.

Keep Track of Your Purchases

Sometimes when it comes to buying presents early, you can be so organised that by the time Christmas is here you have forgotten all about it! Make sure that you keep track of what presents you have bought and who they are for.

Thanks to Zoe Price