When it comes to Christmas it’s easy to lose track but to save that last-minute rush follow our best tips to keep your Christmas shopping stress-free this year.
If you could get a pound for every time someone asks how your Christmas shopping is going through the month of December, I’m sure the profit would easily cover your outstanding list. It’s one of the single most stressful parts of Christmas and there is genuinely only so many times you can give your family a chocolate selection box. So keep your present shopping on trend, follows our tips and have yourself a stress-free Christmas.
START EARLY
Now this one may be a bit of a given, but there is a reason why everyone says it. Starting your Christmas shopping early, will not only keep you stress-free but could also save you money. One in three people do their Christmas shopping over the Black Friday weekend and if you’re one of them, you could be looking at savings up to 50% off. Overall, if you do this, I’m sure you bank account will thank you in the long run.
Starting early, also means that you get the best choice of variation. The closer to the big day you leave it, the more items will sell out and you’ll have to worry about delivery dates. Ideally starting your Christmas shopping late-November to early-December is the best bet, then by mid-December you can put your feet up and enjoy celebrating the festivities with no worries about last minute shopping.
MAKE A LIST & HAVE STAPLES
Get organised this season with a fool-proof gifting list alongside a strict budget to stick to. Whether you do this on a spreadsheet, a notepad or even on your phone, it’s a great way to keep track. Start with jotting down a few ideas of gifts for each person, this way you have options and a place to start.
Then whenever you purchase a present you can make a note, plus keep track of the estimated delivery date.
It’s important to have a few staple gifts in place. It could be socks, gift cards, or anything really. It’s just important to have a few items you know you can quickly tick off your list.
SHOP AROUND
Don’t settle for the first website you land on. Shop around and see who’s got the best price and delivery option for what you want. If you’re comfortable heading to the shops, this is the time to make a plan of where you want to go and realistically what items you can get form certain stores. We advise having a look retailers online if possible and checking their stock so you’re not disappointed.
2020 has been a long and hard year for everyone, especially local businesses. So keep an eye out for small and independent businesses in your local area which we may need a bit of a boost. It’s been tough and your custom will be greatly appreciated.
Take a look on Instagram and Etsy for some inspiration when it comes to gifting a little bit different this year.
CLICK & COLLECT
So many companies have been offering a click and collect service this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it’s definitely worth a look. Most of the time click and collect is a free option and will help keep your Christmas shopping experience stress-free with no concerns about delivery delays.
It also gives you a great opportunity to go in store and see what else is on offer while picking your online order up. If you need some more encouragement, click and collect also works around your convenience of picking up as well as saving emissions from a delivery driver.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
You wouldn’t buy a new phone without doing some research, so why not do it with your Christmas presents too? Not only are there multiple review sites out there to help you make an educated decision on where to purchase, but also experts on hand to help you know what to purchase.
Let these experts do some of the work for you. There are loads of sites out there with recommended gifts for all types of people. Not sure what to buy your fashion-conscious teenage niece? Just have a look at what these experts recommend and what products are trending. Many of these websites also include budgets so you can keep on an eye on your spending. This tip alone this will aide in a stress-free Christmas shopping experience which will not only save you time, but also be something the person actually wants. Nobody needs another bubble bath gift set!
SAVE MONEY WHILE YOU SPEND
Just because you have to spend money doesn’t me you can’t get something out of it too.
If you stumble on some great websites, make sure to sign up to their newsletter. Yes, they can clog up your inbox if you don’t stay on top of them, but if you’re genuinely into the brand invest in their newsletter because they can be a little pot of gold. Some newsletters offer a discount code when signing up, which is always a sweetener, while other may give subscribers VIP access to sales. All of those little things can make a big difference to your Christmas shopping.
Also stay savvy. Keep an eye on offers like ‘spend x and save y’, these offers are great if you want to purchase a number of your gifts from the same place. Scrolling cashback sites are also advisable, so you can make back a percentage of what you spend. The gift that genuinely keeps giving.
