Christmas is undoubtedly a season for shopping. The spirit of the occasion is indeed in gift-giving. You may have to shop for all the presents you intend to give away. At the same time, you may want to shop for yourself and for your household.
It is not surprising that many consumers tend to overspend during Christmas shopping. That is because malls and retailers are doing their best to entice you to spend. Your shopping mood could be set on fire by the festive decorations. The special markdown sales and new items on the display could further persuade you to buy until you drop.
Are you ready to once again hear the cash register ring for your Christmas shopping? There are many tips you should first look at and observe. Here is a simple and practical list of the do’s and the don’ts when shopping for the season.
The do’s
- The first thing you should do before going out to shop is to make a complete shopping list. Time and again, experts have been reminding consumers to do so as it could help anyone save money. Preparing the list in advance would also spare you from possibly forgetting to buy any item. You could be surprised at how easy and fast your shopping session could get. Doing this could counter your impulsive shopping habits.
- Do check out the brands of items you buy. Make sure you always purchase high-quality and durable goods from the best brands. Your purchases need not be always expensive. You should know which brands are good and practical at the same time. Doing this would create an impression on your gift recipients that you value them. And do not forget to seek for discounts.
- When doing online shopping, transact only through safe Websites. You would be using your credit or debit card for electronic payment. Thus, be sure the shopping site of your choice uses SSL technology. It pays to remain safe online.
- Lastly, take time to wrap your Christmas gifts. Thus, also shop for fabulous gift wrappers. You may wrap the items on your own. Doing so could be less costly. It could also send a message that the presents are personally managed and prepared by you. Do attach customised notes for the recipients.
The don’ts
- Do not shop on weekends. This is quite logical especially because almost everyone intends to shop on weekends. You do not want to go with the crowd, do you? The best time to shop is during weekday mornings, when salespeople are fresh and much friendlier because the crowd is not too large to handle.
- Do not lose receipts of all items you buy. You would definitely need those especially when the items you purchased turn out to have defects. The receipts would enable you to return and exchange (replace) the items for non-defective ones.
- If the items you buy are for Christmas presents, do not wrap them right away. Carefully inspect the items before putting them inside fancy wrappers. Do not forget to remove all price tags, as those could be source of embarrassment.
- Lastly, do not wait until December to do your Christmas shopping. You could always start earlier. In fact, shopping months before Christmas could help you save on costs. Most items are cheaper when bought during non-Christmas shopping season.
