The holidays are right around the corner, which means the holiday shopping season has begun. Whether this fills your spirit with joy or the thought of one more thing on your to-do list makes you feel like a Scrooge before your morning coffee, there’s no judgment here.
What some call the most wonderful time of the year is also a stressful time for moms, who, in addition to trying to create a “happy and bright” life for your nearest and dearest Must perform all daily mommy duties.
Before you panic, grab yourself one of your favorite snacks or drinks and take a deep breath, because we have the holiday shopping strategies you need to help you tackle your shopping list while saving as much time, money, and Energy – This is an important trifecta considering how ridiculously expensive everything is these days.
Not sure where to start? Experts agree that making a list organized by wants and needs is a good place to start. The list should include your budget, which will help you stay focused whether you’re shopping in a store or online.
“Making a list is key,” says Kandi Arrington, executive vice president of customer development and retail consulting at Mars United Commerce. “Knowing what you want and planning can take the pressure off your budget. Buy big-ticket items early and then use the time closer to the holidays to buy smaller items. Deals on big-ticket items are based on limited inventory.”
Smarty founder and consumer expert Vipin Porwal added, “Whenever you make a big-ticket purchase, it’s worth comparing rewards opportunities to maximize savings.”
Some of his top tips:
- Credit cards offer cash back or extended warranty options
- Get rewards for shopping from apps like Smarty
- Manufacturer rebates
- Teacher/Student Discount
- free shipping
Signing up for a retailer’s newsletter and/or email (as annoying as it can be) will alert you to savings opportunities, but you can (and should!) check prices before clicking “add to cart” or heading to the store.
How to track prices and save precious cash
“There are many ways to track prices, such as CamelCamelCamel, which tracks the price of every product sold on Amazon and can send you alerts when an item drops to a certain threshold,” Porwal said. “There’s also Slickdeals and Reddit, which offer community-focused deals and roundups to identify the absolute best deals for the holiday season.” Keepa, another Amazon-based historical price tracker — all of which can help you identify “deals.” ” Is it really just an inflated price designed to attract buyers who know better than you?
It’s easy to save more money by signing up for cash back and/or coupon portals like Rakuten, Honey, TopCashback and CouponCabin. Consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch said, “We typically see cash back rates increase during holiday sales events like Black Friday to entice people to buy, so you can get more back than usual on your purchase. This can Greatly offset your holiday shopping because you can use the money you earn to pay off your credit card balance.
Woroch also likes Fetch, a free rewards app that lets you earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards from Target, Amazon, Sephora, and more, which you can then give as gifts or treat yourself to. A win across the board, indeed.
Destiny Chatman, consumer expert at TopCashback.com, added: “Using apps to compare prices and set alerts for specific offers can significantly reduce the stress of paying more for items or missing out on deals.”
Visit the store without losing
Your stress management levels will look different if you brave the crowds and go shopping in person… that is, if you don’t use it as an excuse to avoid family gatherings, in which case, step up and grab that purse, girl.
Before you go, “compare store ads with a savings app like Flipp, which aggregates local store announcements into one place,” says Woroch. “This way, you can see which stores have the best prices on items on your gift list so you can plan your shopping route accordingly to save time shopping in person.”
She adds, “Some items are best purchased in person, such as bedding, clothing, and footwear, because you can evaluate the quality of the materials used and verify the color. Also, it’s best to try on clothes and shoes in person so you don’t” Don’t end up with a bunch of items that don’t fit, have a limited return policy, or have to pay for return shipping.
Until then, you’ll want to review any return/exchange policies before swiping your credit card. “Before purchasing any item, whether in-store or in person, be sure to review the return policy as some items may be final sales, eligible for merchandise credit only, or may be subject to a restocking fee if you decide to return it,” Waugh said. Roach said.
Watch out for “derivative models that are promoted as ‘layman’,” she adds. “A low price on an inferior product is never a good deal. Take the time to research electronic access control models to verify if they are the same model you have been eyeing or if they may be missing features you want and need in the device.”
In general, “know what to buy when — the best Black Friday deals are on TVs, laptops, smart home devices, personal gadgets and small kitchen appliances,” Woloch said. “But wait to shop for clothing and beauty items during Cyber Monday. Toys will be on sale closer to Christmas. You can also find even better travel deals during Hopper Travel Deals Tuesday (the Tuesday after Black Friday).”
avoid being scammed
Part of being a savvy shopper is knowing a scam when you see it. “Only buy from sites and vendors you trust,” said Darius Kingsley, managing director and head of consumer banking at Chase Bank. “Don’t click on the first supplier website you see during an online search; scammers will set up fake websites that look legitimate and may show up in popular search results or if you enter the wrong retailer name. Make sure the URL starts with https:// – the ‘s’ stands for safe, and avoid clicking links from unsolicited emails or text messages.
Kingsley said it pays to be cautious, continuing, “Purchasing on these fake sites could result in your personal information being stolen.” “If you’re not familiar with a store, use its name as well as ‘scam’ , ‘complaints’ or ‘reviews’ to identify any red flags.”
As you wait patiently for your package, you still need to remain vigilant. “Scammers will send phishing emails pretending to be from UPS, FedEx or the U.S. Postal Service and containing a link to view your ‘missed delivery,'” Kingsley said. “These links may lead to fake login pages requesting personal information or malware-infected websites. Legitimate companies will never request financial details via email or text message.”
This all sounds like a lot, but have no fear. Bookmark this post and you’ll have all the tools at your disposal to make holiday shopping as easy as possible. We’ve got you covered, friend.
