Beware Last Minute Shopping During the Holidays
Does it seem like every December 24th you are still at the stores looking for the perfect gift for Aunt Ethel? And undoubtedly, if you can actually find it, the price is a lot more than you were planning to spend.
Waiting to shop at the last minute is just asking for extra stress and an opportunity to spend more money than what you had budgeted. To avoid this from happening, you need to make a plan.
Do what Santa does: make a list and check it twice.
This way you can be sure that you haven't neglected someone, and also that you aren't buying extra gifts “just in case.”Keep your list handy—add it to your phone, or keep it in your car so that you have it on hand when you're shopping in a store or online.
If you're planning to make presents, be sure to give yourself adequate time to buy any supplies you need as well as time to be able to create the gifts.
Decide how much money you would like to spend on gifts this year. Ideally you should give yourself several months, so by spending the money over that time you won't feel a big crunch at the end of the year.
If you are shopping online, use a prepaid card with a set amount to avoid overspending.
If you are in a store, only bring a limited amount of cash.
A little time spent on planning your gift buying, can help you avoid blowing your budget, and lessen your holiday stress.