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Article Series: Money Stress
My Lack Of Cash Is Freakin' Me Out!
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5 Ways To Survive This Holiday Shopping Season
The holiday shopping season can be a real
source of stress for many reasons: money strain, crippling
pressure, and conflict inside and outside of the malls. There
are too many things you need to attend to in such a short amount
of time that it's just too stressful!
However, there are ways to minimize your stress level and
stay on budget.
Try some of these simple holiday shopping tips:
1.
Shop Early. It's extremely satisfying and rewarding to
complete your tasks early. You eliminate nearly all of the
holiday stress, unless you have some big entertaining to do.
Even in that case you can plan early so you know exactly what
to do and when. While you might miss out on some of the holiday
deals by shopping early, the truth is that there are sales
all the time if you just look.
2.
Write a Shopping List. If you preplan all of your shopping,
you'll stay organized and you'll stay on budget. Make a list
of every person that will be receiving a gift from you. Also,
list other items you need to shop for such as decorations or
food items. Give yourself a preliminary budget for item. You'll
likely have different budgets for, say, a colleague at the
office versus your children.
- Remember
that children sometimes place value in the "number" of
presents they receive. While it's a good idea to teach
them that it's the gift and togetherness that matters,
you probably
don't want to have drastic differences in the amount of
presents that each child gets.
3.
Get In and Out. If you must shop during
peak times, try to have at least an idea about the items
you're looking for.
If you're shopping with a friend and the line is super long,
you can even have a friend wait in line while you shop. This
will help you to "get in and out" without the expected
long delays.
- If
you must shop alone try getting to the store at the time
of opening. As long as they're not advertising door busters,
you shouldn't have the problem with long lines.
4.
Shop Online. Shopping online can be a great alternative;
you might not even need to go into a store at all. If you'd
rather see the items before shipping, you can even shop at
your favorite store online and set up in-store pick up. Shopping
online is great for comparison shopping for staying on budget.
You know what something should cost because you can quickly
see the price at several different stores.
5.
Shop Safe. Whether shopping online or in-store, you need
to remember to stay safe. When you're shopping in-store remember
to keep your credit cards safe and if you're paying cash, don't
bring it all out of your wallet at once. Shopping online is
safer than you might think, but it's still important to use
your instincts and shop smart. If you stick with major retailers,
they have plenty of safety measures taken care of for your
shopping experience. If you're unsure about the site you're
shopping on, do some more research into the company and make
sure that they're using secure carts.
Remember to stay on budget and take frequent breaks from the
stress. Holiday shopping can actually be a fun time if you
plan carefully. Now it's on to the gift wrapping!
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: 2009
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