Tis the Season in September
Whenever people ask me if I have my holiday shopping done in those harried weeks prior to Christmas, I smile and nod. For years, I’ve shopped way, way early. That’s not to say I don’t do a little last minute purchasing, but all in all, I’m almost always done with the big ticket items months in advance. There are many fiscal bonuses to shopping early. If you want to hang onto cash, shopping early is a must.
Here’s why you should consider early Christmas shopping:
Less crowds equals less impulse buying. Between music, free samples and displays, retailers know how to tempt you to linger in their stores. Statistically, the longer you’re captive in a store, the more you will purchase. It’s a fact. At the holidays, merchandise is strategically placed by the checkouts for impulse buying. If you’re waiting in line at checkout, odds are you’ll succumb to at least a few unplanned items. These small items add up and siphon your cash. A master at this style of marketing is Old Navy. You’ll see bins of (honestly), useless items, stacked to high heaven by registers. Frenzied, weary shoppers grab these like candy. If you can shop early, go with a list and ease out of the store quickly, you’ll save big on impulse buying.
Time to shop equals time to find deals It takes time to find a good price on an item. Like chess, it’s a game of strategy. You can review competitor’s prices, use coupons and hunt deals. You can even return an item if you find a better deal before Christmas.
Rewards count like cash. In buying now, I’m getting rebates regularly. My purchases at this point, have earned me almost $150.00 back. This is money I apply towards friend’s gifts, stocking stuffers or holiday decorating items. Yeah, I know I’d still receive these rewards after Christmas if I waited to purchase later, but it feels like less of a drain on my holiday budget by shopping early and using the credits now.
Shipping? What’s that? You’ll never have to pay shipping if you shop early. This alone should get you motivated. Shipping can cost big bucks if you are a last minute person. Several stores (Wal-Mart, JC Penney’s) have free “ship to store” however it’s the veritable slow boat to China route often, depending on the item. If you have a bank of time, you can wait it out and save.
Bottom line: Start singing Jingle Bells and get your list of good boys and girls out. It’s time to make real progress on your holiday shopping today!