I have heard the panicked whispers, "Christmas is only 11 weeks away!" I have witnessed the rearranging of store shelves to make room. I have seen the anxious clutching of wallets as people prepare for the pain.
So, why would I remind you and your bank account of this impending doom? I want to share my best tip for saving big this Christmas, of course! What could this best tip be, you ask?
Start now!
Whether you've decided to have a homemade holiday or you're planning to shop the stores, if you start now you can really rack up the savings.Wondering where to start?
- Make a list of gift recipients in order of priority. Jot in gift ideas.
- Make a list of homemade projects and necessary materials.
- Begin to clip coupons for craft stores. If the store is nearby, shop weekly to maximize coupon savings paired with sales.
- Watch for online and store sales and coupons utilizing websites like Hip 2 Save and Money Saving Mom. Some of the best sales are offered weeks before Black Friday.
- Don't forget the grocery store. Gifts of food or a bath & body basket can be assembled very inexpensively when you match coupons to sales.
So, where are you in your holiday planning? Are you in a wild-eyed panic, or are you, list-written, shopping-started, projects-planned, prepared?
I keep a year-round list on my computer for each person so when I hear them mention something that they like, I add it to the list. It helps a lot when relatives ask what our kids would like, or when I'm ready to go shopping and need ideas. Can you believe stores are decorating already for Christmas? Ugh!
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