Looking to beat inflation and save on holiday shopping? Costs are up across the board, but steep price tags don’t need to lead to a busted budget. You can beat inflation and save on holiday shopping this year. Here are six tips to get you started.
Set a budget (and keep it.)
Make a clear budget for the holiday season, including all expenses you expect to encounter, and set a dollar amount for each. Don’t be afraid to set amounts that seem like a stretch. Challenge yourself to lower your holiday spending and find creative ways to make the season festive without landing in deep debt. You can do it!
Look for deals and discounts.
Despite rampant inflation, you can still find great deals and coupons to bring down the price. For example, electronic devices go on sale late November and stay low through the holidays while toys are always marked down the weeks just before Christmas. It’s also a good idea to sign up for alerts from your favorite retailers to find out when they’re hosting a sale. Finally, use cash-back apps like iBotta and Shopkick.
Give fewer gifts.
Take a good look at your list of gift recipients and see where you can make some cuts. Do you really need to swap gifts with every coworker, second cousin and around-the-corner neighbor? To keep feelings positive, suggest a secret Santa exchange for social groups in your life so you only need to buy one gift for an entire group.
Use points and rewards.
If you’ve racked up points and cash back rewards on your cards, peruse points catalogues to find great gift ideas. Some rewards programs even allow you to use points for discounts on trips, travel and experiences. Why not use cash in one what you’ve earned?
Give a gift card.
A gift card is a great way to give value at less cost. You can purchase discounted gift cards on sites like CardCash and Sam’s Club, with some cards slashed as much as 25%. You can also search these sites for cards to the retailers at which you plan to do your holiday shopping and then use the cards yourself.
Give an experience.
Think beyond gifts you can touch and add some experiences to your gift list this year. For example, you can “gift” a child with a free day off from school or treat your partner to an in-house spa night. Present these gifts as homemade “gift cards” wrapped in pretty ribbons. Add your own spin to these tips and beat inflation on your holiday shopping.