The holidays and end of the year festivities mean several things. First of all, visits from family and relatives. Don’t forget about a grand, traditional family dinner, and on top of that, holiday and black Friday shopping. It seems that with so many things to do, the last thing you’d want to worry about is personal finances. However, it doesn't hurt to know a few money saving tips while buying presents. That’s why we built a list of 5 money saving tips to keep mind while doing holiday shopping.
1) Use the Internet to Compare Prices
Buying on impulse is something very disadvantageous for you, but very beneficial for retailers. Every year, companies and businesses monitor sales and revenue generated during the end of the year and Black Friday shopping. To them, their sales statistics at this time of year is an indicator of how successful they are.
You can counter these sales campaigns and over-expensive prices using your smartphone. For example, the Amazon mobile app called Price Check helps you compare product prices instantly before you buy. So, instead of having to visit store after store, you could check the prices of something that looks tempting before emptying your pockets. Another of many ways to save money includes simply doing a search on Google and entering the name of the product to find out what several stores are charging for the same product.
2) Think Creatively
Another tip for saving money includes giving gifts creatively. Controlling your budget doesn't mean that the gifts you give have less value in the eyes of your loved ones. Homemade gifts such as crafts that have unique touches are more meaningful and create memories that will last for a long time. In other words, when you deliver a homemade gift, you’ll also be giving your time, creativity and individuality, which will make the recipient value it even more.
Good Housekeeping shares ideas and suggestions for homemade gifts such as:
- Snowmen candles
- Embroidered handkerchiefs
- Handmade soap
- Decorated cookie tin
3) Suggest Secret Santa
Secret Santa consists of gathering a group of people to distribute names and carry out an exchange of gifts, without knowing who each person’s gift giver is. Distributing gifts in this way decreases the cost of having to buy a gift for everybody and is a way to make sure that no one is left without a gift. It also adds a special holiday touch with the excitement of trying to guess who each gift giver is.
4) Beware of Department Store Credit Cards
Another way to save money includes staying away from department store credit cards. It could be that the check-out cashier offers a discount for filling out a credit card application. However, these cards generally have extremely high-interest rates, compared to typical credit cards. Unless you can pay the balance in full when the invoice arrives, it would be best to avoid using them at all.
5) Don’t Get Carried Away by Your Impulse!
Even if something seems to be on sale at the store, take a moment to reflect and to ask yourself, "Is what I'm buying really necessary? Or am I simply buying it because it’s on ‘sale’?" Only depending on impulse shopping can easily lead you to spend beyond your budget.
The holiday season is a time to really share and spend time with family. Infinity Insurance understands that, and for that reason, it’s very important to have a reliable team at your service, to help protect your home. Call an Infinity agent at 1-800-INFINITY or get an online quote today.