Easy Ways to Save Money on Holiday Shopping—From Coupons to Budget-Friendly Gift Ideas
From coupon stacking to free shipping, these expert tips will help you save big this holiday season
While the holidays are all about spending time with loved ones, giving gifts is also a big part of the festivities. Whether you’re participating in an exchange with co-workers, buying for family and friends or treating yourself, you’re bound to drop some cash. However, all those presents can cost a pretty penny, and you don’t want to spend too much. Luckily, Woman’s World turned to the experts for their advice on how to save money when holiday shopping. Keep reading for easy tips and budget ideas so you don’t break the bank.
Create a holiday budget
Annie Cole, EdD, founder and money coach at Money Essentials for Women, says it’s important to create a simple budget that outlines who you want to shop for and how much you want to spend before you even begin holiday shopping.
Making a concrete list can help reduce stress. “Write down the names of everyone on your list, then decide how much money you want to spend on gifts for each person,” says Cole. “This will help you avoid overspending on last-minute gifts and impulse buys.”
The gifts themselves aren’t the only things that cost money. “When budgeting for gifts, we often forget about the non-gift expenses, like wrapping paper, cards, or even shipping costs,” adds Destiny Chatman, consumer expert at TopCashback.com. “If you don’t incorporate these costs into your budget, you will easily forget about them and go over budget.”
Get creative with your gifts
Often, people feel pressured to give extravagant gifts to everyone. But rather than spending a lot, Chatman suggests being more selective about who receives gifts as well as giving DIY presents instead.
Cole adds that people love experiences. “You can cook a meal, make something handmade, take someone to a workout class or go out to the movies together. Remember, the intention means more than the price tag,” she says.
Look for coupon codes
If you’re shopping online, always look for a coupon code. Gary Gray, co-founder and CEO of CouponChief, also advises people to try coupon stacking. “This means you can get multiple discounts on a single purchase,” he says. “You might find a store coupon, a manufacturer’s coupon and a cash-back offer that all apply to the same item, which you can combine to save you a lot of money.”
Andrea Woroch, a consumer savings expert at Andrea Woroch, also recommends downloading a coupon tracker to your web browser like Sidekick from www.CouponCabin.com or Honey. “These will alert you when they find deals and test each code, applying the coupon with the biggest discount to your cart.” Often, these extensions find extra discounts you may not have discovered on your own and can save even more time and money on purchases.
Signing up for a retailer’s newsletter can also get you a quick discount, notes Woroch. “You can always unsubscribe after you use the code,” she says. The same thing works for text message coupons. Sign up, use the coupon, and unsubscribe when you’re finished, or keep them for more alerts on deals and savings.
Woman’s World also has plenty of deals and steals this holiday season. The savings opportunities are endless, with discounts that started on Black Friday and continue throughout the month.
Compare prices from retailers
Regarding holiday shopping, you always want to compare prices before finalizing your purchase. “Track prices using Google Shopping among various stores and sites,” says Woroch. “This can help you uncover a deal at a site you may not have thought to check.”
If you don’t want to use Google Shopping, Cole suggests doing just a quick Google search for that item to see if it’s available at other stores for a steeper discount. Also, most stores will offer a price match option in person, so you can show the customer service team the lower advertised cost at any competitor to see if they will match the price.
How to avoid high shipping costs
While shopping online is easier, shipping costs can rack up, and soon, you’re paying more than the items in your cart. “If you are worried about high shipping costs, consider picking up the items you can,” says Chatman. “Even if you don’t have time to go into the store and shop for the items, you can arrange for them to be picked up in the store or even curbside.”
Gray also says to look for free shipping promotions or coupon codes. “Many retailers offer them during the holidays, plus if you’re a frequent shopper, you could also sign up for loyalty programs, which usually give you access to free shipping.”
One last piece of advice: Beware of high free shipping minimums designed to make you spend more to save. “Although adding a small item that covers the cost of shipping to reach that minimum threshold makes sense, spending more than that will cause you to overspend if it’s for items you really don’t need,” says Woroch.
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