The retail stores are starting to get busy with holiday shoppers. The key to quick and easy Christmas shopping is to have a plan.
Following are some tried and true tips for making the most of your holiday shopping experience.
Prepare A List
Planning ahead is a must. Take the time to prepare a shopping list. Write down everyone's name and the gift ideas you have for each person. Include hobbies, sizes and favorite colors. Put a dollar value on each gift and which store you have a realistic hope of finding it in.
Organize List By Category
Now take a few minutes to organize your shopping list by category rather than person. Doing this eliminates the need to go back and forth between retail shops and departments within stores.
Set A Shopping Date
Decide on a date and time preferably at a couple of weeks before Christmas to go shopping. Early mornings are best. Avoid peak time like Saturdays and Sundays. Weekday mornings are good but if daytime shopping is impossible, go shopping after work.
Hire A Sitter
Shopping with children is counterproductive. You'll save enough money, time and energy to offset the cost of a sitter.
Competitor Flyer Shopping
Take the sale flyers with you to conveniently-located competitors. Most stores are so competitive these days that they will gladly match or beat the sale prices of their competitors. Ask at the customer service dept. The advantages to you are convenience, and not having to confront frequently 'sold out' signs and empty bins for sale merchandise because of the demand the sale item may bring.
Don't Shop When You're Hungry
Christmas shopping is like grocery shopping. Never go when you're tired or hungry. If you're cranky or needing a nap, you're going to buy whatever you can find and then make a beeline home.
Use Personal Shopper Services
Use the personal shopper service many department stores offer. They can tell you by phone if an item is in stock and exactly where it is located.
Please stay tuned to future 'Organizing' posts for more Christmas shopping success tips.
Published by Sherrie Le Masurier on November 14, 2007 05:50 PM
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