Tips for Shopping on a Budget During the Holiday Season

Believe it or not the holiday shopping season has officially begun! In such a tough economic time, it's become a regular practice for many to set a strict shopping budget.

The National Retail Federation offers its top five tips on shopping on a budget from Dan Butler, vice president Retail Operations
  

1. Spread out your holiday purchases throughout the year—or at least throughout the holiday season. Shopping last minute often results in making additional purchases you don’t need because you are feeling rushed and frenzied.
2. Make a list of absolutely everyone you need to buy for and how much you plan to spend on them before visiting any store or website, and stick to it.
3. Sign up to receive emails from your favorite retailers. NRF is anticipating an extremely promotional holiday season and many sales may only be offered to a retailer’s most loyal customers. Be vigilant about searching for holiday promotions in newspapers and on their website as well.
4. Use the Internet to compare prices and products before setting foot in a store. Not only will you save time by researching ahead of time, you’ll also save money on gas by not driving all over town!
5. Save yourself the guesswork and buy gift cards, especially for babysitters, newspaper carriers, doormen, teachers and other recipients of smaller-value gifts. Gift cards are a great way to let gift recipients choose what they want and it’s an easy way to stick to a budget.

Source: The National Retail Federation