holiday shopping Archives - NeighborWorks Columbus, GA

With the prices of just about everything on the rise, you may find yourself wondering exactly how you will shop for your loved ones this season.

Before you hit up any Black Friday deals, take a minute to read these tips that we hope will help you prioritize your spending!

1. Budget

Unfortunately, the holiday season doesn’t give us a pass to ignore our regular bills. It’s important to make sure all your usual expenses are covered before you consider any extras. Once you have an idea of what those are, then you can start to look at all the other things you may want to spend money on this season. Make sure you have a plan for things like gift giving, food for parties or holiday celebrations, holiday party expenses, and clothing for different events, so these things don’t take you by surprise later.

2. Prioritize

Once you have a picture of your upcoming expenses, you will be able to more clearly see what you are able to spend. It’s never a good idea to go into debt for holiday spending, so if you don’t quite have enough to cover your whole wishlist you may need to prioritize.

Decide what is the most important for you to spend time and money on this season and start there.

3. Get creative

If your holiday plans are loftier than your income allows, don’t despair. There are some ways to get creative to boost your income.

You could sell some of your gently used items that you are no longer using on Facebook marketplace, eBay, or maybe even sell to consignment stores.
Another good way to cut back is by taking a look at some of your monthly subscriptions. Are there any monthly subscriptions you pay for like streaming services, gym memberships, or anything else you could put a pause on to save you some money in December. Plus, this is a busy season, so you may not have as much time for those things anyways.
Tap into your talents and find odd jobs to boost your income. Are you a master at baking? Maybe you can sell some baked goods. Perhaps you can take on babysitting or yardwork? Maybe you are good at odd jobs? Here is a list of side hustles to help you brainstorm.

4. Plan

With a plan, you are empowered to save money. Rather than picking one store, take your time browsing online to compare prices. You can also check big retailer flyers to see when their best sales are coming up. Everything isn’t always cheaper on Black Friday!

With more time, you also can take advantage of resale sites like Facebook Marketplace or thrift stores. This is a great way to get a good deal, and those big stores will always be there if you don’t find what you are looking for on a sale site sooner!

Shopping online can also help you avoid impulse purchases, but even if you choose to shop in person, just know that stores are set up to encourage you to buy extra!

We hope some of these tips can help you keep your spending stress down this season!

For many winter holidays may be the “most wonderful time of the year,” but that doesn’t mean they don’t bring their share of stress. Among those list of stressors can be shopping for gifts, especially if your budget is already tight!

Don’t worry, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help make holiday shopping easier on your bank account this season.

1. Make a budget

Before you begin any shopping, it’s important to make a budget. Your budget should include how much income you are expecting to make, and all of your important expenses. Make sure all of your bills and other regular priorities are covered first. While it may be tempting, don’t shop for gifts you can’t afford by going into debt.

2. Plan your gifts to fit that budget

Once you know how much money you have to spend on gifts, it’s time to start planning. It’s important to prioritize who you plan to shop for and what you want to get. Also keep in mind that if your budget is tight, you can keep it simple. Save your spending for your closest family or friends. If you have a big family, maybe pitch the idea of secret Santa so you all only have to buy for one person. And don’t feel pressured to spend for every holiday party.

3. Shop early for deals

The earlier you start shopping, the easier it will be to shop for a deal. You will not feel rushed by the pressure of last minute to spend more than you budget, and you can have time to hunt for a bargain. Depending on what you are looking for, you may be able to find used items on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, or thrift stores. You also can check different bargain stores like Target, Walmart, Big Lots, and TJ Maxx, just to name a few. The more time you have, the more you’ll be able to compare prices and make sure you get the most bang for your buck.

4. Shop alone

While it’s fun to shop with friends, it can also lead to more careless spending, especially if they aren’t as budget conscious as you. Friends even with the best of intentions may make suggestions like “Oh this would really look good on you!” and before you know it you are buying yourself things you don’t need.

5. Pay in cash

If you bring cash to a story you’ll be less likely to overspend. This can be a really effective tool to keep you accountable to that budget you made.

6. DIY gifts

You don’t have to be super crafty to make a few gifts yourself. This can be a great option, especially for people you really want to give a gift to but don’t have a big budget, like teachers, coworkers, and other important people in your circles.

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