Summer is about to wind down and while we still have a few months before the holiday season officially kicks in, it is never too early to start planning for your holiday shopping. I have various friends and relatives who always seem to have their holiday shopping done by October. Most year, I think they are getting a little ahead of themselves, but in 2021, I think their strategy is one we should all consider. So, here are just a few tips to make your holiday shopping less stressful and easier in 2021.
Make your Shopping Lists Early
Even if you’re just buying for just one or two people, it makes sense to start off your holiday shopping strategy by creating a shopping wishlist. I know people who keep a running list all year, just so they make sure to remember when their partner, parent, sibling, etc. mentions something that could make a perfect gift. But, even if you’re not quite that forward-thinking, you can still sit down and start putting together a list now.
Putting some early thought into your gift list can be really helpful in a few ways.
1 - You can make sure you are looking for the right gifts. No more brainstorming ideas for your older sister when the holiday shopping crunch is looming and ending up with a gift card. Everyone loves receiving the ‘right’ present. A little early prep can make you the gifting superstar of your family.
2 - It can also help you stay on budget. When you’re scrambling to find a bunch of holiday gifts when things are coming down to the wire, sometimes the budget goes out the window. By preparing early, you can also have a budget in mind and stick to it.
Check Multiple Retailers
Once you have your list, it’s time to do some window shopping research. Because you now have extra time, you can and should look around a bit. Yes, we all love the incredible convenience of Amazon, but you might find some different options or lower prices by shopping around a bit at various retailers. You could even check some brick-and-mortar stores and see if you can find some of your items in person, rather than having them shipped. While it isn’t quite as convenient in some ways, we have all experienced shipping delays, lost packages, or damaged items, which you can generally avoid when you buy something in person.
Especially if you have a few nicer, more expensive items on your holiday shopping list, be sure to scout around a bit to find the best options.
Buy Early
While it’s a good idea to shop around, you should also not spend too much time just finding out where certain items are available or on sale. Most of us have probably run into supply chain issues when shopping over the last year, experiencing low inventory on many items. There is no reason to think we won’t see the same issue during the holiday season this year. In fact, it’s a safe bet we will see many items either out of stock entirely or at a minimum, experience delays in their availability. So, the best way to avoid those issues is to not be afraid to buy, once you find the right gift at the price you want. Remember that it simply may not be there the next day.
Buying early can also help you navigate those shipping delays for back-ordered items. Since you are ahead of the game, it’s not a problem if it takes a few weeks (or more) for an item to arrive. While those who wait until the last minute will be stressing every day until a package arrives, you can feel much more comfortable knowing it should arrive well before the holidays,
Keep an Eye Out for Last-Minute Deals - But Don’t Count on Them
All this being said, you can still keep an eye out for those last-minute deals. They do show up every year, and this year shouldn’t be any different. But, you can’t count on the right gift to show up as a last-minute option. So, you might want to save just a bit of your budget to put toward something special that pops up at the last minute, but don’t count on it!
Follow these tips and we hope you’ll have a wonderful stress-free holiday shopping season in 2021!
