Why are the holidays too stressful? Between living your normal busy life, you also have to attend holiday parties, prepare for hosting family members or travel, and oh yeah, purchase the necessary gifts.
At Raccoon Valley Bank, we want to help you get through the holidays with less stress. We put together these tips for shopping smarter so you don’t have to “shop ‘til you drop” or lose your mind. Give them a read and then put them to good use!
Spread out your shopping
Don’t try to do all of your shopping at once if your budget can’t take it. Try to plan it around your paydays and any other times you know you’ll be receiving income or around recurring costs (rent, mortgage, utilities, etc.).
Conduct some research
Research isn’t just for graduate students and scientists. By comparing products and prices, you can find the best price so you’re not leaving money on the table. Product research can also help you determine if the item is high quality or likely to break soon after the holidays.
Watch for coupons and further discounts
You may have the tendency to put your gifts out of sight and out of mind once you’ve made your purchases. However, prices trend downward the further into December we get. Make your purchase, but don’t stop searching for coupons or further price reduction on those products.
Try your hand at online shopping
Online shopping has its merits: you can shop from your couch or office, see all the product specifications at once and compare prices quickly. A lot of online retailers and brick-and-mortar retailers offer great deals for online shoppers. If you can find a good deal that isn’t negated by high shipping costs, we say go for it.
There’s no need to shop til you drop. By being smarter about your shopping, you can get all your shopping done with less stress. Heck, you may even save some money along the way!
If Raccoon Valley Bank can help with your holiday shopping or finances, let us know. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Raccoon Valley Bank, member FDIC