We tend to spend the most money over the festive season, going on holiday, shopping for presents and getting a few extra spoils for our family.
Christmas is fast approaching and we’d like to help you be a savvier Christmas shopper this year. Here are our Christmas shopping tips for 2017!
Set a budget
Alway, always start by setting a budget before you start shopping. You can even go as far as to designate a specific amount of money to each person you’re buying a present for.
Overspending is the mistake most South Africans make over Christmas time, which often leads to a devastating, financially difficult January.
Don’t get into debt
Even if you see great deals over the festive season, don’t go into debt for a good deal. Rather buy items you can afford. There’s no use starting off 2018 on a bad note.
Shop around
Many Christmas shoppers try saving time by doing all their shopping at one place, but they usually end up missing out on deals that could save them a lot of money. Rather take your time when it comes to shopping, even if you have to start shopping a little earlier on in the year.
Don’t buy items on online shops you’re not sure about
Many people fall victim to online scams or bad quality purchases because they try saving money by shopping on untrustworthy online stores. A lot of these stores offer great prices, but they come with a lot of issues, such as bad quality items, delivery delays and bad return policies. Make sure you do thorough research before buying from an unknown online store.
Use your shopper rewards and perks
Any rewards you’ve been offered on your customer loyalty cards, including cash backs, discounts and specials, can save you money over the festive season. Don’t let great deals go to waste!
If it costs you less to make, make it
Presents aren’t all about money. You can save yourself a lot of money by making your own cards, gifts and decorations. Also, personalised gifts are often a lovely gesture for friends and family.
Suggest Secret Santa to your friends and family
If you cannot afford to buy everyone gifts this Christmas, suggest Secret Santa to them. This involves all participants’ names being placed in a box and mixed up. Each person chooses a random name from the box and doesn’t let anyone know whose name was picked. The person then has to buy a present for the person whose name he/she picked out of the box. With everyone only having to buy one gift, this saves a lot of money and time, especially if you’re celebrating Christmas with a lot of people.
Happy shopping!
Are you stressing about your finances? Don’t start off the new year without a solution for your debt! Contact Debt Rescue and take the first step to becoming debt free!
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