THINGS TO DO
‘Tis the
season to shop
early by Brooklynn Smith
W
ith Halloween ending, people are preparing for activities such as Thanksgiving dinners, booking flights in advance, and holiday shopping. In the past, it was common for people to start their holiday shopping either on the day of Black Friday right after a Thanksgiving meal or in the beginning of December. Yet times have definitely changed. Each year, retailers fill their shelves with holiday inventories earlier and earlier. Soon, it won’t come as a surprise when we see Christmas decorations alongside back to school supplies! Now you may be asking yourself, why on earth would I start shopping for the holidays months before December? Well picture 14
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crispier, there is an undeniable magical feeling of the holidays coming
this: December rolls around, everyone is scrambling in the stores to find the perfect gifts, people are rushing for the last popular game console on the shelf, all of the remaining Christmas trees are small, straggly, and unhealthy, and you’re overwhelmed. Some would simply go online to shop for their items, but the websites are lagging and the delivery trucks are stalling due to everyone else cramming in last-minute shopping. Imagine how less stressed you’d be if you had done your shopping in advance! By shopping early, you can avoid the chaos and have more time to enjoy with family and friends. Let’s explore how we can do this!
November 2023 | The South Coast Insider
First, create a budget.
Always remember that budgets are your friend. Budgets frame how much you can spend and it can help narrow down on what you should buy.
Make a detailed list.
Of all the decorations and gifts you plan to purchase and write an estimation on what each item might cost. A good tip while doing this is to take a quick search around your house for items that you might already have on hand, like old Christmas ornaments or leftover wrapping paper. These can be eliminated from your budget and save you in the long run.
Set aside a portion of your paycheck. If cash is king, then the
credit card is the queen of spending. And during the holidays it’s unfortunately very normal to rack up large amounts of credit card debt. Plus, with the country teetering on a possible recession and inflation rising higher and higher, it can feel impossible to afford everything we want all at once. A way to go around this is to save portions of your paycheck. Not only will this lower stress, but it will also help meet your budget goals.
Keep an eye out for sales.
Searching for holiday sales will ultimately stretch your budget further and save your wallet from heartache. Retail shops sneak in early holiday sales in October for eager beavers. Starting in October, stores like Walmart, BestBuy, Kohl’s,
