The winter holidays are known for being a season of giving. Giving thanks, giving gifts, and giving love to our loved ones, is what it’s all about. Have you noticed that during the winter holiday season, people just are overall nicer this time of year? It’s very common to receive gifts from people, just because they had it in their heart to give it to you, and not expect anything in return.
A lot of the times, the people who have those gifts to give out, had it planned out a year in advance. I know this because my grandmother is one of those people. She would start her shopping after Christmas, when everything went on sale. She would also pick up little things here and there all throughout the year, and just stash everything away in the back of her closets. That’s how she gets ready for Christmas… but how do you get ready for the holiday season?
If you’re a last minute shopper like most people, then you have to get hip to the saving game. This not only saves you time, but more importantly, money! When you have all monies accounted for in your holiday shopping efforts, you’re able to go to the stores you want, make your purchases, and get out, and on to the next store. Saving is hard to do at times, but if you want to have a successful holiday season, follow these five tips on saving money.
Take Advantage of Black Friday Sales
Now, Black Friday normally does have awesome deals and discounts on lots of products, but it can be very chaotic. The hustle and bustle of Black Friday is not for everyone, so if you do decide to get out in it, prepare yourself for very long lines, pushing and shoving, and wait times.
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving where retailers greatly reduce the prices of items and products. Shopping on this particular day is great because the prices of a lot of your big ticket items, such as TVs, laptops, tablets, and cell phones are drastically reduced. That reason alone is why people come out for Black Friday. Some people even camp outside their favorite stores, just to be the first ones inside.
With the prices being so low, you’re really able to get a big bang for your buck, that’s why lots of people will shop with their credit card, giving you the luxury to buy it now, and pay later. You don’t want to break the bank shopping, plus, it’s a lot easier to pay $500.00 for two laptops over the course of a few months in smaller increments, than having to pay it all out of your pocket at once.
Coupon
Couponing is more for your everyday items, but this is a great way to catch the best deals. The way couponing may come in handy this holiday season is for your college student. With couponing, you can stock them up on toilet paper, toothpaste, soaps, and lotions.
Having those items for your college student, or soon to be college student, would make for a great care package for them once they get to school. It will definitely set them up for several months until they need more supplies. This would be a great Christmas gift idea, as well as a back-to-school gift.
You’ve seen the couponing show where people will have grocery carts full of random items such as laundry soap, body washes, and ketchup. When those items are rung up, it totals out to $600.00, but once the coupons are added, the new total ends up being seven cents. If that isn’t saving, I don’t know what is!
Second Job/Freelancing
Additional income is always a great thing to have handy, and the way times have changed, extra money is literally right at your fingertips. Freelancing is a great way to earn additional income. The flexibility it allows is really a dream come true. The cool thing about freelancing is that you get to work around your own schedule, set your own price, and you can do it virtually anywhere. Just do your research on freelancing to make sure it’s right for you.
All you need is a computer/laptop, internet, and a written form of the gift of gab. So, if you can talk about it, then you can write about it. This is a great way to save for your holiday shopping, and with the extra money you’ll have, you’ll be able to contribute to Thanksgiving by purchasing the festive plates and glasses, or even host a Christmas party at your house! What you choose to spend your extra money on is totally up to you, but your options are limitless.
Personal Loan
Taking out a personal loan is another great option for you as well. This allows you to get the money you need right then, without having to go through a long and drawn out process. Achieving additional income through a personal loan is not just for people with perfect credit either. People with bad credit can still benefit from a personal loan.
I can remember back when I was young and dumb, ruining my credit, and spending my money on ridiculous items that put me in a hole that was very hard to come out of. I was already working two jobs but still couldn’t get out of the hole.
My only other option was to take out a personal loan. I was actually quite intimidated by taking out a loan, knowing my credit score was bad. I just felt like I would automatically get turned down, but luckily I didn’t. I was able to get my loan, and pay off a lot of my debts, and eventually got out of the hole. So I encourage you to not feel intimidated to get a personal loan because there are options out there for you. Trust me… if I can do it, you can too.