Loading ...I was asked by two co-workers today if I already started my Christmas shopping for this year. I told them that I was still getting over my last Christmas shopping season and that I haven’t given it a thought at all, until now. So, the question is, Should you start your 2007 Christmas shopping in June or wait until Thanksgiving or even the last minute like on Christmas Eve? Many articles on line suggest you shop early and avoid high prices or out of stock items. Why You Should Avoid Last Minute Christmas Shopping. But what about all of the great deals the Day After Thanksgiving, commonly referred to as Black Friday? If you start too early you miss some great deals and don’t have access to products that are not available yet. It may be very difficult if not impossible to return any gifts that you change your mind about if you purchase them too early. Then again if you wait too late, what you want may no longer be available or you may end up paying a higher price because you do not have the time to comparison shop.
When is the Best Time to Start Planning your Christmas Shopping?
You should start planning your Christmas Shopping List at the beginning of the year. Create a list of people that you will get gifts for. Identify their interests, hobbies, wants, and needs and set a goal for how much to spend for each person. Starting this list early gives you a chance to refine it throughout the year. As you shop throughout the year note the price of gifts and compare them at other stores. Resist the urge to buy any gifts early even if you think it will be the best deal of the year. As you get closer to Christmas you may find that the gift you bought early is not the right gift for that person anymore. Also, buying gifts early may waste the warranty that comes with the gift. You should also start a gift fund at the beginning of the year by saving a few bucks a week to put towards your gift purchases. You’ll be amazed at how much money you end up with by the Christmas Season. Keep updating your list and refining your notes all the way up until its time to actually start making those gift purchases.
When is the Best Time to Actually Start Buying Christmas Gifts?
I recommend at 90 days before Christmas (around September 25th) you should begin making your gift purchases. However, before making any purchases examine the store policies on returns and make sure you leave enough time from when you purchased the gift to a few days after Christmas in order to accommodate returns. Many stores have a 90 day return policy which is why I recommend starting no sooner than 90 days from Christmas. As mentioned above this will also leave more time on the warranty in case there is any defect with the gift. In addition to starting within 90 days of Christmas you should leave some of your budget for the great deals the Day After Thanksgiving. Get a head start on those deals by visiting Black Friday Ad sites such as http://www.bfads.net or http://www.blackfriday.info Many of these sites begin posting ads in October for the Black Friday specials. The other reason to wait for the 90 day mark is to allow companies to introduce new products in time for Christmas. You don’t want to regret purchasing something early because a newer version or better gift came out later. The last bit of advice I can give you is to wrap up your Christmas purchases no later than the second week in December, the 13th is a good deadline. No matter what, don’t wait until the last week before Christmas. You will be desperate and limited in what is available to purchase. So remember, start buying no earlier than 90 days before Christmas and finish no later than 12 days (December 13) before Christmas. If you follow my advice you can enjoy the 12 days leading up to Christmas knowing that all of your shopping is done and done right!
My Top Ten 2007 Christmas Holiday Gift Ideas (as of June 7th, 2007)
- Apple iPhone
- Apple TV
- Apple iPod
- Tivo or other Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
- SlingMedia’s SlingBox
- Sony PlayStation3
- Nintendo Wii
- Plasma TV
- Games: StarCraft 2
- Microsoft Surface Computer (if you have the money - see my post on this cool technology)
Other Christmas Shopping Articles for 2007:
- 6 Great Online Christmas Shopping Tips
- Anyone Start Christmas Shopping Yet - DIS Discussion Forums
- It Is Not Too Early to Start Planning Your Christmas Shopping
- Time to Start Christmas Shopping for Next Year?
What are your shopping strategies? Leave a comment and let me know what you think of my advice.
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Deana
xmas shopping has begun, i have already put things on lay a way and cant wait for the hoilday to come and pass. i think ive spent about 3 paychecks on everything and it has been more fun that i could imagine!
Great post. Very interesting…I think Franco needs to save a little more money. Its not smart to spend full paychecks on Christmas gifts.
I think xmas is just a hoax for the economy to get boosted up before the end of the year!
The day after Thanksgiving is suppose to be the busiest shopping day of the year. You can count on my staying on my couch all day after that fantastic meal!
I think the plasma tvs are going to be the popular present this year, they are now affordable and more sleek. Personally i wouldnt mind one!
It seems like we had just carved pumpkins yesterday and now the actual holidays are around the corner. Thankfully, fast payday loans are available if it is absolutely necessary. Holidays are my favorite time of the year. Holiday shopping on Black Friday has become a family tradition for my entire family. My sister and I would wake right at the crack of dawn to make a stop for a latte at our local Starbucks. However, this year will be slightly different. My sister and I still plan on doing our normal routine this year, but I’m sure Starbucks is crossed off of our to-do list and a cup of homemade black coffee at home before we start will be on the to-do list. Instead of spending our money at fine department stores, we intend to stretch the spending money we do have as far as possible for our budget is tighter than ever this year. With the way the economy is going, we just cannot afford to splurge on a lot of the things we enjoy the most. Even still, we will sustain our holiday tradition and make the best of Black Friday. Instead of worrying more on money and gifts, we are taking this as an opportunity to spend quality time with each other as a family. My sister and I particularly are making sure we have everyone’s list together and we are planning an exact budget to work with. I found this article that talks about how to budget during times like this, and I think everyone should really practice smart spending habits during this holiday shopping season. Fast payday loans are available for unexpected expenses, such as bills and groceries, and are not designed to cover unnecessary gift charges. Despite how tight our budget will be, I’m sure these upcoming holidays will still be a merry season for all of us. Click here to read more on Fast Payday Loans.
Shopping would be the very first thing on our list of activity during holidays. Now that Christmas is fast approaching for sure most of us are busy buying of gifts to give to our love ones. As the economy slows, more people are taking out payday loans. For the second straight month, consumer prices have dropped. However, as this happens, the unemployment rate is rising. First home purchases have sunk to a fifty year low. Retail giants like Best Buy and Office Depot are sustaining big losses as Americans tighten their purse strings during leaner times. The Christmas season, long the hub around which the retail year revolves, hasn’t been able so far to make up for the shortfalls. To read more on the economy and payday loans check out this article.