How to Save Money on Christmas Gifts

Do you overspend at Christmas? It is so easy to do. But, there is a way I have found to curve all that Christmas time spending. I call it my Christmas in July Plan. This plan as made a huge difference in how much I ultimately spend on Christmas gifts. The Christmas in July Plan has only three rules which are:

Never buy out of guilt or in a hurry.

Buy all year round beginning immediately after Christmas.

If shipping gifts always buy small.

Guilt is expensive so never buy something out of guilt just because it is expensive and it makes you feel better about something. No matter how much a gift cost it will never heal guilt. Also, don't wait until the last minute to shop for Christmas gifts. Doing so almost always causes you to overspend. Shop early, in fact, you should begin Christmas shopping immediately after Christmas. Every store from the 7-11 on the corner to the Macy's at the mall will have their overstock gift items on sale. It is not unusual to find items at 40, 50 and even 70% off. Buy items that will easily keep a full year like perfume, bath gel or books not candy or, of course, plants. Always keep an eye out for deals while shopping through out the year.

For instance, last February, my local grocery store had some very cute wind chimes on sale. They were regularly $10.00 but I found one perfect for my son's girlfriend and paid only $3.99 for it. It is wrapped and waiting for her under the Christmas tree now after spending the better part of the year in a box on a shelf. This past September my local drug store had all their summer gift ware on sale. I found a very pretty ceramic wall plaque for my sister for only $2.00 marked down from $8.00. You get the picture. As each season ends stores clear out the previous season's wares. Keep an eye out and you will find all sorts of bargains.

Last but probably the best Christmas gift shopping advice you will ever get is this: If you are shipping gifts always, always think small. Your brother may, indeed, love that 15 inch diameter cast iron bell to hang on his workshop but it will cost you a bundle to ship it. Even relatively light weight items can be expensive to ship. A King size comforter is not all that heavy but it is big and will require a big box to ship in. That big box may fall into the dimensional pricing for shipping and end up costing up to more than half of what you paid for the comforter. Keep this in mind when shopping for Christmas gifts that you will have to ship. Think small and save.

Go ahead and Christmas shop but shop smart and follow the Christmas in July Plan for savings.