I enjoyed reading last week's tips for early holiday shopping. However, it seems to me that you left out other simple advice, such as making a shopping list before the actual "buys" commence. Did you? – Hannah Helpful
Dear Ms. Helpful: Indeed I did! Thanks for taking me to task for omitting strategies, and I'll begin with your own suggestion. Thanks, also, for suggestions from certified financial guru Scott Alan Turner.
1. Make a shopping list. Write down the list of people for whom you plan to buy gifts. If it's gotten longer through the years, consider trimming some names. Instead, bake cookies, make homemade hot chocolate or soup mix, and so forth; lots cheaper, these gifts are truly straight from the heart. And speaking of such, provide a gift certificate for a chauffeured ride to an elderly neighbor's doctor appointment or a pretty manicure in your home for a favorite granddaughter.
2. Set a spending limit. Too often, we simply buy a bunch of presents without adding up the total spent beforehand. Try setting a total amount this year and divide the sum among the number of gifts/people. Teens enjoy movie tickets, for instance, and $10 for each – even adding popcorn and a drink - won't break the bank. Perhaps a $50 surprise, along with certificates for a back rub and a favorite meal to delight your spouse.
3. Pay in cash. I've offered suggestions on this in the past and, certainly, this season is even more important. We shouldn't forget the easiest way to go into debt is to use credit to buy gifts instead of cash. When using the former, it's way too easy to lose track of how much we've spent. Plus, those extra, unnoticed fives and tens can come back to bite us in the you-know-what come the first of the month!
5. Don't buy for yourself. This piece of instruction from the person who just bought a trunkful of Black Friday sales merchandise for herself Hubby and I subsequently made an agreement not to shop for ourselves next Christmas, especially online and most especially on Amazon. On the other hand, we can always create a gift list for folks who need ideas for items we'd enjoy receiving.
6. Shop for sales at discount stores. Check out the discount stores first and, as noted in last week's column, also be on the alert for discounted gift cards. Look for the following to get some first-rate purchases at the least expensive prices:
* TJ Max
* Walmart
* Marshalls
* Dollar Stores
* Costco / Sams Club
* Big Lots
7Don't go crazy on the kiddies - children or tots. When my grands were little, I'd wrap pairs separately; for example, a pair of socks, a pair of mittens, and so forth. (Obviously, toy-lovers could care less about clothing, but having more to unwrap may lessen the pain.) Truly, so far as toys are concerned, one comfy animal or doll is all that's necessary for a baby or toddler, although Mom and Dad might like you to throw in a couple of outfits or a warm jacket.
9Buy a combined gift. Think about a fun board game for the kids close in age, a dinner at a touted restaurant for a couple on your list or even splurge on a weekend visit to Gatlinburg, for example. (Actually, if you've got the funds, splurge on a fantastic family gift for son and his family at Opryland or even New York. By doing so, your wallet won't take the brunt of gifts for parents and all the kiddies.)
Ellen Phillips Contact Ellen Phillips at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com.