The good news is that it is possible to enjoy Christmas without raiding your savings. With a little bit of savvy shopping and a whole lot of discipline, it is possible to cut the cost of your Christmas shopping considerably. Here are eight ways to spend less this Christmas. Price Comparison First off, don’t purchase a single thing until you have shopped around extensively. Price comparison websites can save you a hell of a lot of money provided you’re willing to take the time to use them. Regardless of whether you plan on shopping online or off, it pays to know your options. Coupons If you’re a fan of the frugal lifestyle, you’re probably already familiar with the benefits of coupons. But if not, it’s well worth taking up the hobby even if just for Christmas. To find out if there are any coupons available for a particular gift or shop, just take a few seconds to search online. Social Media Another simple way to get discounted gifts is to follow your favorite retailers on Twitter and Facebook. Many retailers publish exclusive discounts on their Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. Signing up only takes a few seconds but it could save you some serious cash. Ask for Discounts When purchasing expensive gifts, don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. When shopping on the high street, simply ask the sales assistant. And when shopping online, look for a live chat feature. You might be surprised by how many retailers will happily give you a ten percent discount just to make a sale. Discount Gift Cards Another simple way to spend less on gifts is to use discounted gift cards. It’s possible to purchase gift cards online for as much as thirty percent off their retail value. Find such a gift card for a store that you’re interested in purchasing from and you could wind up purchasing a hundred dollars’ worth of gifts for seventy bucks. To find out more, visit giftcardrescue.com. Don’t Make Impulse Purchases One of the easiest ways to overspend at Christmas time is to go shopping without a plan. Don’t wander around the high street picking out random gifts. Not only is doing so a needlessly expensive way to shop, it’s also likely to lead to sub-par gifts. Take the time to plan your purchases. It might help to make a list to help you plan ahead. Agree on a Tight Budget Most people are a little short on money right now. Because of this, your friends and family are likely to be interested in ways to spend less on gifts too. Make agreements with people to keep all gifts below a certain price. Or consider adopting the secret Santa strategy where everyone in a group only purchases a single present for a single person. Shop Exclusively for Others Finally, spend enough time shopping for others and it’s very difficult not to spot something that you’d like to purchase for yourself. Unfortunately, if you’re on a tight budget, such a purchase probably isn’t very wise. Decide early on that you’re not going to purchase any presents for yourself. It’s also worth noting that anything you spot is likely to be cheaper come January anyway. Caroline Sutton, the writer of this article is a loving mother of two. She is an avid blogger and has a blogging site named Best deals by Caroline, where she loves blogging about shopping, interiors, and food. Featured photo credit: a shopping cart full of christmas stuff via Shutterstock
