As of today, you have 141 days until Christmas
I'll wait while you hurl your summer drink of choice at me for even mentioning Christmas before Labor Day
Done? 'kay!
When this post popped up in my feedreader this morning, I got to thinking: "Christmas? It's blasphemous to even think about Christmas shopping before Halloween" (despite what the department store decorating schedule may be). That's the way we always did it...we waited until the day after Thanksgiving to start our shopping, put everything on the credit card and then paid off the credit card with our tax return!
Then I remembered what happened last year.....
Last year we managed to get through all of our Christmas shopping without putting a single gift on the credit cards (and we didn't even really cut back on the amount that we spent). We did it by following the "rules" that I laid out for ourselves in this post. Many of those rules still apply, one doesn't (I gave up my jewelry business the 1st of this year and won't be at as many craft shows) and some new ones have popped up.
So at the risk of being killed for mentioning Christmas when many of us are still thinking about summer vacations and Back To School, here is our updated list of how we are preparing for Christmas this year:
1. Set a budget for each person and STICK TO IT: this was one of the hardest things for us to do last year. However, since last Christmas we are debt-free (except for our house) and this site is providing more wiggle room in our budget. On the other hand, creating a per-person budget is really the smartest thing to do and eliminates the urge to "impulse buy" just because you found "the perfect gift". The Perfect Gift can be found in almost any price range if you take your time and keep looking!
2. Stockpile Amazon.com gift cards through Swagbucks: I have written about Swagbucks a few times beforeand I am still in love with them. Whenever I have enough Swagbucks for a $5 Amazon.com gift card (which, because of the amount of searching I do in maintaining this site, is fairly often), I just take the gift card code from Swagbucks and apply it as a credit to my Amazon.com account. I'm just pretending that money isn't there , so by the time I am ready to shop for Christmas, I should be able to get several gifts for little-to-no out-of-pocket costs!
3. Shop at craft fairs. I will be on the lookout for unique gifts for much less than I can get at Nordstroms, etc. By the same token, I’ll also be scouring Etsy for some unique gifts (and helping to support independent crafters in the process)
4. Shop online: I am now a huge fan of shopping online. I’ve never been one of those people who can go out and get all their gifts in one day, so by the time that I make multiple trips to the stores, any shipping costs will be cancelled out by the price of the gas I would use going back & forth to the mall. Not only that, in many cases I end up saving another 6% by not having to pay sales tax.
5. Shop now: It’s much easier to find an extra $40 in the budget one week for a gift than to try to buy everything at once and find an extra $2000. By spreading it out, we can relieve the strain on the budget. If you can't bring yourself to do any actual shopping now, put that extra $40 that you find away in an envelope labeled "Christmas Shopping" and hold on to it (hide it from yourself, if need be) until you are psychologically ready to go Holiday shopping.
6. Remembering the immortal words of Dr. Seuss: “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more”. We are still trying to teach our children that Christmas is not just about a jolly fat guy and spending ginormous amounts of money. This lesson is getting to be both easier and harder to teach our children as they get older (you can reason with them more, but they are more aware of what their friends have and want the same...a pox upon the person who taught my children about Webkinz!), but it continues to be a major goal in our lives.
Are you ready to start preparing for Christmas? How are you going to do it?
emily
I am SO interested in getting ready for Christmas early. Thanks for the post.
Last Christmas, all of the adults in our family decided to just do gifts for the children. It really saved us a lot!
We had a very nice meal, enjoyed each others company, and loved watching the kids open their gifts.
Kelly W
I have always been a super early Christmas shopper. Actually already have part of my mom's gift for this year. We don't give gifts to any other adults other than our mom's so the biggest expense is for our three kids.
We have told them this year Santa will only be bringing three gifts just as Jesus got three gifts on his birthday. They can ask for anything but only expect to get three. I thought this was a super idea until my 8 year old decides he wants a video camera, a guitar and some other super expensive thing. Hmmm...... Sure wish I bought that flip video camera when it was $49.99!!
I haven't purchased anything for them yet because they have so many toys that I can't bring myself to buy any! And with them only getting three I want to make sure they get things they want.
Adriana
Christmas already? Gah.
We've been doing the usual - stocking up on items when they go on clearance. Which includes everything from shoes at the Converse Outlet {you can find good sales year round}, summer clothes at Gap Outlet {in a couple of weeks}, toys {in January & July}, winter clothes in Feb./March, other clothes when Old Navy puts their clearance an extra 50% off. Oh, and those awesome free signature collection or lip item with any purchase at Bath & Body Works. Walgreens also has some great toy clearance every now and then.
We're pretty good about not spending that much on toys {helps that we don't have kids in the house}. However, our problem is eating out! We ate out SO many times last Christmas vacation; it really put a dent into my credit card. So we'll have to work on that this time around.
Kim
I've taken your advice about the Swagbucks! I just cashed mine in for my first Amazon certificate, and I'm over halfway to another one (ignoring the one Swagbuck that I have that's not a Swagbucks.com Swagbuck... wow, how many times can I say Swagbuck in one sentence??) If I can even get $50 worth of gift certificates, it will take a HUGE load off-- I put all my presents on my credit card last year (I essentially lived off my cards for a year because I didn't have a job. The end result is NOT pretty. I don't recommend it, even if you have to eat beans and rice every day and steal toilet paper from your school/employer.)
I've also taken to making things for people. My SO bought me a sewing machine for our anniversary last year, and I've been tentatively trying to make things as presents-- usually only for close family and friends, because my stitching is still a bit... wobbly. http://www.cutoutandkeep.net has some really inventive ideas for little gifts and what-nots. (I made the fish-to-sushi plushes for SO for valentine's day, and they were a huge hit.) It almost feels like those are a little more special, because they take so much time and sweat(and often, when I'm sewing by hand, blood and tears too!)
Kelly
I agree! I am actually just about done shopping for the kids. If I had no more money to buy presents for this year, I would be happy with all the stuff they already have. I went to consignment shops and yard sales. I made out amazing and have a ton of toys, that I can just sell back to the consignment shop next year, this will be my Christmas money for that year. I have a cycle that works for me 🙂 Your helpful tips are so great!!!
Julia Lombardo
Great post! *applause* I cannot agree with you more!
Every year, I make a spreadsheet of everyone we have to buy for, and I set a budget per person or per family.
My husband is the youngest of four, and his three siblings have EIGHT kids between them.
A long time ago, we all decided that we would only exchange kids' gifts, nothing for adults. So the only adults we buy for, are our parents.
I do a lot of searching too, and was doing really great at Swagbucks, until my company blocked the site 🙁 I have no time to get on the computer at home, and so my SB account will suffer 🙁
Celia
Believe it or not, I thought about Christmas this morning. We were unable to start our Christmas fund in January this year because of medical bills, but I am hoping to have eight hundred put away by Christmas.
Lisa
Funny, on Monday I just wrapped about 30 presents already. My 2 nieces came in my home and saw everything wrapped neatly on my kitchen table and said, "Are you crazy?" I said No, just on top of things.. LOL. I too make a spread sheet of who I have to buy for, although I buy all year long, I have a few nieces I make gift baskets for from anything from, shampoo's razors, make up, The basket is probably worth atleast $100 but if I pay $10 that's alot. I get many free things at CVS after ECB's, Rite aid FAR's and clearanced racks and use coupons. I have many nail polishes set aside this year from Rite aid and CVS's clearanced. Many stores go as far as 90% off after holidays. If it's something that won't stick around till 90% I will buy at 75% off but it has to be something special. Just my 2 cents.. :o)
Brad @enemyofdebt
Hey Mindi! Great post and thanks for the mention. I hope everyone takes this time to plan ahead. Christmas will be here before we know it. 😀
Diane
I start shopping for Christmas the day after Christmas. The sales are amazing after the holidays. I never buy lights or any kind of decoration before Christmas. I just make a list (like someone else I know, ho ho ho!), and then wait for the clearance prices. As far as gifts go, I pick up things throughout the year and pile them up with our Christmas decorations. Once we start to decorate, I go through my gift pile and see what else I might need. It's not an exact science, but it works for me.
Colleen
On the topic of saving money on items for Christmas...many of my shoppers buy their kids holiday outfits, toys, books DVD's and more. I organize a huge kids consignment event each Spring and Fall in Burlington Township NJ called Best Dressed for Less. With 250+ families participating, Best Dressed for Less creates a HUGE selection of over 20,000 quality items at AMAZING prices (70-90% OFF retail prices). Our sale includes: gently used and new name brand children's clothing (newborn– juniors 16), toys, books, videos, DVDs, baby equipment, kids and infants furniture, outdoor play equipment, halloween costumes and more!
If you live in NJ visit our website at http://www.bestdressedsale.com
Our Fall/Winter sale is October 2-4 2009
If you are not in NJ you can learn about kids consignment sales in your area by visiting the website
Kids Consignment Sales.com.....they have a comprehensive listing of sales by state.