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I’ve read so many articles about saving money this holiday season but haven’t seen anyone suggest waiting to shop until after December 25th. Of course, some people will be absolutely appalled by the idea but I’m not saying you can’t celebrate Christmas itself on the 25th. Giving gifts isn’t really what Christmas is about anyway.
The Savings
It just makes sense to wait to do your holiday shopping until after the holidays. For instance, I always buy my lights the week after Christmas because they’re at least 50 percent off. Everything else is normally extremely discounted as well. Of course stores will put up advertisements for sales and discounts, but they know people are going to be shopping; the sales prices aren’t as amazing as many people believe. I plan on saving at least $500 by doing my shopping later rather than now.
What I Can Save On
There are so many savings after Christmas; decorations are half price, popular toys are discounted, clothing that doesn’t sell is less expensive, and electronics are often cheaper as well. I work in sales myself, and after a big holiday we always have a sale on merchandise that we want to clear out. Companies do this to restock new items for the next holiday and customers get a better price.
Changing My Expectations
It is wonderful to wake up on Christmas morning and open presents; being surprised because you finally got what you wanted however, I don’t mind changing my expectations to support my new shopping rule. I do plan to purchase a present for each of my children to open on Christmas morning (their big gifts); I don’t want them waking up and feeling disappointed at all. I fully intend to let my children know about our new holiday tradition and that it will only benefit our family. Really, they will most likely end up receiving more because our money will go further. We plan on celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as we normally do. We just won’t be opening all of the gifts until the 26th or 27th.
I’ve never done all of my shopping after December 25th before but I do feel confident in making this choice. Every year, I notice something that I just bought for less right after the holidays and I’m more interested in saving than having a Christmas full of financial stress.