Holiday Shopping Tips

The two goals for Christmas shopping: 1. get all the items on your list and 2. save money. Sometimes it may feel like you cannot get the items on your family's wish lists without spending more than you can afford. But it is definitely possible to get the items you want without breaking the bank. Here are some great holiday shopping tips.

Amazon Lightning Deals

Amazon offers new deals on a variety of items every day. The trick to getting the best value is to check it often and be aware of the items you need and when the deal begins. Once the deal begins the item could sell out at any time. You definitely don't want to wait to add the item to your cart and purchase it.

If you miss the deal on the item you want, you may still have a chance to get the item at the Lightning Deal price if you get on the waitlist. It is possible that someone has added the item to their cart and then ends up not purchasing it. If you are next on the waitlist you may be the one who snags that item! Amazon.com

Amazon

Besides the Lightning Deals, Amazon is just a great way to purchase the items on your shopping list anyway. Amazon sellers change the prices of their items often, usually to match the prices offered by other retailers. But make sure you work quickly. You never know if the item will sell out, or how long the low price will last. If you see an amazing price on something on your list, don't wait, buy it! Amazon.com

Groupon

Groupon is a fantastic way to save on those gifts that you can't necessarily purchase at a store.  Groupon offers deals on events and activities, deals for kids, deals on travel, automotive deals, etc. All you need to do is set up an account, look for the deals available on their site, and start saving money! They also even have a page devoted to coupons you can use to shop online that can also help you save money when you are buying your Christmas gifts. Go to Groupon.com.

Price Match at Walmart

Sometimes the prices at the store just cannot be beat, even by online sellers. When this is the case it is of course better to get it at the store. If the item you are looking for is sold out at the original store where it is sold, you can take the ad to a Walmart and if they carry the item in their store, they will match the sale price of the item! For a complete understanding of their price match policy you can visit http://corporate.walmart.com/ad-match-guarantee.

A few other tips:

It is a good idea to add the regular price of the items you want to purchase to your shopping list. That way when you see a sale price you will know just how good that sale price is. Many times ads can make you think that you are getting a good price when really you may only be saving a dollar or two from the original price of an item.

 

Make your shopping list as soon as you can. The sooner you have the list the sooner you can be watching for good deals. Then you can get the best prices as they become available and you are not stuck shopping on Christmas Eve or missing shipping deadlines when shopping online.

 

It can take a little bit of extra time to ensure you get good deals and save money when buying the items on your Christmas list, but with that little bit of extra effort, you can help make the holidays a happy time for you both you and your family.