Couple people have asked me for some help and suggestions for Christmas shopping this year
I think everyone is feeling a little cash-strapped, so here are my suggestions for last minute shopping without breaking the bank
- Look for a “buy this and get a free..” deals. This usually allows you to get two gifts for the price of one. Or.. in some cases, a gift for them and a gift for you. Even deals like “buy a gift card and get a free $10 gift card” are great, as you can save that $10 card as one of the “oh I forgot about Susie!” gifts
- Daily Deals are awesome.. I bought earrings that were normally $80 down to $14.99. Look for places advertising their “12 days of deals” and such and subscribe to those eblasts. I would check back every day for what they have on the go that day
- One favourite deal I do is Texture.. This is the magazine subscription for tablets/iphones. You pay monthly, but you can add the app to up to 5 devices.. So this I gift each year to everyone in my family (with the login details) but I only pay one price.
- There are free magazine subscriptions you can get besides these. Normally they are run through “samplesource.ca (make sure to register!)” or similar places, but you can start here https://www.thebalance.com/free-magazine-subscriptions-1356536 if wanted
- “Super Savers” sales at Value Village, couple times a year and a few times before Christmas. If you subscribe to their eblasts they will often have some good clothes and shoes sales coming up before Christmas too. I check back often at their art, as they are usually cheap and can find some great gifts for under $15
- Liquidation stores can have good deals. Theres a couple places near me, and theyre the kind of place you have to check back on often, but can usually find something cool at each one when I go. If your people aren’t picky, sometimes a massive $2 jug of vinegar could be a great gift!
- Spend your loyalty points! Air miles, esso, petrocanda, scene movies, optimum etc.. all of these allow for free purchases. I spent 400 points yesterday with Air miles and got 4 $10 starbucks voucher cards. Shoppers with optimum points can make great mini gift baskets of stuff like a pampering kit, nail polish kit, etc.. all using points for free
- Jump on the free stuff… Because free doesn’t last long! Last year I did a lot of the “sign up and get $ to spend”, like on Julep and Shopping Channel. I was able to buy free gifts and just pay some shipping. Then I got an email in an eblast today for totally free earrings.. Yes please!
- When in doubt, join the “free” blogs.. These people do all the work for you. http://www.freemania.net/ , freestufffinder.ca, redflagdeals.com/go/freebies, canadianfreestuff.com are places to start with that I like
An overarching note – try to keep doing all the saving things you would normally do when your brain isn’t going a mile an hour… Like logging into that shopping website through your Airmilesshops.ca portal (often all Dec long there are double the points deals and such) or showing your SPC discount card when buying dinner. Start at your favourite deal places (Groupon, WagJag, Perkopolis, Venngo, etc) and then go from there
Then, my last suggestion? START NOW! Think at every sale you go to throughout the year about other people, and if there is something there you could buy for them for Christmas, you are ahead of the game! The main reason we are cash-strapped is because we spend so much all at once, usually all in one month. I go back to a song I sang as a kid.. "Christmas Bills, Christmas Bills, Piled on the Floor..." All you need is a place to store all these "gifts" and "re-gifts" for the year.. For me it's in this trunk where I also have the wrapping paper and gift bags!
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