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Is Christmas perhaps only a few months away? Well then, it is time to plan for the gifts and stick to a plan: you'll spend less and be more efficient. I have a few suggestions that may help in your annual Christmas shopping.
First I would make a complete list of all the people you will be giving presents, relatives, friends, co-workers, perhaps the gal at the beauty parlor, even the paper boy. I would also make this list more efficient by having one column for men, one for women, and one for children. This will make it easier to think of the Christmas presents you will need to buy.
Next I would make out a budget and put by each name on the list what amount I will be spending on each person, sure you'll spend more for Aunt Sue than for the paper boy. Then get yourself a total of these estimated expenses and then you'll most likely go back and cut down on probably each gift as the totals will be more than your budget will allow.
After you have an estimated amount by each person's name I would then make a list of possible gifts that might come near to the amount you want to spend say for that paper boy. This way you will be better prepared when you start the actual Christmas shopping in each of the stores in your area.
I would suggest keeping this list handy, in your purse or wallet and when you are in the stores in your area or perhaps in another town you'll have your list and you can check the sales and hopefully even save more on each person.
I also have a few suggestions on saving more money at Christimas by making those great and much appreciated craft items such as homemade Christmas tree ornaments, and don't forget home baking such as cookies for that paper boy. You might also consider gift certificates on some on your list.
Let's not forget mail order shopping if you do this early enough as you do have to allow time for the order to be processed and shipped to your home. Sometimes certain catalogs will have discounts such as offering a percentage off in the different department sections of the catalog. Also if you are shipping online and ordering from the internet sometimes there are a lot of discounts available at different web sites.
If you shop ahead of time and don't wait till the last possible days and have a master plan and also a budget and list of items you'll be through with Christmas shopping very early and also will be within your budget. It's those last minute gifts that cost the most.
I would also make the suggestion that you buy ahead of time during the January sales in your area and put those gifts aside for the next Christmas and save a lot when items are discounted. There are a lot of presents you can buy that there will not be a size involved and you won't worry for fear the item will not fit months later.
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