Do you like saving money? We sure do! One of the biggest times of the year for spending is the holiday season. If your family and friends do any sort of gift exchanging, you know how quickly the costs of it can add up. We’re right there with you, and want to share some money-saving ways to do your shopping during the holiday season and year-round too!
Shop Early
If you can, try and get your shopping done early! There’s no need to wait until Black Friday anymore as most places introduce their big offers even earlier than the traditional holiday sales. Also, if you’re shopping before everyone else you’ll have the greatest selection to choose from, and you won’t find yourself settling for a less-than-perfect or more expensive option just because you waited until the last minute.
Pro Tip: Zazzle’s holiday offers are starting earlier this year! Be the first to know of our deals by coming back to the site daily or signing up for emails.
Set a Realistic Budget
Before you even begin shopping, take a look at your spending and decide realistically how much you can and want to allocate for gifts. By designating a total amount right from the start you will be able to further understand how much you can spend on each person before you even get to the mall.
Stick to a Shopping List
When you’re setting your holiday budget, don’t just think about the gifts you want to buy — plan for the gifts you need to give. Think about who you’ll buy for, and how much those people are worth to you. If you have a long list of names or you’re planning on spending too much at once (or both), go through it again and trim down the list or reduce the spending amounts.
Sign up For Promotional Emails
We know, sometimes it can be very overwhelming to have a flow of promotional emails in your inbox. But, almost all brands will offer discounts to their customers via email (or other channels) in the time leading up to the holidays. Think about what stores you want to shop at, and then sign up for emails from those brands and stay on top of what they are offering.
Factor in Shipping
While online shopping has many benefits, one drawback is the need to ship the item to you or your recipient. When you’re compiling your shopping budget, make sure to leave a buffer in case you need to pay for shipping. While many companies will offer free or discounted shipping with your purchase, that may not be the case for them all. Don’t bust your budget because you forgot about this factor!
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for ways to save on gifts & products, we highly recommend signing up for a Zazzle Plus membership. Take a look at the different membership tiers and sign up for a FREE trial!
Buying Discounted Gift Cards
If you’re purchasing gift cards for friends and family, look at websites like Raise or stores like Costco for gift cards at discounted rates. You’ll get the same amount, but save some money while you’re doing it!
Pro tip: If you can plan ahead, this is also a great idea for how you pay for your gifts. For example, If you’re planning on buying a $500 TV but only paid $475 for the gift card to that store, you’re saving an extra 5%!
Using Cash Back Shopping Sites
You’ve likely seen advertisements for companies like Ebates or Ibotta that offer cash-back on your online purchases. If you’re going to be online shopping at bigger stores for your holiday gifts, try exploring these options to save some extra cash.
Use Cash in Stores
For budgeting both during and outside of the holiday season, experts recommend using cash whenever possible. Take out as much money as you’re spending that day, week, or on that individual, and commit to only spending that amount. It can be easy to swipe a debit card and forget the true cost of what you’re buying, but by actually handing over the cash you’ll have a greater understanding of how much you’ve spent, and how much you have left.
Consider DIY Gifts
If you consider yourself a crafty person, think about making your own gifts! Just because they don’t have the same monetary value doesn’t mean they won’t have the same impact, and in fact, the recipient might actually appreciate it more! Some easy ideas are knitting, handmade stationery or cards, jewelry, soap or candles.
Pro Tip: Speaking of the gifts… the best gifts don’t have to be expensive, they should be thoughtful and personalized! Lucky for you, Zazzle is the best place for personalized gifts! Be inspired by our selection of unique gifts under $20 and other gifting ideas.
Suggest a Secret Santa or White Elephant
If you have a large family and friend group, planning to purchase one gift per person can be incredibly daunting. If you feel comfortable suggesting it, reach out to the group early (say in September or October) and put forth the idea of a secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange. You’ll save money on gifts, and also have the added enjoyment of watching the recipient open their “surprise”!
We hope our top 10 money-saving ideas will help you save this holiday season, stick to your budget and avoid the shopping stress! If you have any other tips or tricks for saving a buck, please share with our Zazzle community in the comments below.
Remember, gifting isn’t the only reason for the season! Make sure to spend time with friends and loved ones — and to not just spend on them — for a very merry holiday season.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Erika focuses on email marketing, copywriting and merchandising at Zazzle, but she has a secret obsession with all things wedding! During the week you can find her writing punny subject lines while also pinning the latest wedding trends, and outside of the 9-5, she is usually cheering on the San Jose Sharks, reading a good murder mystery, or hunting for the best Philly Cheesesteak in the Bay Area.
