Holiday Shopping - Fun or Stressful?

If it seemed to you like the holiday season began a bit early this year, you’re not going crazy. According to this www.cnn.com article (http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/11/01/holiday.discounts.ap/index.html), many retailers began Black Friday-like sales a whole two weeks before Thanksgiving. Retailers’ sales and promotions have been in full swing for almost two whole weeks! And I have fallen into their ruse. I can’t wait for Christmas and feel like it should be a lot later in November than it really is. Most importantly, I want to buy buy buy Christmas presents! In previous years, I have been patient and haven’t even thought about purchasing presents until after Thanksgiving. This year, though, I have been so impatient and can’t wait to shop, mostly because of all of the sales retailers are promoting.

And yet, I have not bought any Christmas presents so far. My financial situation is holding me back. And this is the case, it seems, with many Americans this year. An article titled “Retailers Hope Shoppers Are Ready to Spend” in the New York Times from November 16, 2007, claims that “retailers are heading into the Thanksgiving weekend on edge, worried that consumers will keep a tight hold on their purse strings in the face of a shaky economic environment and lack of must-have products” (http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-blackfriday-preview.html?_r=1&oref=slogin).

How can we, as consumers, be smarter shoppers this year? Of course, we can take advantage of the sales on Black Friday. The website BlackFridayAds.com claims to be “your one stop source for all the best Black Friday Deals and information.” But if you are not too keen on shopping at 4:00 a.m., then you can take advantage of certain online stores’ free shipping. My previous blog discusses this further. Some retailers are even offering online only sales with free or discounted shipping. Several other websites help you create a list. If they don’t, using the “shopping cart” feature can allow you to make a list. Using a list when shopping and committing to only purchasing what is on your list, is another way to keep to a holiday shopping budget.

Good luck everyone, and may you have an enjoyable holiday shopping experience.