How to master your festive shopping

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, well maybe not considering all the stresses that come along with it, long queues, shops full at capacity, no where to park and not enough time.  Early planning for your festive shopping can save you loads of money in the long run, while also eliminating additional stress over the busy festive season.

Holiday shopping can be a nightmare – you have to brave crowded malls, overpriced items and Christmas carols on repeat. Well this year it doesn’t have to be that way – try these tips to shop smarter and have a happier holiday shopping experience.

Plan ahead – Planning ahead and knowing what you want before you head over to the shops allows you time to research where the best places are to purchase items from and if you’re lucky you may even find some early specials.

Save petrol by shopping online – Technology has made things so easy for us. Avoid crowded shopping centers altogether by doing the bulk of your shopping online. Just make sure that you keep delivery costs in mind and make sure you order your gifts far ahead of time.

Group your shopping trips – if you have to go to shop the old fashioned way, figure out where all the stores you need to visit are and plan the route that will involve the least driving and maybe even an area or a mall that has all the stores you need.

Refill your energy and stay energised – Shopping during the festive season can require enough physical energy to be considered a sport. When hopping from shop to shop and doing what seems to be a never ending story, make sure you have a cold can of Red Bull tucked away to refill your energy so you can keep going. One 250ml can of Red Bull has 80mg of caffeine to give you the extra boost you need to keep you going for a few hours.

Don’t overspend – one of the best ways to shop smart this season is to avoid spending more than you can afford. You don’t want to be paying for things months after the fact simply because you went a little overboard with your credit card.

Never shop on weekends – Avoid shopping on weekends as much as you can, they are inevitably the busiest shopping days during the holiday season.  If you want to avoid the crowds, try shopping on weekday evenings – the shops stay open later during the festive season so you don’t have to rush after work.

Shop alone – Shopping is stressful enough throughout the year without having to worry about a friend or toddler lagging behind you. Shopping alone will save you time and potentially prevent you from being influenced to make big spur-of-the-moment purchases.

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