So, we recently got through the Christmas in July sales, and
I believe I even saw some summer “Black Friday” marketing attempts by a
retailer that rhymes with Farget. Is
this crazy? Yes…and no. Although I am not alone in being someone who
shops for Christmas gifts all year long, I know that folks who join me in this
madness are few and far between. Most of
the time, I get comments like “You’re crazy” when I tell people about my early
Christmas shopping habit. However, if
you’ve read my blog about grocery shopping and dinner lists, you can probably
understand a little bit more that budgeting is something I do on a regular
basis. And no, I am not a
cheapskate. I budget so that I can
overindulge on things that really matter to me.
Christmas shopping throughout the year is just another form
of managing my budget. I know most
people start buying gifts in November and December. This is considered normal. But what I find abnormal is spending a large
chunk of money in a very short period of time(unless you have a specific
savings account stored away for the holidays) during a time of year when
everything is bound to be more expensive, even with the “sale” pricing
available during the Christmas season.
Last year, I added a specific toy to my Amazon Wish List at the
beginning of the year and made a note of the price when I added it. The toy was least expensive in the month of
June (not really sure why). As the
months progressed, the price increased.
By the time the real Black Friday rolled around, that particular toy was
$5 more than it was when I originally added it earlier in the year. I know this doesn’t work with everything, but
sometimes it helps to pay attention to the month to month pricing of something
that grabs your eye.
Buying a few gifts
every month, starting in January or February, doesn’t leave a big dent in your
wallet come Christmas time, and it also offers you a less stressful shopping
experience when the official holiday shopping time arrives. While everyone else is punching each other in
the face and crawling over each other in the aisles on Black Friday, you can
just sit back and relax.
Another benefit to early Christmas shopping is keeping the
people you love in mind all year, rather than just during the holiday season. I live in Florida and most of my family
members live up North, so shopping for them throughout the year keeps me
connected to them without using social media. While shopping, I think about
them and what they may be interested in or what they may find useful. Sometimes, I’ll shop without any intention of
buying anything, and then I’ll see something that is just the perfect gift for
someone I love! Shopping earlier in the
year with thoughts of them in my mind is peaceful. I know that if I left my shopping until the
end of the year, it would be a much more nerve -wracking experience, and my
family would probably wind up with gifts that aren’t nearly as heartfelt.
I know early shopping isn’t for everyone, but I urge you to
try it at least once. I promise you that
it will be worth it, both financially and mentally!
