Making Christmas shopping stress free is no easy task. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we just don’t get all the gift shopping we would like done in advance, leaving us scrambling at the last minute. Therefore, we find ourselves out among the masses, our stress free Christmas shopping plans ruined. If you’re trying to avoid the last minute rush this year, here are a few tips for stress free shopping this holiday season that might keep the pressure to a minimum.
Avoid the season – If you are dead set on making Christmas shopping stress free this year, you might want to avoid the whole holiday shopping ordeal altogether. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy presents, instead you should attempt to buy them throughout the year so that when you get to the hectic Christmas shopping season, you’re already done. This can also save some stress when it comes to that huge credit card statement you get come January, instead spreading out the cost of your gifts throughout the year.
Utilize the internet – Some of us like to at least get out among the hoards and get the feel for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. There are plenty of us though, who can deal without this type of atmosphere, and for those people their best options for making Christmas shopping stress free might be doing their shopping over the internet. This way you can get all your presents purchased in the privacy and comfort of your own home. You don’t even have to change out of your robe!
Use PayPal – For some of us who do shop online, one of the most stressful aspects can be the security of our personal and financial information. Why stress over someone getting hold of your credit card number when internet shopping? If you find sites that accept PayPal, and you open an account, you can not only protect your financial information but possibly qualify for some discounts in the process.
Gift Cards – How can you be expected to pick the right gift for everyone? Half the time what you think you’re getting them isn’t even close to what they really wanted. So why not just pick one or two of their favorite stores and let them decide what they would like? Sure, it takes some of the personal flair out of the gift and puts the decisions on the gift receiver, but heck, it’s less stress on you, and they might have had to take your gift back anyway. As the saying goes, it’s the thought that count’s, and I bet if you ask the majority of people, they would rather have a gift card than a ‘hit or miss’ gift.
A personal shopper – If you’re anything like my father-in-law, you have a stress free Christmas shopping season every year. This is because he utilizes a personal shopper — my mother-in-law. Some people love shopping, and if they don’t mind picking up a few items off your gift lift while they are out then this might not be a bad way to avoid the masses. Going all out and actually hiring someone for this purpose might be a bit extreme, but if you are truly stressed by the holiday season, it is certainly an option.
Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only. Any action taken by the reader due to the information provided in this article is at the reader’s discretion.
