I’ve talked about shopping early for Christmas on the blog before, and now that the air is crisper and the leaves are turning, I’m back to encourage everyone to try and have a stress-free Christmas season by getting your gifts, decorations and more EARLY! Here’s some great reasons why you should probably start your Christmas Shopping, like, yesterday!

In one recent study, it was discovered that approximately 45% of all U.S. consumers begin shopping for Christmas prior to November 1. That means that if you are already thinking about buying and wrapping Christmas gifts, and getting brand new decorations for your home, you certainly aren’t alone. While some may scoff at the idea, shopping for all things Christmas early on is an incredibly smart strategy. See why starting the festivities in fall is the absolute best time to do so.

Decorations are Inexpensive

If you enjoy adding to your collection of Christmas figurines, outdoor inflatables, and lights, buying these items in the fall can result in massive savings. Although you won’t find many decorations in stores yet, one quick search of eBay, neighborhood garage sales, and resale shops will yield plenty of quality, low-cost decorations. Since most people are thinking about the fall, Halloween, and perhaps Thanksgiving, competition for these items is low. When browsing Christmas yard decor, for example, you can regularly find pre-owned items for anywhere between 30%-70% off what was originally paid. Often times, these items are gently used or never opened.

Easier on your Finances

In 2018, Alliant reported that the average American planned to spend roughly $1,007.24 on Christmas expenses. Considering that 40% of individuals cannot cover the cost of a $400 emergency expense, it is easy to infer that many struggle to find the funds for presents. Rather than trying to rapidly come up with money like this in the weeks leading up to the holiday, beginning your shopping in fall makes much more sense. If you commonly buy gifts with credit cards, you can give yourself time to spread out the cost of purchases. This will allow you to pay off balances easier, and you will not end up with a massive bill at the beginning of January. Also, shopping early also allows you to set a reasonable budget. So often, when people begin shopping in the weeks following Thanksgiving, they do not think to set a budget due to the time crunch.

Proactively Reduces Stress levels for the Holiday Season

All One Health recently reported that “69 percent of people are stressed by the feeling of having a ‘lack of time’” during the Christmas season. Between rushing from holiday parties, to the store, to taking the kids to school Christmas functions, the entire month of December becomes one big blur for many. One of the biggest contributors to these feelings of having no time during the holidays is gift shopping. Even if you skip the stores entirely, constant online shopping can take up a sizeable chunk of your time. In order to proactively reduce your stress levels this year, make it your goal to get your gift shopping done as early as possible. Not to mention staying away from busy stores, shops and shopping malls.

Even though you may hear some people tell you that it is too early to even think about Christmas shopping, the advantages you stand to gain say otherwise. By planning out who you will be shopping for, what you will spend on gifts, and purchasing everything prior to the busyness of the season, you will save yourself time, money, and stress.

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