Now that fall is here we know that winter is soon coming afterward. If you are a parent, you know that your kids are now starting to make their wishes known hoping that Santa and his secret surveillance system, i.e. You, will take note and start preparing the gifts in time for Christmas. So what can you do that will help you get ready for the onslaught that will be Christmas? Here are some tips to help you out.
Do not and I repeat do NOT procrastinate. This is something that parents do every year and 90% of the time they always regret it. Take note of when the holiday shopping season starts and plan accordingly. You do this and your chances of getting just what you children wanted will skyrocket. This is probably the most difficult thing to do especially as the economy is tough for a lot of people entering this holiday season. There is further impetus with last minute sales and releases of limited edition toys. To making simple things like planning ahead will definitely serve you in the long run this Christmas
Next focus on what can be purchased just before and what will take some time. Despite common misconceptions your kid will not always go for the most expensive toy in the store. Most of the time, it can be something well within your budget. This is great for two reasons. First off these are most likely toys that are restocked continually throughout the year. Second the price is normally reasonable at any time. Take advantage of items like this when shopping early. However that still leaves the big ticket items.
One of the biggest traps parents and other holiday shoppers fall into is relying on their credit card to pay for their big holiday purchases. With the tightening of credit this is a dangerous path to go down. So do the old fashioned thing and save up. Other than being kind to your credit score it also has other great benefits. First with the cash ready at hand you have the luxury to buy at any time without consequences. A basic business principal is that if you have cash on hand you can take advantage of big deals and sales when they occur. So even if you disregard the advice about starting your shopping early, you will have wiggle room to immediately acquire the items on your kids' wish lists. Second save now to get better gifts later. The other benefit is that you will most likely save more money than you would have spent using your credit card. So you won't have to worry about compromising your spending limit. If you know exactly what the price of the item is you can save to meet the mount and some extra just in case.
To hold your kids over you can do an online Santa letter. Have your kids fill out what they want and have it customized online. There are some great websites that can do personalized Santa letters at a reasonable price. Have all your kids not only list what they want, but how good they've been this year. If the ask why you are doing it on the computer tell them that even Santa keeps up with the latest technology. They will not only be fun to make with your children but be memorable Christmas souvenirs.
Do not and I repeat do NOT procrastinate. This is something that parents do every year and 90% of the time they always regret it. Take note of when the holiday shopping season starts and plan accordingly. You do this and your chances of getting just what you children wanted will skyrocket. This is probably the most difficult thing to do especially as the economy is tough for a lot of people entering this holiday season. There is further impetus with last minute sales and releases of limited edition toys. To making simple things like planning ahead will definitely serve you in the long run this Christmas
Next focus on what can be purchased just before and what will take some time. Despite common misconceptions your kid will not always go for the most expensive toy in the store. Most of the time, it can be something well within your budget. This is great for two reasons. First off these are most likely toys that are restocked continually throughout the year. Second the price is normally reasonable at any time. Take advantage of items like this when shopping early. However that still leaves the big ticket items.
One of the biggest traps parents and other holiday shoppers fall into is relying on their credit card to pay for their big holiday purchases. With the tightening of credit this is a dangerous path to go down. So do the old fashioned thing and save up. Other than being kind to your credit score it also has other great benefits. First with the cash ready at hand you have the luxury to buy at any time without consequences. A basic business principal is that if you have cash on hand you can take advantage of big deals and sales when they occur. So even if you disregard the advice about starting your shopping early, you will have wiggle room to immediately acquire the items on your kids' wish lists. Second save now to get better gifts later. The other benefit is that you will most likely save more money than you would have spent using your credit card. So you won't have to worry about compromising your spending limit. If you know exactly what the price of the item is you can save to meet the mount and some extra just in case.
To hold your kids over you can do an online Santa letter. Have your kids fill out what they want and have it customized online. There are some great websites that can do personalized Santa letters at a reasonable price. Have all your kids not only list what they want, but how good they've been this year. If the ask why you are doing it on the computer tell them that even Santa keeps up with the latest technology. They will not only be fun to make with your children but be memorable Christmas souvenirs.
About the Author:
Create magic in your child's eyes with our Personalized Santa Letter. EZSantaLetters.com offers fully personalized Santa letters and 15 pre-written Santa Letters styles. All letters are postmarked from the North Pole and will definitely put a smile on you child's face. Written by: Ellie Evergreen.
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