While a lot of us do some gift buying online, only about a third (31%) shop exclusively online. So why does skipping the stores and only shopping on the Internet help parents stuck to their budget? It’s more intentional, you know what you’re buying and have probably done some research on prices ahead of time. Shopping online also cuts out impulse buying that happens with those grab and go items at the checkout lines. Plus, the fact that you usually do your computer shopping alone means there are no kids with you to add to what you have in the cart.
Moneyish says these are the things parents do to stick to their budget during their holidays and these rules are SIMPLE to follow.
- Make this the year you actually write out that list - Planning is key when you’re trying to save money. Write down the people you need to buy for and the max you want to spend and don’t stray from it when you’re shopping on your computer.
- Make price comparisons easy - Use a comparison shopping tool like Google Shopping or PriceGrabber to do the hard work for you.
- Stack your savings - You can use coupons online to save on shipping or get a discount on things that are already on sale. Bonus!