Seven reasons to start your holiday shopping early

1. Pick thoughtful gifts
Stressed decisions are not often the best decisions. Being in a rush can cloud judgement and lead to choices that may not make sense in the long run like missing sales or finding that must-have item is sold out.

Give yourself the necessary amount of time to consider each person, their wants and needs and move forward with confidence knowing you won’t be trapped between two less-than-desirable options when all other choices have run out.

2. More time for planning other things
Shopping isn’t the only potentially stressful activity during the holidays. There are parties to attend, food to cook and cards to send. Budgeting not just your money, but your time as well will help you keep on track amid the cookie decorating, family photo sessions and tinsel hanging.

3. Mother Nature is unpredictable
Depending on where you live, you may have no other choice but to get your shopping done early. Heavy rain can make it difficult to get out for your errands. December is known for many rainy days.

4. Spread out your budget
Instead of getting everything done in an exhausting marathon session, spread holiday shopping out over the next few weeks to ease the burden on your budget as well as your own nerves.

Setting a budget ahead of time can also ease the shock that inevitably follows a shopping spree. Since you’ve decided how much you can reasonably spend, that extra time can be used to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your money.

5. Find better prices
Take advantage of seasonal sales, to snag the best prices. Huge sales like these can be intimidating because they attract swarms of people.

These crowds, however, are similar to those who can be found shopping in the last few days before Christmas, except for the added desperation of a serious time-crunch and reduced options.

At the end of the day, you’ll feel better knowing you’re almost done and with a month ahead of you to complete the task.

6. Get a head start on wrapping
The night before Christmas can turn into a nightmare when you’re surrounded by so many things to wrap. The pressure increases if you’re invested in creatively personalising these packages.

Once you’ve unpacked your shopping bags or brought your parcels in from the front porch, it’s time to get started. Build anticipation by laying your finished packages under the tree or make them magically appear the morning of the 25th, and don’t worry about running out of tape.

7. Less stress means happier holidays
One of the drawbacks of leaving everything until the end is that you are left with very little time to enjoy the season.

Procrastination makes the cloud of responsibilities only grow more menacing as time progresses. With holiday shopping under control, you’ll have the peace of mind to enjoy the season.

Source: https://www.romantichomes.com/