(ARA) – Shopping during the holiday season can be great fun, with special deals, discounts, coupons and plenty of merchandise to choose from. But with deals and discounts come long lines, big crowds and added stress. If you don’t consider shopping a competitive sport, you may struggle to get your gift shopping done quickly and easily. It may be helpful to try these tips to save money, get paid to shop and actually enjoy your shopping this holiday season.
* Pull up your sleeves and get to work searching for those discounts and coupons. Check the fliers inserted into your newspaper, go online and read the store shoppers or visit Ebates.com, which offers you cash back, coupons and discount codes. By shopping at Ebates you get discounts for free shipping and/or reduced prices from more than 1,200 online stores, but you also get a check back in the mail for a percentage of what you purchased. Basically, you’re getting paid to shop.
* Be nice to yourself by saving time and money shopping completely online. You can stay home and handle the gift list at two in the morning, or check off items while on your lunch break. Either way, you can find some great deals on the same items found in the stores. Online sites cater to everyone, and just about every imaginable gift is out there. This also allows you to easily compare prices from different companies with just a few clicks of the mouse – rather than driving all around town to visit the stores.
* Watch the savings add up with holiday sales. For every person on your list, have two or three gift ideas. Then when you hit the stores or start searching online, only purchase the items that you have a coupon for, or that are on sale. Time your shopping trip or online shopping experience to coincide with some of the biggest sales and discounts of the year.
* Shop on Tuesday or Wednesday, and avoid the evenings and weekends. Using these tactics will allow you to better browse the merchandise, review and compare prices and get your shopping done more efficiently. If you have the opportunity to take a day off from work, put it to your advantage so you don’t have to negotiate traffic on the roads or in the shopping centers.
* As the holiday gets nearer, pay attention to shipping deadlines to make sure your packages arrive at their destination when you want them to. Online retail websites will post deadline information for ground shipping or charges for next-day delivery to help you make sure you are on time. Don’t forget to look for holiday discounts on shipping, or free shipping coupon codes to help you save additional money.
Even if you don’t become a shopaholic this season, thanks to the money savings and getting paid to shop you can still celebrate, knowing you did a good job in keeping cash in your pocket and avoiding the worst of the crowds with these shopping tips.
