Sunday, December 7, 2008

How to "X-out" X-pensive Xmas Gifts

As seen in the Etownian.

Because of the commercialization of Christmas, department and discount stores have been seemingly displaying their holiday decorations and hot-ticket toys earlier every year. Toys and other anticipated popular gifts are often given high price tags which are reduced almost immediately following the holiday season. Due to the economic downturn in recent months, retailers are growing understandably uneasy about the coming holiday season – which some researchers predict will be the least lucrative for retailers since 1991. They are trying to counteract this by placing holiday items on the shelves even earlier than normal, a trend which has been ongoing for several years but is exacerbated during economic downturns such as the current one.

The great majority of retailers’ sales are seen during the period from the day after Thanksgiving (“Black Friday”) through the middle of January. Due to investment difficulties and job strife, many consumers have been forced to cut back on holiday spending and consequently are expected to frequent discount big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart and Costco this year. Traditional department stores, long the domain of holiday shopping, have been suffering in recent years due to a trend toward wholesale buying. Due to the fact that these goods are purchased in bulk directly from the manufacturer rather than through a wholesaler less expensively, they can be sold for lower prices, although some question the quality of such apparel and appliances.

Following Christmas Day, retailers begin offering clearances on the seasonal high-ticket toys, Christmas decorations, clothing, jewelry, and electronics. Gifts of a check, cash, or gift certificates can provide the opportunity for someone to obtain the gifts they desire at a lower cost to you. Most stores offer such sales to clear out merchandise, with the exception of discounters promoting consistently low prices who advertise that their items are “always on sale”. Coupons can also provide great savings at department and big-box stores during the holiday season, and they can be found in newspapers, coupon books, online, and on purchase receipts. While the congestion and hustle of Black Friday can be daunting, stores promote some of their biggest discounts on this day. It is wise to arrive early to find big-ticket items which may become sold out early on in the day, and to develop a list of what you are searching for prior to embarking on your shopping trip.

If your budget is constraining your discretionary income, do not feel pressured to buy expensive gifts for everyone on your list. Many people may actually feel inconvenienced by extra gift items, and would instead prefer a get-together such as a special dinner or holiday party. “Homemade coupons” can also be given to promise a favor, gift, or outing redeemable a later time if you do not have the ability to give these things at the present moment. Also, homemade gifts are practical and can be made from inexpensive materials in one’s own house. If you are not interested in going about the Christmas shopping routine at retail stores, which consumes time and gas, the websites of many large retailers allow you to order similar items at discounts from what you would find in-store. Also, shopping websites such as Amazon.com offer similar products, and the shipping-and-handling costs are often cheaper than the gas which you would expend driving to the store. Another convenient strategy is to shop year-round for gifts during other shopping trips to avoid having to make an extravagant outing specifically for the holidays.
With the right strategy, which involves shopping at the right stores at the right time, one can keep everyone on their holiday gift list satisfied for the next year. The most expensive gifts are not necessarily the ones which receive the most attention, as even personal artwork or stories can be a treasured present. Keep in mind the preferences of those for whom you are shopping, and try to find cost-efficient ways of giving them a gift to remember.

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