On average one person buys holiday gifts for at least 5 people, spending between $200 – $800. Therefore; chances are as you are reading this you are running your list in your head or better still you are writing it down. So whether you are buying for one or 5 people here are some ideas to get you by the season without too much stress.

1. Start now! It’s not too early to start. Starting early means when the holiday music starts playing you will be wrapping up and mailing your gifts.
2. Having a holiday account at your bank is a great way to save for holiday shopping. Most holiday accounts are free if you don’t withdraw the money before the holiday season (November – December). If you start saving at the beginning of the year, come holiday season you will be all set
3. Make a budget for your shopping that way you will not have the holiday blues after the season is over. A budget will guide your spending as well as
4. Make a list of everyone you intend to buy a gift for and allocate an amount for each person. This helps you plan or budget your finances. This gives you a clearer picture of exactly how much it will cost you to get each person on your list a gift.
5. Divide and conquer; the earlier you start the easier it is to complete the task. Shopping can be stressful especially if you are going to different stores. Think of the best way to go around it, this too might save you on gas.
6. Shop online. Even with all the security glitches many sites are still safe to shop from. Make sure you are on the actual stores website before you start shopping.
7. If you are not sold on online shopping; you can still do comparison shopping for items you want to buy on different sites before you go out to buy your gifts. Some stores may have coupons or specials that are usually matched in their stores as well.
8. Always ask for a gift receipt; that way if someone wants to exchange the gift they can do so without you having to be there.
9. If you are having a hard time deciding what to get someone; get them a gift card. These are popular and they do take away the pressure of trying to find that one perfect gift for someone on your list.
10. By starting your holiday shopping early you can mail your gift early and the recipient will get it in time for the holidays. For more saving savvy information on related topics contact the Gadsden Extension at 850 875 7255 or visit floridasaves.org/ or http://www.americasaves.org

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