3 Ways To Shop Smarter This Holiday Season

If you are already dreading carrying out the yearly task of holiday shopping, there is good news for you: it does not have to be as painfully stressful and drawn-out as it has been in years past. 

For those who are getting older or close to retiring and not up to the physical challenge of battling massive crowds, long lines at the cash register, and toting around your purchases for six hours or plus, read on to find out how you can avoid all these holiday downers so you can keep your holiday cheer! 

Start Early, End Early

Starting early does not mean waking up at the crack of dawn to start your shopping. It means starting early on in the season! Begin making your lists around Halloween so that you already have a plan in place and know what you need to get. With your list already made, you now have the choice to shop right away or wait for Black Friday sales to roll around. 

Either way, by starting early, you will be finished in time to really enjoy the holiday season and you will not be faced with anything being out of stock. When you procrastinate and put off shopping until the very last minute, stores will have a limited stock of their most popular items. Start early so this does not happen to you! 

Small Businesses In Your Community

It goes without saying, we all need to privilege the small and up-and-coming businesses in our community. Now more than ever, we must give them our patronage. When you shop at a small business, you are not only likely to find a more personalized and tailor-made gift but you will also have a more pleasant experience. 

Small businesses have a lower customer volume than department stores, meaning that they can take the time to help you find the perfect present, rather than just letting you search for it yourself.

Click And Collect 

Many people hesitate to shop online and have their purchases delivered directly to their homes. This is because delivery services are often costly, sometimes you have to pay multiple shipping fees in one order and especially during the holidays, packages can get lost in transit. 

If you want to avoid any of the above mishaps but do not feel like doing the in-person shopping, opt for the click-and-collect service that is now offered by most major stores. When you shop click-and-collect, you make your purchase online and then pay a minimal service fee (or sometimes none at all) and then pick it up in-store in under 48 hours. 

This not only expedites the process but it allows you to skip the lines and have your purchase more quickly than if you had ordered it online!