4 Tips for Staying on Budget during the Holidays

After Thanksgiving (and the food coma) is over, holiday shopping goes into full force with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and December holiday gift shopping. But, for many of us it’s difficult to stay on a budget and get the gifts you want to delight your family and friends.

To check out our best buys in November, read this blog! One of our biggest tips is to do your research about options and prices, communicate your needs and wants, and choose a company that you believe in!

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And, here are our tips for being smart and staying on budget this holiday season!

Make a Budget

The first place to start is with your pocketbook to help avoid post-holiday season stress and debt. Make a list of everyone you are planning to shop for along with ideas and a price range for each person.

Make sure this is a realistic estimate based on past gift spending and on your research around prices in the marketplace. For example, if you purchase with Cook, and later find the same size building with the same features up to six months after you buy, we will refund half of your purchase price. That is our lowest price guarantee!

Manage your Time Wisely

Don’t let yourself feel rushed during the holiday shopping season. That is why we often grab those impulse buys that don’t always fit the budget.

Take time researching online, clipping coupons (or adding them to your frequent shopper card), calling stores to ask about sales, and bookmarking favorite items for future deals and promotions.

Many websites have price alerts that you can set that send notifications right to your email or phone. You can check other stores’ pricing using smartphone apps that scan the barcodes, which is a helpful feature especially during the holidays when many stores match prices.

Get Creative with Gift Giving

If money is really tight, think outside the box when it comes to giving. With many gifts, it’s the thought that counts, so it doesn’t need to be super fancy or expensive. Oftentimes people enjoy the personal touch of a homemade gift more than anything store bought.

One idea is to make or bake your own gifts like homemade sauces, candles, pickled vegetables, soap, etc. Or if you aren’t particularly crafty, you can re-gift items that are unopened and unused if you believe that person would truly like it.

Keep Shopping after the Holidays are over

Just like there is pre-work when shopping for the best deals, there is still an opportunity to find better deals after the holidays are over. Many stores offer after purchase price adjustments, if you find a lower price up to a certain amount of days after you buy (just like Cook).

If you have limited time, just check the stores or websites where you bought the highest priced items. If you get credit due to price adjustments, you can use that toward the next gift giving holiday!

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