12 Free Holiday Shopping Tips For The Busy Mom

Whenever every busy mom thinks about holiday shopping, certain things often tend to come to mind. The hassle of pushing and shoving the crowds at hot, stuffy malls, lugging armloads of shopping bags to the car, then sitting in heavy traffic just hoping to beat bad weather home. Or perhaps struggling to push a laden shopping cart along with the endless isles in a huge store while chasing down the kids as one of them is throwing tantrums because they can’t find that toy/candy/video game they so desperately want. Or maybe the dreaded thought of the return lines come December 26th.

But that doesn’t always have to be the case. As a busy mom, don’t you think it would be nice to just sit back on the couch while sipping your favorite drink, all the while knowing that your holiday’s shopping is on the way to your doorstep, and all your gifts and goodies are safe and secure, and returns will be stress free? This content is designed to help you save time and money on your holiday shopping. The tips and gift guides are designed to save you time by simplifying the search, comparison and purchase process!

1. Prepare a List

You need to avoid the temptation to start your holiday shopping before having a list of what you need. Or you could end up making impulsive purchases or completely forgetting important things that you’ve been wanting to buy but you simply haven’t had the time to do it. Finally Making a list helps you assess what you really need, rather than just have it all cluttering up your mind (like I did before)

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2. Manage your Kids’ Expectations

Kids often seem to want to add to their holidays’ shopping list every other day, and it’s hard for any mom to feel like they are done with their holiday purchases. When preparing the shopping list mentioned earlier, involve your kids and let them stay focused so you can come up with a realistic wish list to help you plan for your shopping.

3. Buy a ton of drawstring bags

You can imagine how stressful it can be when you have a bunch of stuff to take to different people over the holidays. But if you’re willing to spend extra, you can get awesome deals on each gift by shopping for drawstring bags.

4. Know Your Budget

Have a good idea of how much you’ll spend on gifts and your party and plan to have that figure ready by the date of the party. If you have to guess, at least do your best to come up with a realistic number. Remember: No one likes a cheap spender!

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5. Free shipping option

When shopping online, pick up “free” shipping with as many as five or six different retailers. It’s far more effective than taking the one-size-fits-all approach of just using “free” shipping.

6. Get a Discount

The holidays can be stressful, so how can you avoid your home shopping getting in the way? One simple way is to buy your online and in-store items at online discount stores.

7. Consider Exchanging Gifts for Larger Groups

For most people, it often seems as if shopping lists get longer and longer as families get larger and social networks to expand. Consider organizing a secret Santa gift exchange for groups like classmates and cousins. Or you could organize a White Elephant gift exchange for your co-workers and neighbors. These are always great ways to manage shopping lists while maintaining the spirit of gifting.

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8. Shop Online

To avoid the huge crowds and busy traffic that are synonymous with holiday shopping, consider shopping from the comfort of your home by shopping online. This is one of the most important things you can do as a busy mom to avoid the stress associated with holiday shopping. Make sure that you find an online retailer that will offer convenient shipping options, convenient returns and access to coupons, and a better price than what you would pay at a regular brick-and-mortar store. There are plenty of websites where you can shop online, especially when it comes to technology products, Apples and Androids and its accessories. One of such sites that you can visit is applewatchstrap.co.uk no matter how busy you are.

9. Take Advantage Free Gift Wrapping

Retailers don’t always advertise free gift-wrapping services but make sure to ask. You can also look out for charity gift-wrapping services from non-profit organizations that usually set up booths at craft shows and department stores. However, these organizations will offer the service at a small fee.
If you can’t find the offer of gift wrapping on the list of deals then, check with the brand you’re buying from and ask them if gift wrapping is offered.

10. Learn to Say No

Learn to only say yes to meaningful events that focus on the holidays and bring the entire family together. If you can’t say no to hosting some events, make an effort to keep them small and intimate. During the holidays, plan to get together with only a few of your close relatives and friends and reserve the big blowout parties for another time of the year.

Source: Camino Financial

11. Get the ‘Just for Moms’ promo

In addition to getting coupons, retailers often offer “Just for Moms” promotions for shoppers to enjoy when shopping at their stores. These discounts are quite generous, usually including free gift cards, discounted diapers, or at times, coupons to buy the gender-specific product you want.

12. Plan your shopping before Thanksgiving

Doing the shopping on Thanksgiving is guaranteed to leave you exhausted and starving at the end of the day. If you want to do it right, aim to do the shopping at a time that suits your busy schedule.

When planning for holiday shopping, remember that while it is certainly the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be one of the most stressful for busy moms. With these tips, you can make the season merrier by stopping overspending, anxiety, and stress with these holiday shopping tips for busy moms.