Despite the start of the holiday shopping season, a record 158 million US shoppers still have gifts to buy in late December and plan to shop on Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas, according to a new report from the National Retail Federation. .
Waiting until the last minute like this is likely to make you feel pressured to buy quickly, which can lead to overspending – especially when you’re faced with limited options, no time to compare prices and high shipping costs.
However, you can easily check off those gifts left on your list without blowing your budget and staying calm at the same time. Just follow these seven last-minute shopping and shipping tips from Bakersfield thrift store and retail expert Andrea Woroch.
Shop during extended hours
Some shops will be open at midnight before Christmas Eve and that gives you plenty of time to get your gift shopping done at this busy time. For example, Kohls has extended its hours from 8 a.m. to midnight through Dec. 23. Again, this means you can beat the long lines and messy store displays.
Use sales sites to find gifts in stock, nearby
Many big box stores and supermarkets such as Target, Best Buy, Walmart and others will show you which local retailers have the items you want to buy in stock. Extend the distance you’re willing to drive to pick up a gift that can help you beat shipping limits.
Review shipping deadlines and look for fast delivery deals
Many retailers are pushing online shipping deadlines to attract more shoppers, so review this list of shipping deadlines (https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/money/holiday-shipping-deadlines) to know where to shop next week. Also check for discounted or free express shipping from select sites. Last year, Home Depot offered free two-day shipping and Keen Footwear offered free direct shipping on orders over $125.
Just make sure you get a confirmed delivery date before placing an order. Some stores will ship your order for free if they don’t meet the shipping deadline, as Dick’s Sporting Goods says in its Guaranteed Holiday Delivery program.
Get creative with digital gifts
Digital gifts are easy to give when you don’t have time to send. Plus, you can get creative like access to music on Broadway HD, concert streaming through Qello or a MasterClass membership, which offers a 2-for-1 deal where members can access classes on anything from cooking to foreign language tutoring and more.
Get a deal on a gift card
Gift cards are a great gift to give sparingly because you can email or text or print right at home. Plus, it’s easy to stick to a set dollar limit and you can find savings online. Shop discount gift card sites like Raise or CardCash.com to save up to 25 percent on a variety of gift cards, including 14 percent off Panera Bread and 25 percent off Build-A-Bear gift cards in Raise. Plus, add a coupon code from CouponCabin.com to get an extra 15% off Rase or 5 percent off CardCash.com.
Shop local sales sites
Local resale sites like OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace and NextDoor are great resources for finding last-minute gift deals on a variety of used goods that make great gifts, from toys to sports to clothing. Not only are you looking to save 50 percent to 75 percent on popular holiday gifts, but you can get your hands on a popular item that’s sold out or won’t make it in time for shipping.
Be aware of prices even after shopping
Many stores will offer price changes leading up to Christmas, such as Target, which says you can get a price adjustment on anything you buy starting Oct. 6 to Dec. 24 which went on sale later. So, keep monitoring the price drop to save. Use the Paribus app that will track the prices of your online purchases and alert you when there’s a sale, then download Cently, which monitors coupons and applies the biggest discount deal to your online cart automatically.
Andrea Woroch of Bakersfield is a nationally respected consumer savings expert, author and regular contributor with a passion for helping families find simple ways to spend less and save more. As a sought-after media source for all savings, Woroch has appeared on popular shows such as “Today,” “Good Morning America” and “NBC Nightly News.” In print and online, his advice and articles have been featured in Time, Money, Forbes and Real Simple. Learn more about Woroch at www.andreaworoch.com and watch his demo reel.
