Shopping Early: Is It Really a Smart Thing To Do?
Fall is here! Well, maybe not quite yet, but retailers would have you think otherwise. From the Back-To-School sales being prominently featured in most department stores or home office outlets, one would never guess that it is still mid-summer. It won’t be too long before the Halloween and Thanksgiving displays start popping up- if they haven’t already. Some retailers, such as Target, are even pushing early-bird Christmas shopping sales with their “Black Friday” discounts in mid-July. Some of you may be internally screaming “Enough already!” We barely made it through the Fourth of July- now they’re pushing the upcoming holiday season on us? However, if you aren’t opposed to Christmas shopping mid-summer, you may be able to find some good deals that’ll save you money in the long run.
Buying School Supplies Early- Smart or Unwise?
With all the Back-To-School deals staring you in the face, you may be tempted to start stocking up on supplies for you kids now (much to their chagrin.) While all the sales displays are tempting, it would be wisest to wait. Chances are prices will drop even lower as the school year draws closer. Another reason to wait: although you may be tempted to stock up on binders, paper, pens and pencils for your kids, doing so now might wind up being in vain. Most teachers send out a list of required materials on the first day of school. And while you may be thinking you can’t go wrong with buying the basics, some teachers are particular about the materials their students use. That 1 inch binder you bought over the summer will go to waste when you learn your child’s teacher requires a three ring binder that is approximately 1 ½ inches. Likewise, all that wide-ruled paper will be worthless if your child gets a teacher who specifically wants 8 ½ x 11 inch college ruled notebook paper. So while it may seem like a good idea to stock up now, you’ll be doing yourself and your pocketbook a favor in the long run by waiting.
Is Early Holiday Shopping Worth The Investment?
Another holiday season is upon us, or so the stores would like us to believe. Not far from those Back-To-School displays, many retailers are getting ready for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and in some cases, even Christmas. While the saying goes: “The early bird gets the worm,” in some instances this is not always true. Expert penny-savers can tell you that the best time to buy holiday décor is immediately after the holiday, as this is when everything is marked down at its lowest. So while it may be tempting to run out and stock up on Halloween decorations in July, if you can hold off until November 1st, you’ll wind up saving a lot more money. However, the downside to this shopping method is that once the holiday has passed, not only are all the decorations picked over, the things you do buy will have to go in storage for an entire year. If you’re not opposed to waiting another year before decorating for Halloween, then waiting until the day-after is a great decision. If this doesn’t appeal to you, go ahead and stock up now, before retailers hike up prices as the actual day gets nearer.
Buying early for Christmas, on the other hand, can sometimes be a wise investment, if you are smart about it. All too often, early-bird shoppers are drawn into the stores by deep discount sales, only to end up spending more than they intended when they purchase things that are not on sale. Retailers know that customers are going to be tempted to buy more than just what they came in for, so they use the discount method to lure shoppers in. If you have strong willpower and are able to resist temptation, buying items (such as toys and electronics) as Christmas gifts can be a smart move if you get them while they’re on sale. No matter how hard you try to beat the rush, chances are you’re still going to find yourself in the stores shopping for last-minute Christmas gifts. This sad fact of life is pretty much inevitable.
If you go into the stores with a smart mindset then you are on the right track to making the most of your shopping dollars.
Don’t forget to yourself some money buy purchasing checks online.
