The holidays are a time to be generous with our hard-earned dollars as we find the perfect gifts for loved ones - and give ourselves a little kick-back, too. Of course, it can also be a stressful time for finances, so it's important to have a holiday shopping strategy that makes sense for you and your wallet. Here are some of my tips to help you stay budget-savvy this holiday season:
UPDATE 12/17/13: And the winner of our $100 gift card giveaway is...#3 Taylor B.! Congrats to our winner and thanks to everyone who shared their tips!
Make a list. We all love buying things just because they're on sale - myself included - but then I end up with random pieces that don't work with what I already own, or duplicates of things I'll never wear. So make a list - have you been lusting for a genuine leather jacket? That special designer bag? It's better to get the items on your list during the Cyberweek madness rather than lots of random deals you didn't really need or want in the first place.
Use your smartphone for good, not evil. Do use smartphone apps for money-saving coupons and price-checking in store, or for mobile exclusive deals and sales. Don't shop at the wee hours of the night, or when you've had too much spiked egg nog, or when you're just plain bored. You might buy things you later regret.
Always read the fine print. Know the return policy on those Black Friday/Cyber Monday doorbusters and deals so you don't get stuck with something you didn't mean to buy.
Consider a rewards card. If you're responsible - paying off balances at the end of each month and all that good stuff - then having a rewards card can make a lot of financial sense. Chase Freedom, Chase Sapphire and Ink from Chase cards come with Ultimate Rewards, a rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more. Learn more at UltimateRewards.com.
Shop online. The holidays are hectic enough, so simplify your shopping life and give yourself a gift. Chase Sapphire and Ink from Chase cardholders can earn bonus points for shopping online at UltimateRewards.com.
When in doubt, give a gift card. Chase Freedom customers save 10 - 20 percent by redeeming cash back rewards at UltimateRewards.com for gift cards to give as gifts, or use the gift cards for purchasing holiday gifts at major retailers.
And now, it's time for a $100 gift card reader giveaway!
To enter:
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Chase Ultimate Rewards. I received compensation for this post, however all opinions stated are my own.
Use your smartphone for good, not evil. Do use smartphone apps for money-saving coupons and price-checking in store, or for mobile exclusive deals and sales. Don't shop at the wee hours of the night, or when you've had too much spiked egg nog, or when you're just plain bored. You might buy things you later regret.
Always read the fine print. Know the return policy on those Black Friday/Cyber Monday doorbusters and deals so you don't get stuck with something you didn't mean to buy.
Consider a rewards card. If you're responsible - paying off balances at the end of each month and all that good stuff - then having a rewards card can make a lot of financial sense. Chase Freedom, Chase Sapphire and Ink from Chase cards come with Ultimate Rewards, a rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more. Learn more at UltimateRewards.com.
Shop online. The holidays are hectic enough, so simplify your shopping life and give yourself a gift. Chase Sapphire and Ink from Chase cardholders can earn bonus points for shopping online at UltimateRewards.com.
When in doubt, give a gift card. Chase Freedom customers save 10 - 20 percent by redeeming cash back rewards at UltimateRewards.com for gift cards to give as gifts, or use the gift cards for purchasing holiday gifts at major retailers.
And now, it's time for a $100 gift card reader giveaway!
To enter:
- Tell me your budget-savvy tips for the holiday shopping season in the comments section below.
- Giveaway ends December 15th, 2013.
- Open to U.S. residents ages 18+.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Chase Ultimate Rewards. I received compensation for this post, however all opinions stated are my own.
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
Rewards programs. Some products I buy on a regular basis have rewards programs. Coke Rewards is one example. I stockpile my points on various programs and redeem for gift cards.
Contests. Occasionally I get lucky and win something nice. I stash back prizes for gifts throughout the year. That is if I don't use it myself. More often than not, I go the selfless route.
Amazon. I recently purchased the last two books of the Millennium trilogy in large print for my mother. I bought them second hand because large print books are mighty expensive. Together it cost me about $4 (before shipping costs and tax) for the two books. At retail it would have been roughly $40.
Survey sites. I take surveys for points. I stockpile the points throughout the year and redeem them for Amazon gift cards. This year I was able to get a $20 gift card.
It's been a really rough year financially for me so I've done all that I could. I typically have a pretty decent haul by December from the above mentioned. Some years more than others.
PoachIt.com allows you to track prices on particular items (emails you when prices drop) & gives you any coupon/discount code available at that time (no need for multiple searches on coupon cabin, retail me not, etc.).
Red Laser is a great phone app that allows you to compare prices for a particular item while at the store, so you know instantly if the price in front of you is a good deal! Lots of stores will price match on-the-spot if you show them the other store's lower price.
Reward programs (Chase Ultimate rewards, Coke rewards, drugstore loyalty cards, etc.) also help with coupons & gift cards.
And we always budget before the holidays! Mint.com is a great place to start..
Monday sales. I sign up for newsletters on shopping sites to get firsthand notice of sales, or social network site.
kport207 at gmail dot com
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com