Organize for Christmas/Hanukah gift shopping

Are you wasting time running from store to store trying to find gifts for everyone on your list?  Shopping without a plan or a list may lead to overspending on impulse purchases and will also require more time.  So how do you create a plan that will save you time, money and frustration?  Before you shop until you drop, the following suggestions will help you create a plan.

Who do you want to buy for?  List all the people you will purchase gifts for.

Set a budget.  How much do you want to spend in total and how much do you want to spend on each person.

What do you want to give each person?  List some ideas so you aren’t impulsively purchasing items.

Where will you shop? Determine where you are going to shop for those gifts. Will you purchase any gifts online?  Be sure to allow enough time for shipping.

Make the time.  Take out your calendar and block off 1 day for shopping if you are a marathon shopper or have a short list.  Block off 2-3 chunks of time if you prefer to shop in shorter spurts.  Don’t wait until the last minute, unless you love crowds, traffic, and stress.

Wrap it up.  Allow several hours in your schedule for wrapping gifts.