Holiday Shopping in a Single Day

You have the best intentions in the world. You've decided that you're going to shop for your holiday gifts early this year. Then you realize the holiday is upon you and you have to get down to business and pronto. With only a few days left, the tips in this article will help you to complete all of your holiday shopping in a mere 24 hours.

The first thing to do is make sure you are properly prepared. Make a list with the people you intend to buy presents for and the gifts that you have preselected for them and the amount of money you wish to spend for that gift. Having this road map will help you to stay on budget. Be sure to dress comfortably, especially your shoes. If you're not comfortable you will get tired quickly and never finish all that you have to do. Be certain not to carry too many accessories. You'll need your arms to carry packages. We recommend that you use cash to make most of your purchases. Using cash instead of credit will give you the discipline you need to stay within budget. Research also has shown that shopping with cash cuts your overall expenditures by 23%. Take larger bills such as 50s or 100s; psychologically you are less likely to want to spend them. Lastly, be sure to have a nutritious breakfast. Indulging in a doughnut or sugary breakfast cereals in the morning will only result in your energy and stamina crashing quickly. You're much better off having a breakfast that is high in fiber and protein, which metabolizes slowly and will last with you until lunch.

Take along your favorite music. Stores love to play holiday music at this time of the year for a particular reason. Jingle bells and Bing Crosby tunes make us feel nostalgic, and that leads to purchasing more expensive gifts, and gifts for people we had not planned for. Instead, load up your favorite MP3 player with up-tempo music and listen to it as you shop. Researchers have found that up-tempo music, with a beat that is faster than your resting heart rate (70 beats per minute), will keep you moving faster with your tasks. Moving faster gets you through this shopping spree quickly and leaves you less time to buy things you don't need.

Download discounts. At least 24 hours before your shopping day make sure that you scour the websites of your favorite retailers looking for coupons and special deals. If you have a smart phone, many retailers have applications that you can download to your phone to keep you informed of special deals as they happen, even while you are shopping.

Go it alone. Something you may want to consider is doing your shopping by yourself. It may not be as exciting or fun as taking your best friend but researchers have found that when people shop with companions, they tend to copy their behavior. That means you might find yourself buying something you hadn't intended to purchase merely because it looked good when your friend bought it.

Where to start? We recommend that you begin at your favorite mall. Starting at the mall increases your effectiveness by allowing you to shop at the most stores in the shortest period of time. After you've exhausted all the stores at the mall, you can move on to the freestanding stores that require you to drive to them. When you enter the mall try to avoid the main entrances. Main entrances usually have elaborate displays designed to entice you to spend more money. Instead enter through a side entrance or at the food court.

Start with the less expensive gifts. Psychologists recommend that your purchasing begin with the least expensive items first. The reason for this is that once you have made a large purchase psychologically you lose perspective of exactly what a bargain is. For example, if you purchase an electronic game consol for $298, you may be more likely to spend $60 for a videogame when the same game can be had for $45 at another store.

Don't skip lunch. Make sure that you take the time to sit down, recharge and replenish your energy. Again a protein and fiber rich lunch will give you the energy that you need for round two. Make sure you skip the carbohydrates which will make you feel tired and that you need a nap. No pizza, no fries and no cinnamon buns.

Know what you're looking for in advance. A key element to shopping quickly and efficiently is already knowing in advance what you looking for. Don't use this shopping time to ask a lot ofquestions of the salesperson, instead make sure you do your homework well in advance of your shopping trip. Since you already know what you want, don't let the salesman change your mind; the sales pitch takes too long and you'll probably regret changing your mind if you have done your research. Also, whenever possible try to avoid long lines. If permitted, pay for your items in the less popular departments such as home furnishings or men's underwear.

Don't forget gift cards. Don't underestimate the value of gift cards when you're out shopping. If you find yourself in a restaurant for lunch or dinner and you know the party you're shopping for would appreciate a gift card, don't hesitate to purchase one at the restaurant as a gift.

Don't leave your gifts in the car. A common mistake many shoppers make when they're out for a full-day shopping spree is taking the gifts to the car midday and returning to the mall. This is a perfect opportunity for thieves to take advantage of you. They watch the mall parking lot for this type of behavior, and as soon as you return to the mall will break into the car and ruin your holiday.

Back home. When you arrive at home, relax and have dinner. But, you are not through yet. More than likely there are a few items that you were not able to get during your day of shopping. Go online to your favorite retailers and see what items they have that you can fill in with. Be sure also to visit such places as retailmenot.com, couponcabin.com and freeshipping.org for special deals, coupons and free shipping. Also, search the Internet for discount codes. A discount code is entered into the webpage at the moment of purchase to provide you with an additional discount not readily available to other customers. Discount codes can be found in numerous places on the Internet. When you are ready to make a purchase online here is a little trick that may earn you an additional discount. It works especially well if you have shopped at this particular website before because they already have your contact information including an e-mail address. Just before you complete your purchase online cancel the order. Now sit back and wait. You may very well get an e-mail message providing you with a discount code or inviting you to speak with a sales associate. Take the time to speak to them and ask for a discount.

Check your credit cards for rewards points. Don't forget to look at your credit card statements for reward points that you can redeem for gifts or online purchases. Many of us accumulate credit card reward points and never think about redeeming them. The credit card companies count on that, here's your chance to use them.

Now that you’re done for the day, reward yourself with that tempting sweet snack that you denied yourself all day and wait for tomorrow to start wrapping the presents.