Smart tips for holiday shoppers

The holiday season is back. Is it time for uncontrolled spending? Not really. Many people do set a budget, and whether they stick to it or not is not a New Year's resolution. Not a good start though. This isn't to spoil your holiday spirit. In order to avoid the same mistakes every year, you may like to try those few tips while you're shopping for the upcoming Eid, Christmas and the New Year.

Keep an eye on spending

Think to whom you will be giving these gifts and how much you would like to spend on each gift. Make a clear list in a pocket-sized notepad, so that you can easily tuck it in your purse or jacket when you are shopping. Try to write down the actual amount of money spent on each person's gift so that you can easily spot your own spending when it exceeds the budget limit. On the other side, you will see if you have a surplus which can be saved or gives you flexibility on the remaining gifts.

Treat yourself later

While you are spending weekends shopping around, you will be tempted to buy this or that for yourself. Be careful. Instead of buying on the spot, take a note of the items you want to buy for yourself, and shortlist them when you go home. See whether it fits into your budget and whether you actually still want the item, you can always go back and buy it.

Time to share

It is an easy equation: if you buy fewer gifts, you will pay less. But while you may feel bad dropping friends or family members completely from your shopping list, you can instead think of families as units. The upside of this approach is that you can buy the family a more precious gift which still costs less than if you buy individual gifts for each member of the family. I don't advise you though to use this trick if you think each one expects a personalised gift.

Think outside the box

A little bit of creativity can save a lot of money. If you are desperately looking for a Dh100 gift for your cousin, you may feel you will either have to settle for something he does not want or you have to exceed your budget. The problem is usually stemming from the fact that you are selecting from what is available in the stores. Turn on your brain power and think what your cousin actually likes. You may find something you can make yourself, or you can give him the freedom to buy by giving him a gift voucher. Yes, your gift in this case won't be wrapped by a colourful ribbon but it will still be valuable.

Who wants another photo frame?

If you still have not opened some of those gifts you received last year or on your birthday, think about how they can help to fill some of the slots. The only danger is to make sure you are not giving them back to the same person. Don't feel cheap or guilty about not buying new gifts for those people. Recycling gifts is a growing trend all over and it is better that you give the gifts to someone who you think could use them.

Up for grabs

Two-for-one offers or the bundled one - which if you buy something, you get something else for free - are all good, but think whether you will really make use of the second item or not. If the answer is 'unsure', then go for your purchase only. Holiday shopping is a big consumer trap and retailers can easily outsmart you and me on how they package their offer. So think twice before snatching a great offer, especially when you paying extra for the item you are not so sure about.