Shopping NOW for Christmas

Yes, I said the C word and we aren’t even out of summer. But seriously, it’s time to plan. I hate the pressure you get in December from all the money you have to spend. So we are doing our part now to spend small amounts every month until then. Then once December rolls around, we’ll have less pressure and can really just enjoy our time together.

Here are a few tips to Christmas shopping now.

1. Buy on-sale clothes NOW. There are tons of summer clothes on sale right now. I LOVE getting summer clothes for Christmas because then when summer arrives, you already have a whole new wardrobe.

2. Starting now gives you time for homemade gifts. Hopefully none of my relatives are reading, but I am giving everyone pickles. Yep, pickles! My pickles are seriously famous and you know what, you can’t make them in the winter. So, I make them now and they are ready to go for old Saint Nick!

3. Buy out of season gifts. The hard thing about Christmas being in the winter is that there are certain gifts you just can’t get during that season. Buying things now will diversify your gifts and will help you give more unexpected gifts. I bet your husband wouldn’t be expecting some new BBQ tools now would he?

4. Remember where you hide your gifts. One year my mom forgot my stocking because she had it put together so early, but forgot where she hid it. Sad Christmas for me, but it was fun several months later getting my stocking Don’t be like that if you Christmas shop early, remember where you hide your stash!

Day After Easter Sales Today

 

 

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Remember that if you are in the market for anything Easter-related, today is your day to hit your grocery store, your local drug stores (CVS, Walgreens, Target, Walmart, etc) for all Easter related products.

Sweet Tooth. If you have a sweet tooth (uh, come to think of it, who doesn’t…), all remaining Easter candy will be marked for clearance. That’s chocolate, Peeps and any other Easter candy.

Baskets. If you can use the baskets for other things, they will be very inexpensive starting today. Last year, I bought a basket at half price on the day after Easter and I use it to put all my daughter’s “tea party” toys. So, when she wants to have her tea party, she knows where to go to get all her tea cups. But, she can always just carry that cute thing over to wherever she is setting up her “party.”

Stuffed animals, toys. I know of know child who will reject an Easter-related toy because it’s the day after Easter! Last year I bought a little stuffed animal that was a dog with pink bunny ears attached. After Easter, I found a way to detach the ears from the puppy. And, one year later, my daughter loves to play with that stuffed animal!

Of course, if you like to plan ahead, you can simply buy your a basket, plastic eggs and toys so that you can make your own basket next year.

Happy Post-Easter shopping! What else do you like to buy on clearance the day after Easter?