6 Ways To Save on Christmas Gifts If You Shop in October

In 2017, Capital One and National Day Calendar designated Oct. 12 as National Savings Day. Its goal is to help people gain financial confidence through financial literacy and smart saving habits.

With the holidays approaching and budgets tight, it’s an excellent time to find new ways to save money . A Gartner Marketing survey indicated that more than 75% of shoppers are anticipating spending more this year because of higher prices, not because they have more money to spend.

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So in honor of National Savings Day, here are six tips for saving on Christmas gifts if you start your shopping in October this year.

Also see 100 ways to become a savvier shopper and save money all year .

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Determine Your Holiday Gift Budget

One of the most significant benefits of early shopping is avoiding frantic last-minute purchases that can result in overspending. There isn’t much time for bargain shopping when Christmas is only a few weeks or days away. But even if you shop early, you could still spend more than you can afford if you don’t have a gift budget in mind.

PwC’s survey on the 2024 holiday outlook estimated that the average holiday shopper will spend $1,638 this year, even though 57% of those surveyed reported a strained financial situation.

Don’t allow the holidays to strain your budget further. Determine how much you can reasonably afford to spend. Then, make your gift list based on your budget.

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Track the Best Prices

Price trackers are helpful tools for saving money, but only if you don’t need to buy your gifts immediately. The sooner you make your gift list, the more time you’ll have to track these items and score as many low-price deals as possible.

The following sites enable you to track prices or set price alerts for various retailers and products:

• Honey
• Google Shopping
• CamelCamelCamel.

Take Advantage of October Sales

Many retailers start promoting holiday shopping as early as late summer. For you, that means more opportunities to take advantage of sales and secure hot holiday items before they sell out.

Take advantage of sales like Amazon Prime Big Deal Days and the Walmart Holiday Deals event, both running in October. If you plan on shopping with any other retailers, sign up to receive their email or text alerts for coming sales. Some retailers send coupons or discount codes to new subscribers, which is another great way to save even more money.

Score Discounted Gift Cards

If you plan on giving out any gift cards this year, see if you can pick up discounted cards from sites like GCX, Gift Card Granny or Sam’s Club. You may find a more extensive selection now than if you were to wait until closer to Christmas.

If you know what retailers you’ll shop at this year, you can also buy discounted gift cards for yourself and use them for your gift purchases.

Earn Rewards for Additional Holiday Purchases

Holiday shopping is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of loyalty points or rewards, either from the retailers themselves or from your credit cards. Some stores may offer extra incentives for loyalty members leading up to the holidays. By getting an early start on your holiday shopping, you can also earn additional rewards, which may help you save on any last-minute gifts you need to buy in December.

As you shop, don’t forget to take advantage of cash-back opportunities from your favorite shopping apps to offset your holiday expenses. Here are a few to consider:

• Rakuten
• RetailMeNot
• TopCashback
• Capital One Shopping.

Many of these apps also have retailer coupons that can lead to further savings.

Look For Price-Match Opportunities

If you have to pay full price for a few gifts, this doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t still save.

Some retailers will give a partial refund for the price difference if you find the item on sale at the same or a different retailer later on. Read up on retailers’ return policies too. If you spot an item you’ve purchased for a lower price, consider returning the original purchase and buying it at the sale price.

Also, see if your credit card offers price protection. If you make a purchase with that card and find the item on sale soon after, you may be eligible to receive the difference back from your card issuer. If it’s a cash-back credit card that rewards you for your holiday shopping, even better.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 6 Ways To Save on Christmas Gifts If You Shop in October