7 Tips for Last-Minute Holiday Shopping

The holiday season is in full swing and it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. That is, until you realize you have not yet tackled your rapidly growing list of gift recipients! If you’re a last-minute shopper, holiday gift-giving can be stressful and costly when you’re rushing to buy presents before the first gift exchange. So, before you start mass-purchasing Amazon gift cards, follow these seven tips to help reduce stress, save you time and money, and simplify last-minute shopping without sacrificing thoughtful gift-giving.

Make a list and stick to it

The first mistake any holiday shopper can make is not having a list. Holiday shopping is no easy task — to dive in headfirst without getting organized is only going to set you up for meaningless gifts, overspending, and scrooge-like emotions. It’s important to think through the loved ones you want to buy for and jot down any gift ideas you have for them. Sticking to a list of gift recipients and gift ideas will help you avoid making last-minute additions or over-purchasing because you couldn’t remember if you already got that person a gift or you didn’t like the random item you grabbed in a holiday panic. Make a list, check it twice, and then hit the stores or hop online knowing you’ve got a plan!

Save time and shop online

Sometimes when shopping truly is last-minute, it can be easier to sit down in your holiday pajamas with a cup of cocoa and do all your shopping in one place — online. You eliminate the need to get dressed and out the door (no easy task if you’re carting around one or more kids), drive from store to store in traffic, and wait in obscenely long lines at checkout (cue child meltdown here).

What about shipping? Skip shipping to home and send your gift directly to the gift recipient! Watch for deals on free express or two-day shipping this time of year. Online retailers love to offer shipping deals with minimum purchase amounts that will guarantee your gift arrives on time.

Hit the local shops

One of the best ways to find thoughtful gifts for the people on your list is to visit local shops. If you’re struggling with gift ideas, there’s no better place to get inspiration than window shopping in town.

Now you may be thinking, how is this going to save time? Chances are you have a downtown with many local businesses conveniently located on one street (perhaps even a coffee shop or bakery where you can grab a coffee and a treat for holiday shopping fuel). Purchasing items in a store can save you time if you don’t know what you’re getting someone. Online, you need to have some idea what to search for but in a shop, you’re presented with all kinds of ideas you can see and touch. And while you’re shopping, you’re supporting the small businesses in your community and helping your local economy thrive.

Let someone else do the wrapping

Another time-saving perk you’ll enjoy while shopping in your local stores is the ability to have someone else do the wrapping for you. Some stores will offer full gift wrapping while others might ask you if you’d like the supplies to wrap yourself. Either way, you’re on a tight schedule and you’ve got more buying to do! Skipping a stop to buy wrapping supplies or avoiding wrapping altogether will help save you in the end.

Take advantage of gift cards

When it comes to holiday spirit and meaningful gift-giving, it’s likely that gift cards are not the first thing that come to your mind. However, gift cards can be a great option if you know where your loved ones like to shop. Gift cards are also one of the best options in terms of saving time for all us last-minute holiday shoppers. You may know your dad’s favorite store or that your mom loves a particular chocolate shop in town. Maybe your sister buys everything — literally everything — from Amazon because there’s no time in her busy schedule to actually go to a store. There can be such a thing as “thoughtful gift card giving”!

Peek at your gift recipients’ profiles

Why try to figure out what to get the people on your list when it’s right there in front of you? Social media is a great way to get gift ideas by looking at your friends’ recent likes and places they have been or visit frequently like a local coffee shop, the gym, or the movie theater. Pinterest is an excellent source of gift-giving inspiration in general, but if your loved ones have Pinterest accounts, check out their boards and items they are saving. You might find someone has an interest or hobby you didn’t know about or a newfound obsession with accessories like oversized winter scarfs.

Not only can social media help you find the perfect gift, it can also save you money. A lot of retailers will present special savings and deals that are exclusive to their followers.

Suggest a gift exchange game

Faced with a large group of friends to buy for at your annual holiday gathering? Chances are you aren’t the only one scrambling last minute. Rather than buy a gift for everyone in your group, try suggesting a fun game like a Yankee gift exchange, where you only buy one gift with a price limit. There are dozens of gift exchange games you can find online. Not only will this save you time and some serious cash, it could become an annual tradition promising heartfelt memories and a few good laughs.

Time passes quickly this time of year but there’s still sand in the hourglass. Take a few minutes to make your list and follow some of these simple tips to get through the giving season with a little less stress and perhaps a little extra money in your pocket.