Take full advantage of your Christmas shopping

A few weeks ago we took a closer look at “Black Friday”, the popular shopping day when shoppers can take advantage of discounts and special offers at many brick-and-mortar and online retailers. Did you miss it? It’s OK, you now have the chance to make the most of Christmas shopping and winter sales.

While it’s easy to get caught up in some of the best discounts of the year and the decorated stores and streets make you want to get out and shop, it’s crucial to be careful and keep in mind a few things to prevent any unpleasant surprises.

But don’t worry! We’ve put together a few tips so that you can make the most of the Christmas sales without breaking the bank:

• Plan purchases. This is probably the most important tip of all. Having a list of things you need or plan to buy during this shopping season will keep you from making impulsive buys that you later regret. It will make it possible to better manage your expenses, especially if you first create a budget to calculate how much you plan to spend on each purchase. And you have to stick to it! So make sure you make allowances in your budget if you also plan on buying a few things for yourself during the sales season.
• Take advantage of sales. Once you have your list, organize your shopping. If there are things that can wait for the sales (or even the second round of sales), wait and you’ll get more for your money. Another good idea is also to take advantage of the season’s sales to buy things you need for the house, wardrobe basics and perfume that you also need throughout the year.
• Because you can’t always have it all, right? Check your list of things that would be best to buy during the sales, either because you need them urgently or because the savings make it truly worth it. This way you will also know what things you can leave off the list in the event of unexpected expenses.
• Be careful when you use your cards. Think about your cards the same way as you would cash. To avoid unpleasant surprises, never lose sight of them at when making purchases at brick-and-mortar stores, and when you shop online always check that the website uses some method of secure website certification. Read our post on credit cards security for our tips on keeping your cards safe.
• Save invoices and receipts. Proof of purchase is required when making any type of return or exchange. Check the purchase terms and conditions before buying, because they can vary from store to store and returns are sometimes not accepted during the sales season. There are some electronics and home appliances products that still require the store to stamp the warranty in order for it to be valid, so check all conditions at the time of purchase.
• Compare prices. And not only between different brick-and-mortar stores and online, but also in terms of the normal price of the products before it goes on sales. Some businesses “inflate” the prices and, if you know the regular price, you will avoid falling into this trap. In addition, you’ll know if another brand that offers a similar product has it for a cheaper price.

And don’t miss out on taking advantage on a good opportunity due to a lack of cash! Find out about all our financing options here; we’re sure there’s one that fits your needs. Check out our Express Loan,  that advances you up to 3.000 in 48 h.