Those who haven’t started shopping for the holidays should probably get cracking, as stores will only get busier in the coming weeks and supply chain issues have made it difficult for retailers to acquire merchandise.
To shop smart this year, Heather Winn, family and consumer science educator for the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service in Cherokee County, said shoppers should plan a budget and stick to it.
“Sometimes it’s hard, depending on who you’re shopping with,” Winn said. “Sometimes your shopping partner might encourage you to go beyond what you had planned. So another smart idea is to consider you’re going with.”
Before making a major purchase, it’s important to do a little research to get the best deal. Taking advantage of Black Friday sales can help shoppers find big gifts for low prices.
Some people have big families and a lot of members to find presents for. Winn suggests finding a combo gift – something that can be enjoyed by several people. A board game is something the entire family can do together, or a video game can keep the kids happy.
“My mom always buys our family puzzles, so we get one for Christmas,” Winn said. “Then, usually, it’s kind of a competition to see whose house gets the puzzles put together before New Year’s.”
The majority of Americans have done some sort of online shopping, and much of this year’s holiday spending will be done via the internet. However, Winn suggests caution when searching the web for a gift this season.
“If you’re on social media and you see random ads, a lot of times those are not safe places to be purchasing from,” she said. “They could be fraudulent completely, or you may receive items that are not what you expected them to be.”
Entering personal information on a shady website can open the door for scammers. Before doing so, shoppers should take a look at the URL on the website. While some may seem legitimate at first glance, it’s common for bad actors to use a URL code that is one letter off from a real business’s website. Credible businesses often have trust seal’s on their website, whether it be from Google, PayPal, the Better Business Bureau, McAfee Secure or others. These are used to verify that a business is concerned with security and demonstrate that a website is safe to make purchases from. Legitimate seals, when clicked on, will take users to a webpage that verifies its authenticity.
“Do some research if it’s not a company that’s well known,” Winn said. “Just be cautious about spending your money. It’s not just the fact that you might not receive what you’ve ordered, but they can steal your identity and your money.”
Material possessions only last for so long, but memories can last forever. So instead of buying something that could get lost in the closet or cupboard over time, Winn encourages shopping for an experience. It could come in the form of tickets to a show, sporting event or amusement park. People could also create the experience themselves. Winn, who has a large family, said that in the past, she bought canvases and paint to give the kids something to do before they were allowed to open their gifts under the Christmas tree.
“So to give them something to do instead of constantly asking us if it was time to open presents, I bought the canvases and paint and we had a painting party,” she said. “It was such a good way to entertain them while they waited to get to the grand finale and they all got to do it together.”
Lists are a good guide for parents and family members searching for gifts. But they don’t have to be strictly followed. Winn said people should consider the wants and needs of recipients.
“I like the idea of having a want, a need, something to wear, and a read,” she said.
