On your marks.
Get set.
Shop!
Hold on a moment! Perhaps you might feel like shopping during this Christmas season but there are many things you should understand first. People are going to be spending less money this year than they have done the previous year. This means retailers are going to get hit harder. So if you are a retailer you'd better hope you have the best products. Now for the person doing the shopping, this means retailers have less money to compete for in the shopping economy and they'll be fighting harder to get your business.
If you factor in all the companies that might go out of business during December as well as after Christmas, this means there are going to be some serious liquidization sales around. This means you should be frugal and try to get the maximum value for anything you spend.
Having money is nice but saving money is coming back in style. So there are many ways to stay on top of what is happening.
Join Forums and Facebook groups:
There are many communities dedicated towards saving money and sharing where great deals can be found. Forums is perhaps the best way to stay on top of what is happening for deals.
Shop Online:
Usually shopping online means you can save more money. As long as you are not shopping for clothes which can be a little difficult. For everything else there are values to be had so enjoy.
Wait last minute:
For some people this isn't the best advice but for others, there were be last minute deals almost as good as boxing day or boxing week sales. That is retailers need to offload their inventory asap.
If you are dealing with a major chain or corporate store, you won't be able to bargain your way down a bit but for the smaller stores you have to use your bargaining power to simply get the best deal.
Be safe this holiday season and don't get too stressed out during the shopping season. Last but not least don't forget to do something charitable this season!