8 Smart Christmas Shopping Tips for Every Household

Often, people get so stressed out by the idea of buying gifts that the whole idea behind gift-giving gets lost. Yet, it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Instead, re-discover the joy of Christmas shopping and gift giving with our eight smart, yet simple tips to use when shopping this festive season. By changing your shopping habits and practicing a bit of tough love with your budget, you can be sure to buy your best gifts yet. 

8 shopping tips for this festive season 

1. Make the most of in-centre Christmas events 

Put a bit of joy back into Christmas shopping by making the most of the in-centre events. By taking a minute to stop and revel in the joys of Christmas, you become much more relaxed and are able to enjoy shopping that little bit more. 

Marketplace Gungahlin will be a hub of entertainment this Christmas. With shopping offers like exclusive retail offers, carollers and free kids Christmas workshops, along with free sensitive Santa and Santa photo sessions, there is more than enough to do to put you in the Christmas spirit. 

2. Shake up your shopping routine 

Some people say that shopping alone allows you to have more focus on the task at hand. However, going Christmas shopping alone is adding stress that is simply not needed. 

Instead, consider a “divide and conquer” approach and take the whole family along. By making it a family outing, you’re also adding an element of fun to the day.

3. Know your retailers inside out 

Another great Christmas tip is to know the return policies and extended trading hours of the retailers where you will be shopping. This way, you’ll know what time to hit the stores in order to maximise shopping time. 

Knowing the returns policies will also provide you with a bit of reassurance that even if someone isn’t quite sold on your gift, it can always be returned. 

4. Get social with Christmas shopping 

Getting social with Christmas shopping is a fantastic way to surround yourself with great deals. This simply means signing up for newsletters and following brands or retailers on social media and getting ready to strike while the iron is hot. 

There are also discount apps you can download that will help you find bargains to save big on your Christmas gifts. 

5. Honour your budget

Knowing and sticking to a budget can prevent things from getting out of hand. For a shopping budget, the more detail the better. 

Once you know your budget, try to stick to it. This can sometimes be easier said than done, but a good incentive is to remember the Boxing Day sales. Known for their outrageous bargains, you’ll be devastated to miss the sales simply because you went over budget.  

6. Pay in cash 

Stopping at the bank before holiday shopping gives you perspective. By going to the bank you can clearly see your available money and therefore, what you can and cannot afford to be spending on gifts. 

If you think this reality check won’t be enough, draw out some cash while you’re at the bank. By using cash you can always see how much you’re spending, which also helps to keep the budget on track. 

7. Buy small items first 

When you start your Christmas shopping by purchasing the most expensive item, you can lose your way quickly. You can either lose perspective on what is a good price or feel guilty and therefore obligated to spend more on others. 

To combat this feeling, buy small items first. That way you can’t feel guilted into showing a little bit more Christmas spirit by buying a more expensive gift. 

8. Stick to a theme 

Having a theme for your Christmas shopping can really save time and money. Instead of visiting multiple stores over multiple days, why not just visit a couple? For instance, you could decide to buy the men in the family, books, the women in the family, diaries and the kids in the family, board games. 

By buying one type of product you can budget easier, avoid shopping fatigue and still manage to make everyone feel special by giving them a book, diary or game for Christmas that is relevant to their unique personalities.  

Christmas with Marketplace Gungahlin 

By using these simple tips you can quickly turn Christmas shopping into a fun activity. These tips work to take the stress out of gift shopping. Resulting in picking better gifts for your loved ones and actually enjoying the festive season rather than dreading it. 

With so many shopping experiences on offer at Marketplace Gungahlin, there’s no place better for Christmas shopping. 

Do you think you’re ready for another wild Christmas shopping experience? If so, the Christmas Shopping Weekend at Marketplace Gungahlin – from Friday 6th to Sunday 8th of December – will offer knockout retail offers, children’s entertainment and plenty other Christmas specials for the whole family.