Five Christmas Shopping Tips

by Betty Hanson

A sociology graduate student's fall 2008 research project revealed that approximately 1/3 of the women in the United States find it stressful to shop for Christmas presents for friends and family.

The primary source of stress, the survey found, came from the desire of shoppers to choose the perfect gift for every friend and family member on their Christmas list.

Following closely behind were the pressures of completing gift shopping in time and paying for the gifts without overspending or incurring large debt.

Are you a stressed our Christmas shopper? If you are, here is how you can make holiday gift shopping much, much easier.

1. First, figure out what you can afford to spend and make up a budget.

2. Use the Internet to find the lowest prices on the items you want. Sometimes you can find and buy exactly what you want in minutes, without leaving home. The fewer lines you have to stand in the better, right? Just be sure you investigate and figure in shipping costs as well as the cost of the gifts themselves.

3. If you have significant credit card debt or high interest rate credit cards, pay for everything in cash.

4. In the event you do use a credit card, pick one that offers cash back, airline miles, or other consumer rewards. But, be sure to choose a reward you will actually use.

5. Purchase gift cards for difficult-to-buy-for family members and friends. That way, they can get exactly what they want. Contrary to popular belief, most people love to receive gift cards.

Christmas shopping and Christmas giving should be fun, or at least not unpleasant. And it will be if you follow the suggestions above.

About the Author:
Betty Hanson is an editor for The Big Brain, a new internet directory and an article author who writes on online degree programs, distance education, and non-traditional PhD degree programs.