Don’t blow your budget with last-minute shopping

<p>Each day in December, I find myself wanting to press pause. I long to savor the month — to spend intentional time with the people I love, to dive deeper into the true meaning of Christmas, to make each moment count.</p><p>I also find myself waiting later and later into the month to get the bulk of my shopping done.</p><p>Shopping at the last minute brings with it advantages — prices often continue to drop all the way up until the big day. But last-minute shopping can also bring significant challenges. As crowds close in and we feel the pressure of decision making, it’s easy to stray off course. We make scattered purchases and ditch our budgets all together.</p><p>If you find yourself shopping in the final hours of December, put these smart practices into place.</p><p>Eat before, take a snack</p><p>Even if you don’t have a problem with your blood sugar, shopping hungry never leads to anything good. Before you head out into the fray, be sure to eat a filling meal at home. After you finish, pack up a snack to take along with you. You may even want to consider taking a cup of coffee or bottle of water, too.</p><p>Taking these steps ensures you won’t need to stop and spend extra money at buying a pretzel or an overpriced latte. You’ll also be less likely to make impulse buys in the aisles of your favorite big box retailer. Fill up, pack up and head out.</p><p>Make a list</p><p>Before you leave home, make a list of the specific items you need to buy. Know who you’re shopping for and their sizes, too. You may need to send a text or two to their closest connections to find out what’s on their wishlist this year. Having a written list reduces choice distraction while you’re in the mall or other stores.</p><p>Our brains easily overwhelm when we see millions of choices. Having a list helps calm that neural storm. Even if you don’t know exactly what you’d like to buy, narrowing the who and the details help you make your time more productive.</p><p>Bring cash</p><p>Nothing keeps your budget in check more than shopping with cash. When you bring cash to make your purchases, you establish a firm boundary around your spending. Certainly if you encounter a need, you can use your debit card in an emergency. But you’re more likely to stay on course by spending cash only.</p><p>Use reward apps</p><p>Whether you’re shopping online or in stores, be sure you’re taking full advantage of rewards programs. If your store has a rewards program and it doesn’t cost you any additional fees, you should be a member and making the most of the benefits. Among my favorites are Kohl’s Yes2You, JCPenney Rewards, DSW Rewards and ULTA Rewards. Each of these programs are easy to use and worthwhile.</p><p>Even stores that don’t have rewards programs can end up providing cash back for you. You can use an app like Fetch Rewards to scan in receipts from any grocery store, warehouse store (like Sam’s Club or Costco), and convenience store. Each receipt is worth points and you can cash in those points for gift cards. The app Shopkicks provides a similar benefit and rewards you even for just walking into a store.</p><p>Don’t forget the rebates</p><p>We see more rebates for homegoods and kitchen appliances during the month of December than any other time of the year. Be sure you make the most of these savings opportunities. Fill out all paperwork immediately when you arrive home from shopping. Companies count on our forgetful, busy lives when making such offers. Don’t get swept up by a great rebate deal without doing the legwork to reap the reward.</p><p>In the end, we’ll gather around the tree and gaze at its beauty. We’ll watch little ones tear into packages and we’ll probably eat too many cookies. No matter if you shop all throughout the year or in the final days, give loving and meaningful gifts this year. Knowing you saved extra money is like a present for both your loved one and you, too.</p>