It's hard to believe that Fall is upon us already. As of this writing, there are just 75 days or 76 nights of sleep left until Christmas Day. While this is news some of our readers might not want to hear yet, it is also fact. Thinking ahead in light of this can save you some money.
Frugal shoppers know that the clearance aisles provide a wealth of savings opportunities for making the holidays merry and bright on a budget. But for those who are procrastinators, never fear, as there is still opportunity to catch up!
While days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide a great wealth of savings opportunities with their sales, one should never overlook the clearance aisles. As seasons come and go year-round, there is an abundance of opportunities to pick up some great deals and get more for your money. The earlier you start, the more you save. Frugal shoppers know that and many die-hard clearance shoppers begin their clearance holiday buying on December 26th for that reason.
The clearance sections become more and more picked over as the holiday rush approaches making good clearance deals harder to find. But the next few months should allow you to score some clearance finds for gifts and stocking stuffers if you really get on the lookout for them. When you buy on clearance and stretch it out over time, you get even greater bargains which makes your holiday spending dollar go further.
Here we will share some basic ideas of great items you can score a good clearance deal on and some holiday gift giving and stocking stuffer ideas. As well, we will run down some items you might not initially think of that you'll find seasonally in your clearance aisles that might be worth stocking up on and keeping on hand for holiday gift giving.
For example, the back to school selling season just ended, making the clearance aisles a great place to pick up some deals. While you might not think school supplies make great gifts or stocking stuffers, think again. You could pick up things like crayons, colored pencils, markers, journals and more that could be used for multi-purposes and crafts as well as for school.
Each holiday or selling season has it's own finds that you can re-purpose into holiday gifts. The fall holidays feature a lot of pumpkin and harvest decor, scents and more that will serve their purpose into the Christmas and December holidays. So be on the lookout for those items on the clearance aisles as well.
Health and beauty aids are always another place to score big, especially for those with teenage girls. Things like nail polish, body washes, lip glosses, makeup and more are always being marked down and moved to clearance aisles. By picking these up along the way, you can use them for stocking stuffers or get a bit creative for your girls by making up a nice personal care basket that is do-it-yourself with a little bit of shred, a basket bag and some ribbon.
The idea of making do-it-yourself baskets the recipients will love can ring true for anyone on your list, from family member, co-worker, neighbor or anyone in between. Pick up items you think they will like and enjoy and mix them up in a personalized basket that's easy to assemble but sure to be appreciated.
Often times after the busier holidays like Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day and the like, you can also find some markdowns on pre-made baskets, bath and body kits, perfumes, colognes and more as well. Those who shop on December 26th to get the clearance deals also know this is a great time to find these types of items and put them away for next year.
Throughout the year, stores also mark down things like toys, books, games and more.
Clothing is constantly being marked down based on seasons. As seasons change, you can pick up great deals on out of season clothing that can be used for the next year, provided of course that it's recipient doesn't grow so much that they can not wear or use it. Things like t-shirts and tops are pretty multi-purpose for year-round, making them always a good deal. But don't overlook other items in those departments too and be willing to think outside of the box.
The key to not overdoing it is knowing what you have on hand. As you buy things leading into the holidays, or year-round for that matter, develop a system that works for you. Some people like to keep lists of what they've bought along the way for each person and it works for them. Others purchase totes (one for each family member) and stock these items in the totes so they can see what's in there as they fill it throughout the year.
The good news is you can still get a jump start on saving more for your upcoming holiday by shopping the clearance aisles and come December 26th, you can turn over a new money-saving leaf for next year also.
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