Lady D Speaks

Shopping during this time of year can bring on very strong emotions for many people. And must view this time very black and white, either they love it or they hate it. I however find myself being somewhere in the gray area.

I love a good bargain, but don’t have the time to sit and search for coupons. So holiday shopping is right up my alley. I receive coupons from my favorite places sent directly to me, and once I step through their doors sales are there to welcome me. The trick is to not get caught up in a rush to buy everything with a mark down sticker. I always head out to the stores with a list of who I’m shopping for. And whenever possible I include gift ideas, so I’m not aimlessly wandering through the aisles. Maximizing my money is not only a necessary (with our growing family) but it’s also thrilling. Walking out of the store with bags of gifts for my loved ones, without breaking the bank, is a sign of a good shopping outing. But one thing I found to be true is that sometimes you’ll need to make multiple trips (or visit various stores) to get the best savings.

My two most recent rewarding trips this holiday season was when I stopped by Victoria’s Secret and Kohl’s. My husband had purchased some bras for me for my birthday (which yes, I did ask for and chose). In order to get the best deal we stored online on Cyber Monday and received not one, but two gift cards in addition to our purchase. So a week later when I went to use my gift cards I was able to purchase not one, not two, but four perfumes. I choose the ones that were on sale, and were part of small gift sets. And at checkout all I had to pay was $1.60. On another outing, I made my way to Kohl’s; which easily could have been my 7th trip there. I had previously purchased clothes, pj’s and stocking stuffs and was rewarded with a nice chunk of Kohl’s CASH. (Side Note: I think their Kohl’s CASH is a brilliant marketing idea.) So on this return trip I decided to go and see if the jacket that I had been eyeing was on sale. And as luck would have it, it was 40% off. I did a little happy dance on my way to the checkout line. I presented my CASH, and then the clerk scanned an extra coupon on top of that (it was some in-store one day only special.) So a jacket that originally cost $68 and change came out to be $0. You read that right ‘zero.’ Now, I say all this (to show off a little), but also to let you know that if an amateur like me can get great deals then anyone can.

But with all of that being said there is a downside to holiday shopping, even for me. Many times we buy things we really don’t need just to get something. But even worst than that are the people…the crazy pepper spraying, cart pushing, aisle hogging shoppers. I’m not sure if some people temperately go insane because of all the Christmas music, bright lights, and crowds. Or is it just that the rude, anti-social, raised in a cave people emerge this time of year from their hibernation? Whichever it is those individuals can make shopping trips stressful. In previous years, the crowds behavior was so ridiculous in my opinion that I did all of my holiday shopping online (two years in a row).

But if you can get pass that there are still more challenges that await. Such as the disorganized shelves and aisles lining each store. It’s difficult to find anything correctly labeled let alone in the right section. And at the conclusion of that endless search for the perfect gift there’s a long checkout line that awaits you…and all the people that you’ve been trying to avoid are there too.

So whether you start your holiday shopping in October or are a last minute gift hunter, there’s always going to be challenges when shopping for the holidays. So make the best of it. If you can’t stand the crowds then shop online or be the first at the door when they open. Stay calm and don’t let the pushy bitter face shoppers turn you into one too. And whatever you do save, save, save. All the shopping and searching you’ve done will pay off when you see the joy on your loved ones faces as they open their gifts. And it will be twice as sweet if you have a little spending money for yourself when it’s all said and done.