There are mixed messages on when you should start your holiday shopping.  Experts say that starting early will make your holiday season less stressful.  Other experts say that waiting will give you the best buys as stores begin to discount merchandise to entice consumers.

I’ve always been the kind of person who shopped early.  It wasn’t because of stress or because of prices, but it has always been because I wanted to get every person just the right gift.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am a frugal shopper to the max.  There are just better ways to go about saving money than to fight the holiday crowds during a sale.

If you are concerned about costs, then either start right after Christmas (when prices hit rock bottom) or shop online.  There are plenty of sites that offer amazing discounts year round.  An added benefit to starting your shopping early if you are shopping online is that you can get shipping at a much lower rate - no need to rush.

My husband is a “weekend before Christmas” shopper.  He is that rare man that likes to wander the malls full of crowds.  It is something I gladly let him do on his own (or with another buddy that enjoys the same tradition - must be in the water). 

Which ever direction you choose, the best way to make the most of your holiday shopping is to stay organized and focused.  Make a list of who you want to buy for, some ideas of what to buy, and a limit that you are willing to spend on each person.

The holidays are some of my favorite times.  It use to be that just after Thanksgiving, the lights would start going up and the stores would start hanging the tinsel and playing the much loved tunes.  It seems that with every year, the shopping season gets earlier and earlier.  Although I don’t like having to listen to “Jingle Bells” for three months (I feel so sorry for the employees), I do agree that shopping early will make your holidays brighter.

Waiting until the last minute to do your holiday shopping will guarantee you just two things:  One - you are definitely going to spend more than you planned to spend.  Two - you will not get the perfect gift you hoped to buy for the ones you love.

Learning to shop ahead means you can take your time finding something that will be loved and used by the recipient.  It also means that you can check out several stores to find the best price.  The early bird can also shop online (often saving loads of money) and won’t have to spend a fortune on shipping because there is no rush.

Another great thing about shopping for the rush (especially if you are looking for toys for the kids) is that you have time to get something that the store might be out of at the time.  Waiting until the last minute means if it isn’t on the shelf then you don’t get to buy it.

Don’t wait another minute.  Start your holiday shopping now and use the savings to take the whole family on a great holiday trip.

Shopping for teens can be a dangerous venture - shopping for teen girls can drive you absolutely insane.  Since the number of shopping days until Christmas just never seems to be enough (even if you start the day after Christmas), it would be nice if someone would just drop gift ideas in our laps.

Fortunately, teen fads are a great resource of ideas and income potential.  Hillary Duff it looking to make her mark with a new craft line that will give teens the ability to make custom accessories to match her fashion line. 

I like giving crafts or other “disposable” type gifts.  There is enough clutter in most people’s homes without me adding to the trinket shelf.  So this is the perfect idea for me.    She’s even chosen one of my favorite stores to pair with for this venture.  Michael’s is not only a great place to shop for gifts, but it has some amazing prices as well.

The only down side for me is that most of the teens I need to shop for are boys (or tomboys) and fashion accessories are not high on their lists.  Maybe I can trade this idea with some of my friends for a fast and easy boy idea that won’t break the bank.