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.

Most parents will tell you that having kids is an expensive endeavor so any breaks, specials, or discounts are great. That is especially true when it comes time for back to school shopping (or Christmas or birthday or dances, etc . . .). Schools are making it even more difficult for the parents by requiring special notebooks, backpacks, and even clothes in many cases.

My mother was very fortunate. She didn’t have to plot or plan to save money - I was a penny pincher from early on. A shopping trip was just not successful unless I managed to save a bunch of money. As early as fourteen, my mom was comfortable giving me her credit card. She knew I would be able to get more bang for my buck than she could ever imagine - being the beauty queen in the family.

Parents are getting breaks through sales and even tax free shopping days, but buying for school can still be a budget breaker. Looking over the lists that each school hands out each year was over whelming for me. It’s been twenty years (ouch - has it really been that long) since I was in high school, but I don’t remember needing anything more than notebook paper and a pencil (and even those were optional if you were a jock with a great smile).

So, with as much money as the schools get from tax dollars, you have to wonder where the money is going. Parents shop and pay for everything today. Some schools even charge for a second set of school books that can be taken home and left to do homework so the child won’t have to carry a full pack back and forth between home and school.

Stop the insanity parents. Tell the school that you are going back to notebook and pencils. If we all stick together, what can the schools really do about our new ideas for back to school shopping?