Long Gift List? 5 Tips to Shop More Efficiently and Save Money

The holiday season is full of twinkling lights, cozy fires, and good cheer. Right?

You might be wondering why “stressed shoppers,” “diminishing bank accounts,” and “too many shipping boxes to fit in the recycling bin” aren’t on that list. Because truthfully, the season of gift-giving comes with its drawbacks.

It is a running joke in our household that my husband is forever breaking down and recycling boxes during the holiday season. Just when he thinks he’s conquered the boxes, more show up. If you hope to make holiday shopping more efficient and less expensive, here are some tips for tackling that long gift list.

1. Make lists of recipients and gift ideas

Lists are a great organizational strategy to keep your holiday shopping more efficient and less expensive.

While making the list of people to shop for, Don’t Forget These 10 People During Your Holiday Gift Shopping. Next, jot down what you plan to purchase for them if you know. Be sure to ask or check their online wish lists too for ideas guaranteed to be a slam dunk.

Use your lists to plan trips to stores that carry several items, and cross the names off once you’ve purchased their gifts. You should be able to minimize shopping trips, browsing time, and forgetful moments.

2. Start planning early

If you wait until the last minute to purchase gifts, you’ll likely find empty shelves, higher prices, and more expensive shipping costs. But if you start planning your gift-buying early, you can take advantage of seasonal sales that happen throughout the year. Some items have the best prices during other times of the year. You can buy these gifts and set them aside for the holiday season.

Take note of what friends and family are eyeing up

This is a popular strategy in my family, especially when doing things together. If we see someone eyeing something but not buying it, someone will detour back around and purchase it for them. It’s then given as a gift later, to the surprise of the person who wanted it.

Buying early also means you don’t have to worry about the gift arriving in time, allowing you to save on shipping costs. If an item is in high demand, starting early gives you more time to find the item and get on a pre-order or waiting list. Another benefit of early planning includes spreading out your spending over several months and having more time to collect coupons. This is a helpful strategy for those who are holiday shopping on a limited budget.

If the holiday season is nearing, you can still do some planning to minimize your spending. Try comparison shopping to know which stores carry your gift list items for the least amount of money. Black Friday sales start popping up well before Black Friday rolls around. Shopping online allows you to see which retailers are offering the best price.

3. Try making DIY gifts

Do-it-yourself gifts take longer than placing an online order, but they can be a smart way to save money. If you have a hobby or talent that enables you to DIY a gift, then you are the best source for giving customized gifts. My mother loves to sew and embroider, so she loves to give people custom handmade gifts. Everyone loves her gifts because they are one-of-a-kind, with every detail chosen with them in mind. If you don’t know how to make beautifully knitted scarves, don’t give up. There are still DIY gifts you can make.

Here are some ideas:

Cookies, salsa, syrup, jams, or other homemade goods
Photo gifts (what grandparent can resist?)
Bath bombs, soaps, or salt scrubs
Candles, air fresheners, incense
Family recipe cookbook
Ornaments
Relationship memory book
Decorative planters
Custom wooden coasters or cutting board
Pottery or artwork

Don’t forget that sometimes the best gift is your time. Offer free babysitting or house cleaning to a friend or relative who could use your help more than they could use an object. There are plenty of gift ideas that don’t cost money, where the gift is your time and attention.

4. Use holiday wish lists

Sometimes, the most time-consuming part of holiday shopping is carefully choosing gifts for everyone on your list. There is always that one person who you never know what to get for them.

Then there are the people you have ideas for but don’t know which specific model or color would be the one they want the most. Encourage your friends and relatives to create wishlists to make it easier to pick the perfect gift.

Perhaps you know exactly what they want, but you don’t have the first idea of where to find it so that you can buy it. This happens to me when I shop for my mother. She is passionate about sewing, but I have to go to specialty stores and websites to find gifts that would be suitable.

An online wish list makes this so much easier because I save time by knowing exactly what she wants and where to find it. With a Giftster wishlist, you’ll pick the perfect gift every time.

5. Organize gift exchanges to minimize your gift list

Are you purchasing gifts for everyone in your friend circle or all of the coworkers on your team? Consider organizing a gift exchange to save everyone time and money. Instead of purchasing a gift for everyone, they buy a single gift for one person.

If you know everyone has a similar interest, you can create a themed gift exchange. This helps guide everyone when buying their gift. We do this with a gardening club I am a part of. We all have a common interest in gardening, so buying gifts that are in line with this theme helps to make gift buying easier and ensures everyone gets a gift they will appreciate.

With a Secret Santa, everyone leaves with something, so your friends and coworkers will all be happy. And you’ll be even happier to know that Giftster’s Secret Santa Generator makes it easy to organize a gift exchange.

You can also consider a White Elephant gift exchange, which is less personalized but can be a lot of fun too. This style of gift exchange is perfect for groups that enjoy the experience as much as the physical gifts.

Another option is to skip the gift entirely and opt for a more creative exchange. This could be a cookie swap party or another themed DIY type of party. These exchanges are perfect when done around a holiday because it takes the stress out of having to buy a gift. In addition, everyone goes home with delicious treats that can be used during the holiday season. It is like a gift that keeps giving.

Happy gifting!