Whew, what a holiday. I hope that you had a wonderful time. If you aren’t exhausted or still in the middle of the Christmas festivities, you might want to venture out today to shop the after Christmas sales. You can pick up plenty of bargains.
I’ve already got my little list going of the stores I want to visit and what I need from each of them. For example, I really want to get some coats and snow suits for my two oldest children.
Of course there will be plenty of Christmas items on clearance, such as wrapping paper, ribbon and decorations. I’ve checked my inventory and made my list.
To make sure that I get what I need at bargain prices, I’ll be following a few after Christmas shopping rules. Use these tips to do the same and you are sure to grab the bargains.
1. Scan your items or check the prices. While most stores start their clearance out at 50 percent off, the percentage off progresses all of the way up to 90 percent. While the discount can change in the computer, the stores don’t always update the signs. So if you find something you are interested in, scan the item at a scanner or ask a cashier to do it. You might find a real big bargain that way.
2. Stock up on gift sets. Gift sets are one of those items that the stores are itching to get rid of. If you can find a bunch that don’t have a Christmas theme, then you can stock up on them for gifts throughout the year. Save them for birthdays, teacher appreciation gifts, etc.
3. Understand how much risk you are willing to take. If there is something that you really need or want, such as those coats in my case or Christmas lights for next year then shop the sales early. Yes, you’ll only get 50 percent off instead of 90 percent off, but some of these items go quickly and may not be around by the time the bigger discount comes along. Things that you might not need as urgently or are in good supply, such as Christmas cards, can usually wait a week or two for the better sales.