Yesterday I talked a little bit about how Christmas creep, the practice of retail stores displaying and selling Christmas and holiday items months in advance, is not only annoying but dangerous to your budget. Christmas creep can cost you, and I shared two of the main ways that it does. There are more than two ways that Christmas creep can affect your budget, and knowing how it does can help you avid the pitfalls.
Wanting the Latest and Greatest
If you rush out and purchase your Christmas items right away, you may be proud to have everything done so soon. But, what if something better, nicer, cuter or more advance appears in the stores later? Will you purchase that as well? If you can still return the first item, maybe there is no harm done (most return policies are anywhere from 10 to 30 days), but will you really do that? One friend I know just “yard saled” half a closet full of gifts and decorations she bought early and then decided weren’t good enough.
Likely to Spend More
As Christmas gets closer, consumers tend to tighten up their pursestrings and spend less. The retail industry knows this. You are more likely to make larger purchases and spend more money when you do it in September or October. Many people get excited about holiday shopping early on and are willing to buy things to get into the holiday spirit. They get caught up in the atmosphere and dreams of a bright holiday. Have you ever found yourself doing this? You may be less likely to stick to a budget when you are excited about the season arriving.
You Are More Likely to Want
Isn’t it funny how all of a sudden your kids need a certain hot toy, when they had never heard of it just a few weeks before? When retail stores start the Christmas creep they give themselves more time to market their holiday items. This means more exposure to all sorts of ads through email, the television, the Internet, magazines, etc. You and your kids get hit with more ads that are specifically designed to insight desire of the products. All of a sudden, you can’t live without these things because you have been bombarded.
Related Articles:
How Christmas Creep Can Cost You