Holiday shopping can become surprisingly expensive when you wait until the last minute. As the season gets closer, popular products can sell out, selection can shrink, and shoppers may feel pressured to buy whatever is still available.
That doesn’t mean you should start buying everything months in advance. Some items are better purchased closer to the holidays, while others can be safely bought early if you already know you’ll need them. If you want to spread out your holiday spending and potentially avoid some seasonal price pressure, these five categories are worth watching.
Nonperishable Baking Supplies
Flour, sugar, baking chocolate, sprinkles, canned ingredients, spices, and other nonperishable baking supplies can often be purchased well before the holidays. If you already know you’ll be baking cookies, cakes, or other treats, watch for sales and pick up ingredients gradually rather than buying everything during the busiest shopping weeks. Just check expiration dates and storage requirements before stocking up. A discount isn’t worthwhile if you end up throwing the product away.
Wrapping Paper and Gift Bags
Holiday wrapping supplies are another easy category to buy early. Wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons, bows, tape, and gift tags don’t usually require much storage space, and you can often find them outside the peak holiday-shopping period. Buying these supplies gradually can also prevent the familiar December situation of discovering that you have plenty of gifts but almost nothing to wrap them with. Before shopping, check your existing supply. Holiday leftovers from previous years may already cover much of what you need.
Holiday Cards and Shipping Supplies
If you send holiday cards or packages, consider buying the necessary supplies before the seasonal rush. Cards, envelopes, shipping boxes, packing materials, and other mailing supplies are easy to overlook when you’re making a holiday budget. Buying them early gives you more time to compare prices and avoids having to make a rushed purchase when deadlines are approaching. If you’re sending gifts to family members who live far away, also factor shipping costs into your overall holiday budget. The item itself may not be your biggest expense.
Popular Gifts You Already Know You’ll Buy
If there’s a specific gift you know someone wants, waiting until the last possible moment can create unnecessary pressure. Popular toys, electronics, collectibles, beauty products, and other highly sought-after items can become harder to find as the holidays approach. When you see a genuinely good price on an item you’ve already planned to purchase, buying early can give you more flexibility. The keyword is planned. Don’t buy something simply because a store advertises it as a holiday deal. Make your gift list first, establish a spending limit, and then watch prices on the items you actually intend to buy.
Holiday Travel Essentials
If you’re traveling during the holidays, some of the things you need can be purchased well in advance. Luggage, travel organizers, cold-weather clothing, toiletries, chargers, and other travel necessities don’t need to be left until the week before your trip. Making these purchases early can also help you spread the cost over several months, rather than having transportation, lodging, gifts, and travel supplies hit your budget all at once. For expensive travel-related purchases, however, compare prices rather than assuming that buying early is always cheaper. Prices can vary, and some products may go on sale closer to the holidays.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
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