Parent's Perspective: Tips for early holiday shopping
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Did you know that Christmas is less than 90 days away? Hanukkah will be here even sooner.
While many people don't start really thinking about the holidays until around Halloween, KDKA's Heather Abraham has some tips that might help you get a headstart.
With kids being so expensive to buy for, especially right now, with the cost of everything being up, every little bit you can save will help.
Last year, the National Retail Federation said consumers have been steadily shopping earlier and earlier, with 61% of people starting in early November in 2021.
Brittany Newcomb of Brittany's Budgeting says the first tip is to start saving now.
She says something called a 'sinking fund' is a the best way to do that. A sinking fund is just that -- something you sink money into early, saving for expected expenses.
Brittany also suggests shopping early, and if you know there's something someone is really eyeing, snag it if it's a good deal.
She also suggest really evaluating your gift list and prioritize spending and trying to avoid trendy decorations.
As for those decorations, if you really want new ones, wait until after the holiday when they're deeply discounted.
Lastly, she suggests having the kids get involved in thinking about homemade cards and gifts that they can make for loved ones.