Not too long ago Sophia did a post on how people buy their books. From what I could tell most of us buy on impulse when it comes to our books. I am most definitely one of the impulse buyers. If something looks or sounds good, I will snatch it up. With Christmas coming up, I got to wondering if everyone was the same way when it came to buying presents for their people.
My extended family has this crazy thing where we all draw names. I say it is crazy because there are 11 of us and 5 of them are my family. So if you do the math that means that there is 1 other person that I (because I do the shopping. My six month old is not going to be buying anything) would not buy for. Last year the person we didn’t draw was my mom. Come on. Am I really not going to buy a Christmas present for my mom? Seriously.
Long ago my mom tried to instill planning in to me. My mom, bless her heart, starts her Christmas shopping for the next year on December 26. I swear I was getting boxes of present for my kids in June this year. Who has all their Christmas shopping done in June? I think by that point I might have considered what I was going to buy but to already have it bought, wrapped and shipped? No way.
One year I tried it my mom’s way. I started looking in January and bought a ton of stuff throughout the year. I was pretty darn proud of myself because I had everyone done before Thanksgiving rolled around. I was so smug thinking I could sit back and prop up my feet for the rest of the year.
And then you know what happened? My true nature took over and I impulse bought a whole second set of Christmas presents for everyone. Fail. All planning ahead did for me was make me spend more. I came to the conclusion that it might be best for me to wait until those final two months of the year. While everyone else enjoyed my impulse buys I was crying to myself as I paid the credit card bill that month.
So does your holiday shopping resemble your book shopping? Are you one of those dreaded planners who sets a budget and sticks to it? Or do you fly by the seat of your pants? How do you feel about December 24 shopping? Let me know!
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I’m the worst sort of shopper… an impulse buyer combined with a one for you, one for me shopper. I have no self control at Christmas. I normally have budgets and lists, that all goes away after Holiday sells start.
Holiday sales… sorry, on my pad sitting in mall traffic.
That is the same with me!! I just dropped $100 on amazon because I was feeling like I didn’t get hubs enough. Even though he got a new ipod, some pants…. and so on.
I definitely fly by the seat of my pants! I can compare my gift shopping to shopping for books – I have some people who are easy to buy for ( like my ‘to be read’ list – I know what I will buy) and then I have people who are difficult to buy for so I just keep looking and buying in the hope that I strike it lucky (any random book that catches my eye – leads to soooooo many impulse book buys!). Wrapping is always left until Christmas Eve, although I always say that I will do it earlier next year … and the reason I don’t – too busy reading all the books I bought on impulse!!!!!
If I waited to wrap on Christmas Eve I would be appalled at what I had bought. I wrap as I go and then forget about it. Maybe that is worse?
I try to think about what I want to give as gifts, but I always end up impulse shopping and buying extras. Usually when I see a good deal at least. I try to avoid Christmas Eve shopping if at all possible.
I do too. I think I went one year on Christmas Eve and then swore I would never do that again.
I plan somewhat. I do most of my shopping in the last 2 months, but I make lists as I go throughout the year.
Maybe if I kept a list it wouldn’t get so out of control at the end of the year. But I panic!
I try to prepare a list starting september and then i gradually buy what i want to finish before december ( so if i have to order somethin it’s still possible) but sometimes i see something i didn’t know was going to be released, published etc and i add that but normally i’m quite prepared
I wish I could say I was prepared. I just need to know when to stop.
I normally plan what I’m going to buy but also plan for the impulse buying I know I’ll do. This year I did some traveling across the country so picked up some things that I wouldn’t find where I live.
LOL. You plan for your impulse buying?
I just..well go out and buy things, but try to be as cheap as possible
At least you have the cheap as possible. That is a good route to go!
I never have a plan, but I do try to keep in mind the budget. I do impulse buy, but it’s usually gifts for myself.
Budget? What is this? I can’t seem to keep one when it comes to buying presents.
Yup… my Christmas shopping is impulsive and based on whatever is shiniest. Just like my book buying
Oh good. I like you.
I’m a impulse buyer most of the time. But I’m always watching for sales, too.
Sales are what suck me in. If there weren’t sales I might be able to stay away.
I semi-plan, semi-fly…at first I have it all in lists and look for coupons, but then as I get desperate I start improvising and spending more.
This.
I buy early…..then keep buying!!! Always end up with way more than i planned….but everyone ends up happy!
Ok, see this is me. I can understand what you are saying here!
I’m pretty much a pantser. I usually have a rough idea of the main big gift for my daughter, but this year it was the end of November before I decided. I USUALLY only buy for my daughter, my parents and grandmother and something small for my ex (candy) as he’s at our house. This year, we agreed with my parents that I wouldn’t send a gift and would save the money for my daughter to go visit them at spring break and thanks to the play I was overwhelmed with until the 16th, I ended up at Walmart on Thursday night because I only had 3 gifts randomly tossing shit in the cart. LOL Okay, things she needed but there was no time for comparison shopping, just random. Sigh.
I don’t care for the idea of being done in June. Takes the fun out of the holiday season some. I was actually surprised, I took my daughter to do her shopping today and we even ended up at Best Buy and the lines and parking lots were half empty. Weird, but I’m not complaining.
Best Buy was half empty? That is weird. I don’t think ours is half empty in even April.
Definitely an impulse shopper. I always start out with a plan but never stick to it. ;P
Plans are only good if they are ever changing.
Normally, I don’t plan. But this year I set a gift buying budget and stuck to it. With books, I’m hopeless. I don’t even try to set a budget cause I would never stick to it.
I am impressed. Maybe you can give the rest of us pointers on how to stick to that budget. I sure need it!
Fortunately, I have very few gifts to purchase. I buy for my hubby. I get gift cards for my secretary and for some co-workers. I don’t usually buy for my mom–or the rest of my family. We don’t usually see each other at the holidays. That being said, I usually do browse 1 or 2 places on Christmas Eve–specifically to impulse buy!
I think Christmas Eve is the best time for impulse buys. Things are crazy cheap!
Lol, I am both
I start my Xmas shopping in January, whenever I see anything I think someone will like I buy it throughout the year and end up with plenty of gifts. So I keep a mastersheet with all the presents I already bought 
I should keep a spreadsheet too. I think it would keep me on track and not all panicky by Dec.
WhatWhen it comes to books, I’m a total impulse shopper. But holiday shopping, I do it early, with a list. Then Inicknickle and dime myself to death until Christmas.Exactly how I described myself! It is good to know I am not alone in this strange habit.
But I’m sure you didn’t typo the hell out of it like I did. *sigh*
I am better than that.
As a shopper I try to before hand think of something specific for each person I plan to buy for but I usually can’t find exactly what I want and end up buying more then I wanted to because I could not buy them exactly what I want.
You mentioned the gift exchange that your family does and I have to say I have come to find the concept ridiculous in families because it does not save money. My extended family just started this 2 years ago and I find I have to buy more gifts instead of less.
We are supposed to do a $25 limit but I can’t stick to that! I can’t just buy my mom 1 present. Or my SIL like two things of soap. Lame.
I have typical amount that I spend on each person and I try to keep a list throughout the year of what the person randomly mentions. However, I don’t usually start buying until October.
I do have an amount in mind each year. That is probably one normal thing I do.
I definitely wait until the last month to buy gifts. I start shopping on Black Friday and then progress from there. I used to wait until the last week, but this year, I started buying gifts when I saw something and I think it worked out better.
Great post.
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Thank you! and the same to you and yours.
I am not quite so early as your Mom, but I do try to get shopping done throughout the year. I DO NOT like last-minute shopping. And I find it takes days to work my way up to actually wrapping gifts, so I better have them early. Merry Christmas, all.
I am not a fan of the last minute thing either but I can’t seem to help myself.
I plan in advance and tend to get the bulk of my shopping done just after Thanksgiving.
I am, however, a last minute knitter. I start early, plan gifts out… And then lose steam. This year, my godson is not getting a handmade dinosaur hat with matching mittens as originaly planned, my very pregnant sister is going to get a stuffed elephant with only one ear if I don’t bunker down and finish that tonight, and my 15-yr-old cousin is getting a hat with an I.O.U. for matching gloves.
lol. what a cool present to be able to give. I wish I had a talent like that.
We do the list thing and then I go to work. I’m not a last minute shopper because I hate the crowds in the malls. Increasingly I have been doing my shopping online.
I do most of my shopping online too. Amazon is my bff.
I try to go in with a list but I usually end up getting things impulsively…yes, just like I buy my books!
But somehow, I think those gifts end up being best because you see something and think “yes! that’s exactly what ___ would want!” Merry Christmas!
I have bought a lot of good gifts like that. Those darn end cap sales.
The older I get, the more I lean toward cash and/or gift cards. I usually order the gift cards online and have them sent to family and friends. This way, I don’t have to actually do the “shopping”. I usually exceed my so-called budget.