Does anyone leave Christmas present shopping to the last minute on purpose?

WantToBeSE

I am normally quite organised for Christmas, but due to loads of car trouble draining my bank account, i havent bought anything yet.

I need to save as much money as possible, to ensure that i have enough money in the bank for another car should anything go wrong.
So i am not sure what i'll have to spend for Christmas.

i am considering leaving my Christmas present shopping until the very last minute (a few days before Christmas Eve) as i'll have a clear idea of what my budget will be like.

Does anyone else leave it to the last minute on purpose? Are the crowds really that bad in the shops? Any advice if i do decide to do this?

freyasmum

I honestly couldn't handle the stress.

One year my dad asked me - on Christmas Eve - if I would go get some presents for mum. The only shop left open was BHS and there were empty shelves aplenty :eek:

Another year, my sister asked me to go to toys r us with her - again on Christmas Eve - and it was hell on earth. The shop itself wasn't ridiculously busy but the roads... oh! the roads!

I wouldn't really recommend it, and I try to have my shopping complete before the middle of december, but it's obviously the best option for you this year

fawnsinthegarden

I did this once, mainly because I didn't know what to get my family at the time, they didn't give any hints or suggestions so by Christmas Eve I still had no idea. Everyone ended up with really naff presents because there was next to nothing left in all the stores and I probably could have got more suitable gifts at the petrol station (I was 17 at the time though!).

Never again, the still get possibly naff gifts but as they never say what they like/want and never comment on their gifts I find it easier to buy in advance and save myself the stress .

One good thing about leaving it last minute, the clearance sales usually have already started

Spendless

Other than husands buying their wife a present you mean?

No. Long story but I had a relative reduce the kids budget on what they'd originally told us to look for something for by 60% last year and it was early-mid Dec. Trying to find a bargain within price range with something suitable still in stock was a nightmare. In the end I let said relative shop out of my cupboards instead.

whitewing

I left it late one year, and everything's packaging seemed to be tatty and overhandled and felt grubby.

Also, if you order online, there is a real risk with the weather or supply problems that you may not get it and may have problems with not getting refunds in time to buy alternatives.

However, I have never received a present that I could say had been bought last minute on a low budget.

You could draw up a list of who to buy for, and a list of what to buy and a budget of what you would spend per person if you weren't having trouble. Then do regular searches online to keep an idea of prices. If you are patient, you probably will be able to snap up a bargain. Then once you have bought it, stop looking for that item so that you don't get caught into the inaction trap of when to buy. Be pleased with the saving you actually made. Then nearer Xmas you could bump up your gifts with extras according to how flush you are.

Netwizard

WantToBeSE wrote: »

I am normally quite organised for Christmas, but due to loads of car trouble draining my bank account, i havent bought anything yet.

I need to save as much money as possible, to ensure that i have enough money in the bank for another car should anything go wrong.
So i am not sure what i'll have to spend for Christmas.

i am considering leaving my Christmas present shopping until the very last minute (a few days before Christmas Eve) as i'll have a clear idea of what my budget will be like.

Tell friends / family exactly this. Family won't mind if you get them a token bottle of wine, and if the friends are real friends, they won't give two craps whether you get them a pressie or not. (If you were my friend, I would say sod the present and get the kettle on along with a custard cream, and that would be the end of xmas present worries :beer: )

Best keeping the money in the bank rather than getting into debt for one day!

SilS

Each year I go for a Christams shopping on 24 December. I just do not see the need to prepare myself earlier, I'm doing decent so far

WantToBeSE

Thanks for the replies so far, i think the resounding answer is 'Don't Do It'!!

I only have my 2 children, my 2 sisters, 1 friend, my mum and my cat to buy for.

I already know that my mum and younger sister want M&S vouchers, my older son wants cash, my younger son wants the skylanders swap force.

So i'll know what they want, and i wont have to buy loads.

System

never for presents but i once went to Tesco about 3 days before christmas NEVER AGAIN , the shoppers were rushing around and the queues were horrendous.

Spendless

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Thanks for the replies so far, i think the resounding answer is 'Don't Do It'!!

I only have my 2 children, my 2 sisters, 1 friend, my mum and my cat to buy for.

I already know that my mum and younger sister want M&S vouchers, my older son wants cash, my younger son wants the skylanders swap force.

So i'll know what they want, and i wont have to buy loads.

Out of that the cat won't know or care. Vouchers are probably best left until later on anyway. Plenty of retailers have gone into difficulty around Christmas time and vouchers aren't always honoured. Unless you were giving cash in advance to eldest for him to get something with you could leave that till last minute too. Not enitrely sure what skylanders swap force is but if it's a toy, have you got any Tesco clubcard vouchers? Toys dept was added as a dept to their boost scheme this week.

http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/deals/boost-at-tesco/

qwiksave

Out of the list you've got, it doesn't look as if it'll be a problem for you late shopping anyway. Apart from maybe the Skylanders thing that may be something that sells out? Maybe you could just get that early just in case?

I don't think it's much of a problem getting things late these days as loads of shops do pre-Christmas sales in the last days before Christmas because they want to get rid of their 'bought in for Christmas' stock. You can actually save money by being late, if you don't mind the crowds.