Smart Ways to Stretch Your Dollar this Holiday Season
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chase Ultimate Rewards. All opinions are 100% mine.
Have you started shopping yet for the holidays? Even though the holiday season is a wonderful time to spend time with the people you love, it also brings on a lot of stress. It is difficult buying gifts for everyone on your shopping list without going into debt.I have a large family, so my holiday shopping list is quite long. I like to make sure that I do not forget anyone, and that I am able to show people how much I appreciate them in my life. I try to stretch my dollar and save as much money as I can. Below you will find some of my tips to help prevent you from going into debt this holiday season.1. Stick to a budgetHaving a budget not only helps prevent you from overspending but it gives you an idea of how much you can afford to spend on each person on your list. A great way to enforce your budget is to pay for gifts with cash. If you do not have the cash to spend then you cannot exceed your budget.A great way to do this is by sitting down and making a list of everyone you need to purchase a gift for this year. Then, figure out how much total money you have to spend for the holidays.Next, set a price for each person and you can even come up with a few gift suggestions. This will be your guideline to follow when it is time to start shopping. Be sure to stick to your list and do not give in to impulse items that seem like they are a good deal.2. Redeem credit card rewards to purchase giftsAnother way to stretch your dollar to save money on holiday shopping is by redeeming your credit card rewards. It is like getting gifts for free! Many people forget about these rewards.Now that you made your shopping list and set your budget it is time to start shopping. The best place to start is by redeeming your rewards. This would be the perfect way to check people off of your holiday list without having to spend any of the money that you budgeted above.Simplify your shopping and stretch your dollar by utilizing Ultimate Rewards from Chase. Chase Ultimate Rewards is available to Chase Freedom, Chase Sapphire and Ink from Chase cardholders. When you use these cards you can earn points for your purchases and then redeem those for rewards for items such as gift cards and merchandise. The Chase Ultimate Rewards program offers a personalized experience for cardholders and can be your one-stop shop for holiday shopping.Now that you can mark people off your list by redeeming points with your Chase credit card you will have money left over to purchase items that are on your gift wish list.3. Compare PricesTo make sure you are getting the best possible deals it is important that you compare prices from different retailers. I always like getting the most bang for my buck so I start to scour store ads months before I start shopping. I familiarize myself with the prices of items that I will be purchasing and then watch to see who offers the best deals.You may think you are getting a great deal for an item on your list, but many times retailers will raise the price and then offer a percentage discount. This way you feel like you are saving money, but in reality you are not. You may even be spending more than the normal price of the item.What are some of your tips to saving money on holiday shopping?