Welcome to day 3 in the 5 Days to a Debt Free Christmas series! Today we are going to talk about why you should buy Christmas gifts year-round.

Why You Should Buy Christmas Gifts Year-Round

In my family we are always on the lookout for thoughtful, frugal gifts for one another. It really gives us great joy to give gifts to one another during the Christmas season (and other occasions as well). However, if we just bought these gifts right before the occasion, we’d find ourselves spending way more money than we need to.

In order to celebrate a debt-free Christmas, you really need to consider purchasing your gifts year-round. When you buy gifts year-round it spreads out the budget leaving less strain and more joy during Christmas. Who wants to be stressed out when we are celebrating the birth of Jesus? I know I don’t.

Did you know that all store sales are cyclical? Knowing this alone can save you hundreds of dollars each year on essential items for your family as well as Christmas gifts. An example of this can be seen here: Johnny likes to go hiking in the mountains and needs a new high performance winter jacket. You don’t want to spend $300 on a coat because the truth is, you simply cannot afford it. However, if you wait until February or March, you’ll be able to snag that same $300 coat for $75 or less.

Looking for that nice treadmill for your home? Don’t buy it it in January when New Year’s resolutions are in full swing. Rather wait until everything dies down in February and you’ll see the largest sales on these fine machines! While there are some cyclical sales trends you can expect to rely on, the types of discounts and products offered will vary due to the economy. So be sure to keep your eye out for clearance items that follow the items original high season.

Take a peek at my seasonal buying guide for some ideas of when you can find the best prices on popular items!

Combine the seasonal buying with cash back sites. I earn money shopping online year round. By doing so it saves me both time and money on gas and most of the time I don’t even have to pay for shipping!

Always keep a good eye out for coupons and sales for the items that you are planning to purchase for Christmas. You can always check my coupon database to see if there are any current deals. Another great way to stay informed about sales is to sign up for the stores email list so that you won’t miss a deal! (pssst, you can sign up for our email list here)

Well there you have it folks! If you start planning to purchase gifts year-round to get the best discounts coinciding with the cyclical sales, you are on your way to many debt-free Christmas celebrations! And that, my friends, is an exciting thing!

See the rest of the 5 Days to a Debt-Free series here!