With Christmas just over a month away, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done between now and then. From finding the perfect presents and organising Christmas travel plans to getting the best deals so you don’t blow the budget (again). When you think about everything that needs to get done, it really is quite impressive that Santa seems to be able to get things done in just one night.
This time of year should be about one thing - being with those you love and showing them how much they mean to you. And after the year it’s been, we all certainly deserve a little rest and relaxation. With that in mind, we’ve put together our top Christmas shopping tips so you can confidently scratch your Xmas list off your to-do list.
Start planning early with a Christmas list and a budget
One of the most challenging things about this time of year is how things can pop up or change at a moment's notice. Taking some time now to make a plan of what definitely needs to get done, will help you prioritise and make the most of the more spontaneous moments of the holiday period.
Start with a Christmas list of who you need to buy presents for. Once you’ve prioritised and considered everyone, try running it by a partner or family member to make sure you haven’t missed out on anyone.
Once you’ve got your list sorted you need to decide on a budget. Make sure you budget for things like Christmas meals you might be hosting, charitable donations you plan on giving and don’t forget to include things like wrapping and cards!
Keep track of pre-Christmas sales
Now you’ve got your list and your budget, it’s time to start the hunt - finding the best deals on the best gifts. Between now and Christmas retailers give you hundreds of chances to save on a variety of gifts, but you have to be quick!
Here’s a list of all the upcoming sales to keep an eye on:
- Black Friday - Friday November 26th
- Cyber Monday - Monday November 29th
- Free Shipping Day - Wednesday December 15th
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, two huge opportunities to save across one massive weekend. If you’ve got your Christmas gift ideas sorted, you can use this retail sale bonanza to get all your gifts at really great prices. But make sure you're on the ball, retailers tend to sell out very quickly. Saving your specific product tabs in a folder on your browser or an app like WISHUPON might help you get to your gifts as soon as the sales start.
One way to always make sure you are getting the very best deal on all your Xmas gifts is by making sure you’ve got the Cashrewards Extension installed in your browser. With the Cashrewards Notifier, you’ll never miss a chance to earn cashback on a range of products at over 1800 retailers.
Make the most of online shopping and in-store shopping
Lockdowns across the country mean access to in-store shopping differs from state-to-state and retailer to retailer. If you prefer shopping in-store make sure that the stores you hope to purchase from are operating as normal. They may require you to order online and pick up in-store, or some variation of the click-and-collect system. Whether you prefer doing your shopping completely online or completely in-store there is a good chance you might have to do a combination of both.
Whether you prefer shopping online or in-store, Cashrewards makes it easy to make the most of the Christmas sales. By partnering with Paypal, Visa and Mastercard, Cashrewards members can safely and securely link their debit or credit card to their Cashrewards account, so you can earn cashback instantly on in-store purchases from specific retailers. You can even earn cashback on those bigger purchases made on credit, thanks to Cashrewards’ partnership with Afterpay and ZipPay.
Make sure you factor in shipping and delivery times
If you’re ordering online you have to factor in shipping and delivery times. Unfortunately Australia Post isn’t as efficient as Santa.
This year the national postal service has announced that delivery volumes are already “setting records”, it’s likely that more than 52 million parcels will be sent over Christmas this year.
Australia Post has set a few deadlines you need to meet if you want your online orders to arrive in time for Christmas morning.
- Monday December 13 is the key date for those using Parcel Post, while December 20 is the cut-off for Express Post.
- If you’re looking to send packages out to Perth Darwin or anywhere outside of metro areas you should send things even earlier.
- Christmas cards should be sent by December 16 at the latest.
Save time and stress this Christmas with Cashrewards
Our final tip for making this Christmas period as stress-free as possible is to sign up with Cashrewards! You’ll get the opportunity to earn cashback on a range of products and gift cards from all of your favourite retailers. Sign up and become a member today!