Holiday shopping is going to be different this year. Retail shopping has a new layer of social distancing guidelines to follow and online merchants make it convenient to purchase without leaving home. Whether you decide if you will safely navigate the in-store shopping experience or let your fingers do the shopping online, here are a few tips to shop safe and avoid going overboard on holiday spending:
SHOPPING IN STORES:
- Follow state guidelines for wearing a face mask and store policies regarding social distancing such as staying 6-feet apart from other shoppers and using hand sanitizer or washing your hands after checking out.
- Prepare by doing research as to what products you will purchase ahead of time to decrease how long you are shopping.
- Utilize curbside pick-up. Many stores offer “contactless buying,” where you may shop online and purchases are loaded into your trunk by store employees.
- Shop during less volume-heavy times or consolidate to make fewer trips to the store.
SHOPPING ONLINE:
- Don’t spend more than you intend. Pause and review before placing order. Review what’s in your cart when online shopping. Wait a day, or even a few hours to give yourself some time to think about if you really need to spend money on everything you clicked into the cart.
- Avoid the temptations of the side bar recommendations. Related products or accessories that pop up or flashy adds that try to tempt you to return are all strategically placed to encourage more spending.
- Don’t buy things you don’t need just because they are on sale.
No matter how you shop, this holiday season will be a unique one.