The radio stations aren’t yet playing our holiday favorites ‘round the clock, but it’s just around the corner. Christmas shopping season is here!

If you haven’t done it already, it’s time to create a plan of attack so that you can: a.) Get (most) everything on your list; and b.) Snag some major deals.

Where to begin?

The List. Take the time to sit down and make a list of items you want to get for family and friends. It’s helpful to ask them what they like/need so you can spend your hard-earned money on something that they will actually use. Plus, you’ll save time if you shop for specific items, rather than waste precious time guessing what they might want and getting it wrong. If you’re shopping for kiddos, have them browse through our handy online Holiday Catalog. We also offer a gift registry to make gift giving easy.

The Budget. Some of you may have been socking away money all year and good for you! It’s not too late to put a little money in a savings account to pay for holiday expenses. Most banks and credit unions offer a Christmas Club account, and some retailers do, too.

You’ll need to determine what your total budget is and what you’ll spend per child or per person. Here’s the hard part: Stick to it. It may help you stick to the budget if you track your purchases and subtract the dollar amount from your budget.

Some experts recommend making purchases with cash. Take into the store only the dollar amount you planned to spend on a certain person/people. When that amount runs out, shopping is over. Along the same lines, you should use your debit card rather than a credit card.

Tricks of the Trade. A few other tricks of the trade include shopping early to avoid crowds, find the best selection and escape the stress of last minute shopping. You should also search your local paper or the Internet for coupons and sales. Check store calendars for special offers, too. For example, Nov. 18 Earth Explorer Toys is hosting an “Evening with the Elves” where the whole store is 20% off from 5-10 p.m.

Many stores also offer gift wrapping services (we do!). This is helpful in many ways. You not only won’t have to wrap the gift when you get home, you also won’t have bags of unwrapped gifts in the trunk of your car for your little Christmas darlings to see.

We hope these tips help you get started on your holiday shopping adventure and we hope to see you soon!