Christmas Savings Shopping Guide

There's no doubt about it: Christmas Shopping is expensive. The cost of buying presents for family, friends, coworkers, bosses, acquaintances, and pets can become overwhelming. This Christmas, you can easily save hundreds of dollars on your holiday shopping just by shopping at the right places. Below is your guide to four places you'll get the best deals this holiday season:

Thrift Stores: Do your friends and family love that vintage look? Then check out your local thrift store for great deals on like-new clothes, accessories, and more. Not only will you save money every time you shop at thrift stores, you might also be supporting a worthwhile charity. Many foundations, such as the Salvation Army, have thrift stores, and by shopping at one such location, you can do some good while doing your holiday shopping.

Mom and Pop Stores: With so many local stores shutting down to be replaced by Wal-Marts and other super centers, its easy to forget how much you can save by shopping locally. Many local mom-and-pop stores have unique gifts for competitive prices, and most shops will have sales around the holidays. Shopping locally also means you'll be spending less on transportation costs, plus you'll be able to form a relationship with store workers. In my experience, local shop-owners often give customers great discounts simply for being cheerful and kind.

Costco: Known for low-priced, high-quality groceries, Costco also carries inexpensive jewelry, clothes, shoes, electronics, and toys- all of which make wonderful gifts. One year I bought a beautiful pearl necklace at Costco that I couldn't afford anywhere else. Although Costco has a membership fee, it'll soon be paid for through all the in-store savings and great deals you'll find.