How to Beat Pre-Holiday Stress and Save Big Bucks

Every year stress is a main ingredient during the holidays. With Halloween around the corner and Thanksgiving and Christmas not far off, most of us think say the same thing to ourselves: This is the year I will shop early so I can avoid last minute shopping. I will begin the holiday season fully relaxed and enjoy it!

Yet every year time seems to slip away and suddenly the holidays arrive. You end up racing to the stores, panic-stricken, trying to find candy in the empty racks or a beautiful turkey for the dinner table that is now triple the price because the only store that has any left is the high-end market down the street.

Even worse, when you need to find that ideal last-minute gift for your loved ones, it is no longer available in the color or size needed and all the toys requested from Santa are sold out with no re-stocks in the near future. You end up paying far too much money for something that will most likely be returned or never used.

How can you beat pre-holiday stress and save big bucks at the same time? Start today. The time to put a plan into action is now. Halloween is nearly here and there are big savings in the candy isle already featuring Halloween candy. Buy the candy now, wrap it in a brown paper bag and hide it in your freezer so no one knows it's there but you. If you are a candy nut like me, buy a bit for yourself so you won't be tempted to snarf it.

Now is also the time to plan for Thanksgiving and Christmas. While the meat is not on sale yet, you can call your local market and ask the store manager when their holiday meats will go on sale. Most store managers will give you an approximate date for when the meat you desire will go on sale at their store. Mark that date on your calendar.

How many times have you said to yourself: This year I will get Christmas cards out. Before you know it December is nearly over and Christmas is days away. You haven't purchased the Christmas cards let alone put a stamp on one and you are too busy with everything else to do it. You beat yourself up, frustrated that yet again, you are too late and time has run out. To avoid this frustrating cycle, start now when you aren't as busy as you will be later on in the season.