Getting a Head Start to Holiday Toy Shopping #ChosenByKids

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

It’s never too early to get started on your holiday shopping. In fact, many people do their shopping all year round and stash presents away until Christmas. I’ve always been a last minute shopper but last year money was so tight and I wasn’t able to do as much for the girls as I would of like to. This year, I have come up with a plan to tackle hard times and make my holiday shopping a lot easier for me and my pocket.

Walmart is always the first store we head to for holiday shopping. It’s local, the prices are always right up my alley, and this time of year they are offering layaway again! Also, from now until December, they will be having Holiday Toyland Events where you can check out this years hottest toys and test them out! How cool. Make sure you check you local Walmart for event dates and times. I’ll be heading to mines this Saturday and can’t wait to see what’s on the agenda. In the meantime, take a look below to see how I plan to tackle my holiday shopping this year!

• Set a budget and stash a portion of it weekly~ Setting a budget is a great idea when you are trying to save money. Although it may be easier said then done, try setting a round about budget and put away a portion of it each week. For instance, there are exactly 12 weeks until Christmas. If your budget is $200 (just an example), divide it by 12 and that will tell you how much you need to put away each week to have that $200 to do your holiday shopping.

• Utilize coupons ~ I love a great deal and when you can combine a coupon with it, you can maximize your savings even more!

• Price Match ~ Don’t forget when you find a good deal at one place to check out the prices of several different stores. Some stores offer price match so if you find it for a lower price at a different store, they will match the price. This not only can save you money on the item, but allows you to do more shopping at one spot to save on gas. Double win! Be sure to check your local stores to see if they offer price matching and their policies.

• Don’t forget about the clearance section ~ Getting a head start to holiday shopping can be as easy as checking out your favorite store’s clearance sections. Many times you can snag an amazing deal and even get an additional percentage off. That’s when the savings really come in handy!

• Rack up free holiday cash from survey sites ~ This is a good one especially if you have a few minutes each day. Survey sites like Opinion Outpost, Instagc, and Pinecone offer a way to earn easy points that you can redeem for amazon gift cards and paypal cash. I’ve seen many people pay for their entire Christmas with their earnings they have saved up all year.

• Choose toys everyone can enjoy playing together ~ Board games and multiplayer video games are great items to look for when trying to make your dollar stretch when you have multiple children. Every holiday my husband and I purchase some things that we know the girls will all love. There are many times when all they want to do is play together and all is right in the world. Board games are one of those things they all enjoy doing together and you can save big time with deals on these items. Last year there were sales for $1 board games and many other items like this can be found in the clearance section too. What a great way to make your money stretch!!

• Find out what toys are hot and most wanted ~ It’s always good to have an idea of which toys are on the kids most wanted list this year. That way you know your plan of action, how much they are going for, and how much you could save on deals. I want to get at least two of the items that are on the top of each of my girls lists this year so I truly want to be prepared.

How do you get ready for holiday shopping? Do you have a specific strategy planned? We’d love to hear and don’t forget you can find out more information about the Walmart Holiday Toyland. Hope to see you there!!