As fall makes way for winter, the most active holiday period in the United States is about to begin. November, December, and even a little bit of January mark the busiest periods for travel and shopping.

Remembering the reasons for the season is always important. As we all know, though, many of the festivities will require a bit of spending—and making compromises on your budget.

If you’re scrambling for some last-minute savings, here’s what we recommend to take your dollar a little further.

Remember Your Budget—and Be Mindful

Getting carried away with our daily routines and obligations is very easy. Add a holiday season, and anyone can see how stressful and busy this time of year gets. Despite everything, remembering your budgeting fundamentals is always appropriate.

Do you remember the basics of budgeting? Here’s a quick refresher:

• Determine your income for a month
• Categorize expenses according to needs, obligations, and wants
• Find ways to reduce discretionary spending
• Save extra where possible
  

During the holidays, much of the extra spending that gets done can be classified as “discretionary.” Of course, the holidays mean different things to everyone, so it’s wise to be mindful of how these feelings affect buying decisions.

If you have plans to travel or visit others during the holidays, now is the time to let your circle know. Make sure your loved ones are on the same page on what you can do, and if possible, ask each other how to help.

Having productive discussions can produce many budget-saving results, including:

• Making compromises on travel arrangements
• Downsizing the holiday meal or hosting a potluck
• Agreeing on a collective spending cap on gifts
• Emphasizing experiences over presents
  

Fast Tips for Holiday Shopping

Spending money on gifts and groceries can feel inevitable. If you’re feeling the squeeze on your budget, feel at ease knowing you still have opportunities to save.

Know the cut-off dates for shipping. Online shopping is probably a significant component of your current spending strategy. Here’s a reminder that every mail carrier in the country has hard cut-off dates for delivering items in time for the holidays, especially Christmas.

Try not to put off placing your online orders. Not only does it leave your shipments more susceptible to delays due to congestion, but it may also increase shipping costs. This can easily throw off your budget.

Visit the website of your mail carrier of choice to get familiar with their cut-off dates.

Take advantage of shopping and coupon apps. Nowadays, specialized apps and web browser extensions can help you shop smarter. They work like a search engine, crawling the Internet to find the best prices for items you seek. The app will direct you to a site with a better deal if it finds one.

Coupon apps work the same way: they will try to find coupon codes, rebates, and cashback on the items on your shopping list and apply them automatically while you shop.

To get started, here are some of the most popular shopping and coupon apps:

• Honey
• Ibotta
• RetailMeNot
  

Always remember to keep your Internet safety in mind when finding shopping and coupon apps. Only use browser extensions or apps vetted and approved by your device’s app store. Also, verify that they have been reviewed by many users with positive ratings.

Online retailers are ramping up their deals. Over the years, “Black Friday” has become less of a dedicated shopping day and more of a multi-week event. If you visit major online retailers frequently, you will probably notice that they are releasing their holiday sales right about now.

It’s a good time to take advantage of these deals, as many items receive discounts if you buy in a bundle. Just be sure to review the fine print and disclosures before you fill your shopping cart. The retailer may require you to pay for certain items at full price before you can get a discount on another item.

Even if your budget is top of your mind, there’s still time to make every dollar count. Many people celebrate the holidays differently. Therefore, finding your unique way to spread cheer will speak volumes long after the wrapping paper’s been cleaned up.

First Florida wishes you a safe and happy holiday season. Explore our Featured Articles section for more tips on budgeting and how to get ready for the holidays. We have many topics to discuss, such as activities, spending hacks, and more.