Reviewing Your Holiday Shopping Skills

To get ahead of runaway holiday costs — and to ensure you take the best advantage of this year’s discounts and deals — ask yourself the following questions about your 2026 holiday shopping plan:

1. WHO Is on Your Gift List?

Have you finalized a complete list of friends, family and people in the community who provided services to you — or did you forget about your Aunt Mary in New Orleans or the clarinet teacher? The sooner you make the list, the better. Last-minute gifts tend to be more stressful and more costly.

2. WHEN Will You Shop?

Have you bought any gifts throughout the year — or could you get started right away — so that you could finish early, even by the start of December? Leaving things to the last minute will increase your stress, and you’ll probably spend more — plan ahead.

3. WHERE Do You Like to Shop?

Discount stores, the base exchange, malls, specialty stores, catalogs, TV and online shopping provide limitless choices. Think about which type of shopping brings you the most enjoyment, and intentionally do more of your shopping there. Consider which shopping environment is likeliest to lead to impulse purchases. Those are good places to avoid — or to only go to when you’re feeling strong enough to resist the temptations.

4. WHICH Gifts Are the Easiest to Buy?

Some people have a knack for knowing exactly the right gift for each person on their list, while others face more of a challenge. If you’re among the latter, think about the gifts you gave in past years that were well received and easy for you. Could you give the same type of gift to everyone every year — a sweater, socks, book or tickets to a show? Having a specific type of gift in mind makes it easier to focus, keep track of sales and know a good deal when you see it.

5. HOW Do You Like to Shop?

When you shop alone, are you more productive and focused? Do you find that when you shop with certain friends, you are easily influenced to spend more than you planned — or, conversely, that certain friends help you shop more carefully?

6. WHAT Will the Credit Card Bill Look Like Later?

If you expect to have everything under control, congratulations. If you’re already dreading the bill or worrying about your spouse seeing it, it’s time to do something differently. Plan to shop in the way that is the least costly for you.

Think of this year as a learning experience. After considering the who, when, where, which and how of your shopping preferences, you’ll be better prepared to face the holidays. Then, next year, look at your daily and weekly expenses, and see how you can squirrel away $5 to $50 a week or a month so you won’t need to use your credit card when the holidays roll around again. Talk to a financial educator to learn how you can reduce costs, manage your money more effectively, and increase savings or supplement your income.

Save With Exchange Benefits

Veterans, military members, military families and civilian employees of the Department of War and the Coast Guard can save money during the holidays by shopping at shopmyexchange.com.