Top 6 Tips for How to Avoid Holiday Shopping Crowds

Find top 6 tips for how to avoid holiday shopping crowds. First you have to make shopping list for online or offline purchase. Use car pool and public transportation to save money, traffic and time. During this last minute holiday season, the last thing you will want is a big headache. Stores will soon be packed wall to wall with crazed, deal hunting crowds. Plan ahead before you go out shopping you can avoid all the noise and clutter. Use these tips to help you shop quickly and safely.

1) Shop Online

One of the easiest ways to avoid all the crowds is to not visit stores at all. Shopping online allows you to browse the contents of stores without having to worry about commuting, parking, crowds, or pushy salespeople. Most stores have a larger inventory online anyways, so it may be even easier to find what you are looking for. Stores will host sales online too so you can still find great deals. You can also use a variety of Internet exclusive coupons to help you save more.

2) Start Shopping Now

The closer it gets to the holidays, the more crowded stores will be. Take some time now to make a list and do your holiday shopping ahead of time. That way, when all the crowds are out shopping, you can relax at home knowing that you are already finished with your shopping. Planning now can save you money, too. Although many stores have more sales closer to the holidays, you will be more tempted to buy items without checking to see if that is the cheapest you can get it for because of the pressure for time. Shop now so you can also take more time to carefully compare prices.

3) Shop During Off Times

Most shoppers will be out browsing the stores after school or after work hours. Shop in the morning or right after lunch time to avoid the majority of shoppers. That way, you can shop without all of the noise and chaos. Even just parking at malls or stores is a nightmare during rush hours, so try your best to avoid them or you could end up wasting a ton of time circling the parking lot.

4) Make a List

Preparing a list ahead of time won’t help you avoid crowds, but it will certainly help you navigate them. If you know exactly what you are looking for, you won’t have to push and shove just to browse. Making a list ensures that you will be getting quality gifts for your recipients. Having to browse when there are large crowds around makes it much more tempting to just buy the first thing you see so you can leave as soon as possible.

5) Car Pool

Coordinate a time with friends or family who also need to check off their shopping lists. You’ll enjoy that extra 10mph speed on the car pool lane and save extra gas cash.

6) Public Transportation

Sure this mode of transportation may be a bit more complicated as it may take longer to get from point A to point B, but at the very least, it leaves the gas guzzler at home. What’s more, you can travel hands-free and take this time to read that book you’ve been wanting to catch-up on, or simply listen to your i-pod and travel stress-free of traffic.

If you live in a heavily populated urban city, I’m sure you can agree that during the Holiday season, our roads are heavily congested with traffic. With all the shopping trips and the family dinners to attend, the cost of gas can burn a hole in our wallets! Make a conscientious effort this year to plan ahead, and avoid unnecessary spending and driving.