Did you wait till the last minute to do your Christmas shopping? You probably promised yourself last year you wouldn’t do it again, but here you are.
The prospect of a trip to the mall to buy presents at the last minute can be intimidating at best, but with these five tips, you can expect a smoother, less-stressful experience than last year:
Go early, before the mall opens
Make sure you are up early enough to be one of the first to arrive at the mall. Not only are you likely to get a good parking spot, but there also won’t be as many people in the mall. Shopping is more productive and enjoyable when it’s less crowded.
Don’t be afraid to walk
If rising early isn’t your thing but exercise is, then get your workout at the mall. If you are willing to park in the outer edge of the parking lot, you can laugh at the suckers fighting each other for that next spot to open up as you walk happily into the mall to begin your shopping.
Shop on weekdays
If you don’t have normal working hours, take advantage of shopping while everyone else is at work. It might still be crowded, but it won’t be nearly as hectic as the weekend.
Take an earlier lunch break
If you are like those who work the 9-to-5 Monday through Friday, then take an earlier lunch break. The mall will be busy during normal lunch hours, but if you can get there an hour or two before the rush, you won’t be using up your lunch hour waiting in line.
Give yourself plenty of time
Here is a price to pay for procrastination. If you wait until the 11th hour to do your shopping, you need to accept that longer lines will be the norm. Prepare yourself mentally and give yourself plenty of time so you won’t feel so rushed.
Don’t stress this Christmas just because you put off your shopping again. Be patient and put these tips into practice. Maybe next year, you will have enough motivation to get moving a month or two earlier. In the meantime, accepting the consequences of procrastination will make the experience easier to take.