40-Day Christmas Challenge | Day 7: Before You Buy Anything • Everyday Cheapskate

We’ve made it. You may now Christmas shop.

I know. The restraint has been impressive.

But before you open a browser, walk into a store or innocently click on something you didn’t know existed 30 seconds ago but suddenly find very interesting, we’re putting a few rules in place.

Because retailers have been preparing for Christmas, too.

And their plan involves your money.

Today’s Challenge

Decide how you’ll shop before you start shopping.

Nothing complicated. We’re not trying to remove every ounce of spontaneity from Christmas.

We’re simply making a few important decisions while we’re sitting calmly at home instead of while a website is shouting:

SALE ENDS IN 08:43:17!

Funny how rarely a ticking clock improves my judgment.

Do This Today

1. Give every purchased gift a spending limit.

Pull out the Master Giving List you started yesterday.

For each person receiving a purchased gift, add the most you’re willing to spend.

Now add those amounts and compare the total with the gift portion of your Christmas spending plan from Day 4.

Does it fit? If not, this is an excellent time to find out.

2. Decide what counts as a deal.

Here’s my rule: It’s not a bargain if you weren’t going to buy it.

Half-price something you don’t need is not 50% savings. It’s 100% spending.

Before buying something because it’s on sale, ask:

Is it on my list?
Is it within my spending limit?
Is it still a good price after shipping and other charges?

If those answers are yes, now we have something worth considering.

3. Look before you click Buy.

Especially when you’re shopping online, take another minute before checkout.

Check the expected delivery date. Check the return policy. Find out whether you’ll have to pay return shipping or a restocking fee.

And if this is a seller you’ve never heard of offering a suspiciously spectacular price, don’t let the bargain rush you past the obvious question:

Who am I giving my money to?

Look up the seller before you buy. A few minutes now can save a lot of aggravation later.

Quick Win

No time to work through the gift list today? Put these three rules somewhere you’ll see them:

If it’s not on my list, wait 24 hours.
A sale doesn’t increase my budget.
I count the full price, not the payment.

Done. You may now proceed with caution.

Shop the Price, Not the Payment

Buy now, pay later can make a purchase look considerably smaller than it is.

A $120 gift doesn’t become a $30 gift because the checkout screen offers four payments.

For our Christmas plan, it’s $120.

Buy now, pay later is a form of installment credit. Terms vary, so read them before accepting an offer.

I’m not here to tell you which payment button you’re allowed to click. I’m telling you what number goes on the Christmas tracker. If $120 doesn’t fit the plan, four payments of $30 don’t make it fit.

For Anything That Wasn’t on the List

Wait 24 hours. That’s it.

You weren’t planning to buy it five minutes ago. Chances are excellent Christmas can survive until tomorrow while you think about it.

Save it. Screenshot it. Put it in your cart if you must. Then leave.

If you still think it’s a terrific idea tomorrow, and it fits your Christmas plan, reconsider it.

It’s remarkable how many must-haves turn back into What was I thinking? after a little time away.

A Word About Unfamiliar Sellers

A beautiful ad and an astonishing price don’t tell you much about who’s on the other end of the transaction.

The FTC warns that scammers use social media ads and impersonate legitimate companies, sometimes offering expensive or brand-name products at unusually low prices. If you don’t know the seller, look them up before you buy. Search the seller’s name and website along with words like review, complaint or scam.

We’ll deal with receipts, orders and returns later in the Challenge.

Today I just want you to look before you buy.

Why It Matters

The first six days of this Challenge weren’t busywork.

You’ve decided what matters, what you can afford and who you want to remember.

Today’s job is to protect those decisions once the shopping starts.

Smart shopping isn’t finding the biggest percentage-off sign. It’s buying what you meant to buy, for an amount you decided you could afford, and knowing when to stop.

Your Turn

What’s one shopping rule that has saved you from a purchase you would have regretted? Tell us in the comments. Someone else’s simple rule may be exactly what another reader needs.