Americans are starting their holiday shopping earlier this year, according to the U.S. Holiday Shopping 2023 Report by McKinsey & Company.
About half say they started shopping in October or earlier, 40% plan to start in November and just 10% plan to take the last-minute approach in December.
So what Christmas gifts should you buy first if you’re starting your shopping this month? Here are six recommendations:
1. Hot Holiday Toys
While most toys get marked down in the weeks leading up to Christmas, that doesn’t typically apply to the hottest items of the year.
“Hot holiday toys like the Barbie Dreamhouse, Hot Wheels RC Barbie Corvette, Remote Control Corvette from Barbie The Movie and Magic Mixies sets are smart to buy during an early holiday sale since these items are likely to sell out,” says Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money saving expert.
If they don’t sell out, high demand and limited supply can drive up the prices as the big day nears.
2. Kitchen Gadgets
You can find great deals on kitchen gadgets like air fryers, rice cookers and toaster ovens on Black Friday and in the weeks leading up to it. Woroch says not to buy them unless you’re getting at least 30% off, though.
[Related:What Stores are Open (and Closed) on Black Friday?]
Target currently has deals that tick that box. The retailer is offering up to 40% off kitchen items and, if an item’s price drops before Christmas Eve, you can get a refund for the difference thanks to the holiday price match guarantee.
3. Travel
Along with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there’s also Travel Tuesday — a national shopping event that falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. On that day, travel companies offer discounts on purchases such as flights, hotels, car rentals and cruises.
“For the best deals on airfare, hotels and car rentals, check out Travel Deal Tuesday on Nov. 28,” Woroch says.
[READ: Insider Secrets to Booking Cheap Airfare.]
Last year, Travel Tuesday saw 78% more travel deals than Cyber Monday and two times more travel deals than Black Friday, according to the travel booking app Hopper.
4. Popular Cyber Monday Products
“Beauty, footwear and clothing deals are usually better during Cyber Monday when you see brands offer sitewide sales and coupons,” Woroch says.
To stay in the know about upcoming sales and maximize your savings, subscribe to the email newsletters of your favorite retailers. It can also help to look for coupons, cash back and discounts through apps like Fetch, Honey and Ibotta.
[SEE: 10 Best Money-Saving Apps]
5. Electronics
Electronics are another item you should buy early. Many retailers discount items like TVs, laptops, wearables, gaming consoles and headphones throughout November.
Best Buy, for example, started its holiday sale on October 30 this year. The popular electronics and appliances retailer says there’s a limited quantity of the Black Friday Deals items and they may not be restocked before Black Friday.
Walmart’s Black Friday sale also started early, Nov. 8, and includes discounts on the Apple Watch, a Roku TV and more.
6. Jewelry
If you’re planning to buy jewelry for a loved one this Christmas, the sooner, the better.
“I tend to recommend avoiding buying jewelry (especially engagement rings) around the holidays, but if it’s something you’re set on, I would definitely advise buying as early as possible,” says Dustin Lemick, CEO of jewelry insurance company BriteCo.
Lemick explains that the holidays are a busy time for many jewelers, so inventory tends to diminish and prices climb as the holiday nears.
“Buying early gives you the best chance of a good deal — and getting the exact piece you want,” Lemick says.
Holiday Shopping Saving Tips
Along with getting the above items early, Woroch recommends the following tips to squeeze the most savings out of each holiday purchase.
“You can often score deeper discounts during Black Friday sales by applying coupons and cash back. Check for coupons by store name through deal aggregators,” Woroch says.
She also recommends signing up for a store’s email or text alerts to get discounts.
“Signing up may get you an additional 10% to 20% off for new subscribers. These discounts are typically higher during the holidays. Remember, you can always opt out once you receive and redeem the coupon code,” she says.
Lastly, set sale alerts.
“If something isn’t on sale, set sale alerts so you don’t miss a deal that may drop for only a limited time. Create a shopping list using the savings app Flipp and add items to the ‘Watch List’ feature,” Woroch says.
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Buy These 6 Things Early This Holiday Season originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 11/21/23: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
