7 Holiday Shopping Hacks to Make Your Life Easier

By Kat Collings

Between the FOMO-filled hype for Black Friday and the panic to get everyone on your list exactly what they want, holiday shopping can be a bit intense—even for the most seasoned of shoppers. That’s why we’re bringing you seven smart hacks to make your holiday grind a little more pleasant.

Hack #1: Free shipping day is December 18.

image

The Styleograph

Listen up, procrastinators: On December 18, hundreds of retailers (including J.Crew,Diane von Furstenberg, and Vince) have agreed to offer free shipping with no minimums, and delivery by Christmas Eve.

Related: 7 Shopping Habits That Are Wasting Your Money

Hack #2: The dates you’ll save the most money are December 1 and December 11-18.

image

According to a recent study, the best day to get the deepest discounts on clothing is Cyber Monday, or December 1, followed by the period from December 11-18.

Hack #3: Black Friday sales go online earlier than the stores open.

image

5 Inches and Up

If you choose to forgo the crowds this year in favor of online shopping, keep in mind that Black Friday deals often go live at midnight, hours earlier than the store opens. Consider staying awake Thanksgiving night to snag in-demand items that might sell out quickly.

Hack #4: Giving a gift card? Get it cheaper than face value. 

image

A Love Is Blind

If you’re planning on giving anyone on your list a gift card, order it throughGiftCardGranny.com, which is a reputable source for discount gift cards. They have gift cards to your favorite retailers like Bloomingdales and Amazon.com at an average discount of around 12 percent off.

Related: 17 Gifts That Are Perfect for the Chic College Girl in Your Life

Hack #5: Pin your shopping list to save money.

image

Pinterest has a handy feature called Price Drop Alert that will email you when an item you have pinned goes on sale. Just pin your entire shopping list to a secret board, and let Pinterest keep track of the best time to buy.

Hack #6: Earn money back on the purchases you dont make (no credit card needed). 

image

Adam Katz Sindling of Le 21Eme

We’ve mentioned Ebates.com before, but we think it bears repeating. The site gives you a percentage back (usually between three to five percent) on online purchases from a multitude of shops, including BarneysShopbop, and Topshop. It may sound too good to be true, but all parties benefit: Ebates gets a commission on your sale for referring you to the retailer, the store gets your business through Ebates’ referral, and you get cash back on your purchase. Independent reviews are favorable, and one Who What Wear editor swears by it.

Hack #7: Have gifts for far-away friends and family shipped directly to them.

image

Stockholm Street Style

This way, you save yourself from having to pay shipping twice (once to get the item to you, and once to ship it to the recipient) and the hassle of visiting the post office. A gift-wrapping option will prevent the recipient from opening the item before the holiday.

More From Who What Wear: 
What To Wear For A LONG Day Of Shopping
The Only 5 Holiday Staples You REALLY Need This Year
7 Shopping Habits to Ditch by Age 30