Everyone wants to get the most bang for their buck during holiday shopping. We make a list, check it twice, and venture into the abyss of early bird sales and Christmas music.

Somewhere along the way, our best laid plans — and budgets — get lost in prepackaged gifts, deals “too good” to pass up and festive coffee drinks not worth the 30-minute line it took to get them.

We’ve all been there. Keep in mind there are better ways to finish your holiday shopping under budget than clipping coupons and comparing prices in crowded stores.

Save your hard-earned money and spend more time with the people you love this season. Here are seven gift ideas and ways to trim your budget when holiday shopping.

Bake or Gift Ingredients in a Jar

As someone with a massive sweet tooth, edible gifts are a win for me.

Homemade cookies are a holiday staple, but there are a ton of other seasonal sweets that will wow your friends. Pumpkin Pie Balls are delicious and fun to make. And the ingredients to Fireball Apple Fritters would look great in a Mason jar with a mini bottle of Fireball attached.

Baked goods are also a thoughtful treat for friends with food allergies. People with a gluten intolerance can feel left out at the dessert table during holiday parties — a goodie made just for them is a welcomed gift.

See Also: 5 Smart Amazon Hacks for Big Holiday Savings

Beauty Counter Makeover

Most mall beauty counters do a free makeover with purchase. For instance, MAC does a free session with a $30 purchase and Clinique offers one with the purchase of any three products.

If you’re already buying makeup from one of these places, see if your brand of choice will give you a gift certificate for the makeover. Your makeup-loving friend will like learning new brush techniques and not having to worry if she fully blended in her foundation.

Regift an Item

To some, “regift” is a dirty six-letter word. But if done well, regifting can save you time, money and space in your closet.

I don’t limit regifting to items you received specifically as gifts — it can apply to anything in your house you don’t use that’s a little too nice to just haul off to the thrift store.

What’s something in mint or near-mint condition that someone in your life would like or benefit from having? If there’s no one who comes to mind, then it’s OK to toss it in the thrift store pile.

Not everything in your house is worth regifting, so be selective. And never re-gift in the same circle of friends.

See Also: 45+ Retailers Offering FREE Shipping on Holiday Shopping w/ NO Minimum

Framed Printables

As far as free stuff on the internet goes, wall art printables are my favorite. The high-quality prints that artists and bloggers give away is amazing.

If you’re short on time and cash, this is the perfect gift for you to make a loved one. You can spray paint an old frame, and print your favorite picture or quote. Put it together, wrap it up and you’re done.

Pinterest has an enormous selection of free printables to choose from.

Thrift Store Gifts

Don’t think just because you’re at a thrift store that you’re compromising quality. Secondhand finds can be some of the coolest gifts. But you also run the risk of wasting time trudging through junk and leaving empty-handed.

Here are a few quick tips to save time and money:

• Shop at thrift stores in affluent areas. You’ll get nice stuff, and the stores won’t be as picked over.
• Shop near the beginning of the week to snag the best donations from the weekend.
• Most thrift stores offer extra savings on certain days of the week — like the first Saturday of the month.

The takeaway? Look up the thrift store ahead of time, even ask an employee which day is the best to shop and you’ll end up saving even more.

See Also: 5 Online Holiday Shopping Scams You NEED To Be Aware Of

Drop Shipping Costs

Amazon has the lowest prices on most things on and off the internet. One of the best ways to save money on Amazon is Amazon Prime. But spending $99 on a service you’ll only use for a few months kind of negates the savings.

If you haven’t tried Prime, you’ll notice you can try it free for 30 days. What most people don’t know is you can actually get two months for free.

After you sign up for your free 30-day trial, head to your account details to cancel Prime before the trial ends. Amazon will ask if you want to try Prime for another 30 days for free. All you have to do is click “yes” and remember to cancel again before those 30 days are up.

Cheers to free two-day shipping all season long.

See Also: AI Tools That Will Help You Save on Black Friday

Christmas Cards

Don’t underestimate the value of a good Christmas card.

A simple card with a heartfelt letter is the most meaningful gift on this list. Include fun memories from the year, inside jokes or a group picture — it’s an inexpensive gift that creates a stronger relationship with the people you love. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

Jen Smith is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal finance websites with more than 15 million monthly readers. In 2017, the Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder the 25th fastest-growing private company and the No. 1 fastest-growing private media company in the United States.

Photo credit to Ryan.

The days of standing in line for hours in the freezing cold with the unwashed, turkey stuffed masses, are officially over. Unless of course you claim to be the King of Black Friday, in which case, you better get your tent and space heater out of the attic now. But for the rest of us sane & savvy shoppers, below are some highly clever tips and hacks that you can use this year to score an amazing deal and not have to venture into the Black Friday madness.

Here’s how really savvy shoppers avoid the Black Friday craziness and still score a MAJOR deal.

Know the Better Dates to Shop Closer to Christmas

Here at Rather-Be-Shopping we add hundreds of coupons and deals to our database every week.

We can then search and analyze all the deals and figure out exactly when in December we get the best deals for specific shopping categories.

Below are the dates for 2024.

Shop on the right day and get deals and coupons that usually beat Black Friday pricing.

2024 Predictions:

Christmas Toys: Saturday, December 7th.
Stocking Stuffers: Wednesday, December 4th.
Apparel and Shoes: Saturday, December 14th. (Free Shipping Day)
HDTV’s: Weekend of December 1 – 3rd.
Tools & Hardware: Friday, December 6th.
Laptops: Saturday, December 7th.
PS4 and Xbox: December 12th-15th.
Winter Apparel: Saturday, December 14th.
Jewelry/Wedding Bands: December 4 – 25th.
Fitness Gear: Tuesday, December 3rd.
Kitchen Stuff: Saturday, December 14th.

Shop on these days and laugh your way to some serious savings.

See Also: Black Friday: 9 Tricks to Hack Your Way to Amazing Savings

Know the Right Day of the Week to Shop

One of the best ways that savvy shoppers buy gifts “on the cheap” is by finding them via clearance deals.

The simplest way to do this is to shop on the day, or day after, stores do their clearance markdowns.

In other words, get first dibs on the best deals. In recent years I’ve had store employees fill me in on when stores do their markdowns.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Anthropologie: Shop on a Tuesday.
• Babies R Us: Shop on a Thursday.
• Best Buy: Shop on a Wednesday.
• CVS Drugstores: Shop on a Monday or Tuesday.
• Gap: Shop on a Monday.
• JCPenney: Shop on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month.
• Joann Fabrics: Shop on a Sunday.
• Kohl’s: Shop on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month.
•  Macy’s: Shop on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
• Old Navy: Shop on a Monday or Tuesday.
• Pier 1 Imports: Shop on a Monday.
• Ross: Shop on a Monday.
• Target: Markdowns depend on the day of the week at Target.
  • Monday – Electronics, Accessories, Kids Clothing, Books, Baby and Stationery
  • Tuesday — Domestics, Women’s Clothing, Pets and Market (food items)
  • Wednesday — Men’s Clothing, Health and Beauty, Diapers, Lawn & Garden items and Furniture
  • Thursday — Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Toys, Sporting Goods, Decor & Luggage
  • Friday — Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, & Jewelry

Shop on the right day of the week and become a savings ninja.

Know How to Find a Coupon When One Doesn’t Seem to Exist

This trick is a 2-pronged strategy. Let’s break it down…

Hit Up Live Chat

The first thing smart online shoppers do is hit up a retailer’s live chat feature when they can’t find a coupon anywhere else.

A majority of chat operators have coupons for free shipping, or a percent-off, available for those who politely ask.

This is especially true around Black Friday and Cyber Monday as retailers desperately want you to complete your purchase. They’ll happily throw you a bone so you do just that.

Abandon Your Virtual Cart

A more passive aggressive way to save money on Black Friday is to add items to your virtual cart, then log out and abandon it.

I discovered 17 online retailers who’ll email you a coupon to entice you to come back and complete your purchase.

This works great for high-priced items like HDTVs, laptops, and even major appliances.

Sleep-In on Black Friday…Then Shop eBay

The crazy folks who camp out on Black Friday morning are doing so they can snatch up as many doorbuster deals as they can get their frozen little hands on.

To turn a quick profit, they’ll post their loot on eBay.

Because of this smart shoppers should check out eBay on the Saturday and Sunday following Black Friday.

You can essentially shop the Black Friday ads, and in many cases, you’ll only pay slightly more than if you had stood in line for hours.

Use Your Credit Card to Get Black Friday Pricing

Smart shoppers use a credit card that offers price protection on all your purchases.

According to this Reddit thread, you can buy a product before Black Friday, then when you find a lower price on Black Friday you file a price protection claim.

Check to see if your credit card(s) qualify and start saving some money this year without fighting the madness. To help, here is a list of credit cards that currently offer price protection.

Shop Online…Starting Wednesday Night

Many retailers, like it or not, will open their doors on Thanksgiving.

But savvy shoppers never leave their home on Thanksgiving and still score deals. They do it by shopping online.

The key for success is to shop early, not on Thanksgiving, but actually on Wednesday evening. The last couple years, retailers starting rolling out online deals starting at 8 or 9 pm EST on Wednesday.

Also, don’t just shop the Amazons and Walmarts of the world, check out the smaller sites too as they’ll have great online deals as well.

Shop Before Black Friday & STILL Save

In recent years, retailers have started offering “Black Friday teasers” starting on the Monday or Tuesday of Thanksgiving week.

Smart shoppers take advantage of these early deals at stores like Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, and even Kohl’s.

Many of the deals will be exactly the same as those found on Black Friday. So shop early, avoid the crowd, and still save money.

Ask the Reader: What tips do you have that allow you to stay home on Black Friday and still score a sweet deal?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Erwin Bernal.

The Kohl’s return policy has long been thought of as one of the best in the known universe. But with all of the creative ways to save money at Kohl’s, returns can get a little fuzzy. Things like Kohl’s Cash, coupons, and reward points create a lot of confusion when it comes to returns. But alas, this article answers all of your burning questions so you can enter a Kohl’s store for a return and know exactly what their return policy is.

How Many Return Days at Kohl’s?

90 days.

The Kohl’s “Hassle-Free” return policy now gives you a whooping 90 days to return items.

While still generous, this is a drastic change from their “forever policy” which did NOT have a time limit on returns.

If you buy with your Kohl’s Card you get an extra 30 days and have 120 days to make your return.

See Also: 6 Kohl’s Shopping Secrets That’ll Change the Way You Shop

Any Exceptions to the 90 Days?

Yes, there are a few exceptions.

All “Premium Electronics” come with a 30-day return policy and “Sephora at Kohl’s” items come with 60 days.

Make sure you keep the original packaging and receipt to make the return go smoothly.

Here is a full list of all the electronics brands that fall under this 30-day return policy.

Also, you CANNOT return beverages and unsealed breast pumps along with pumping accessories.

Do I Need My Receipt to Make Return?

No, you don’t need your receipt.

In most cases, Kohl’s can look-up your purchase on their computer system. This is done via your credit card or Kohl’s account.

If you paid cash and don’t have your receipt, NO worries.

They’ll simply check the item SKU number and the price. You’ll have to settle for the current price of the item so hopefully it’s not on clearance.

Can Items Be Worn or Washed?

I asked this question to a Kohl’s live chat operator and they told me YES, you can return items even if they’ve been worn and/or washed.

They even said “No questions would be asked.” Crazy.

What About Returning Items Bought With Kohl’s Cash?

If you’re returning something you used Kohl’s Cash to purchase, you can expect to get that Kohl’s Cash back in-full.

This also applies for price adjustments.

You’ll be able to redeem this Kohl’s Cash at any time within 30 days.

It’s also worth noting that if you’re returning a purchase that earned you Kohl’s Cash, the value of your coupon will also be decreased.

What About Returning an Online Purchase?

Returning online purchases in-store is the fastest and cheapest way to get your money back. Be sure to bring in your order invoice for a quick return.

But if this is not an option, you can return items via the mail.

Unfortunately, you’re responsible for ALL return shipping charges unless the problem is Kohl’s fault.

Visit this page to get the online return process started.

Also, it’s worth noting that purchases made in-store CANNOT be returned online.

You’ll have to take the items into your local Kohl’s store for a return or exchange.

See Also: The DSW Return Policy: Here’s Exactly How It Works

What Happens to My Kohl’s Reward Points When I Make a Return?

According to Kohl’s, “Your rewards points balance will be correspondingly adjusted for any returned merchandise.”

This may result in a negative balance if you’ve already converted your points into a rewards certificate.

Does Kohl’s Have a Special Holiday Return Policy?

Yes, but it only applies to premium electronics.

All electronics purchased between November 1st – December 25th can be returned by January 31st with the original packaging and receipt.

What About Returning Items Bought With a Gift Card?

If you return something you bought with a Kohl’s gift card, you’ll get a refund back to the gift card if you still have it in your wallet.

If you used the balance and threw the card away you’ll have to settle for store credit.

How About Returning Items With a Gift Receipt?

When returning something to Kohl’s with a gift receipt in-hand, you can expect to get store credit or an exchange.

Unfortunately they won’t give you cash.

Devil’s Advocate Time…

Here’s what many shoppers don’t like about the return policy at Kohl’s:

• “Returned Item No Longer On Sale” Scenario: Some shoppers have complained that when they try to exchange an item that is no longer on sale, they’re given store credit instead of a straight exchange. This forces them to have to re-buy the item at a higher price than what they originally paid. This seems to mainly be an issue with those exchanging items with a gift receipt.
• Shoppers are Responsible for Return Shipping Charges: The fact that Kohl’s makes shoppers pay for all the return shipping charges is ridiculous for a retailer of this size. I have spoken with many Kohl’s shoppers who are very reluctant to buy from the Kohl’s website for this reason, especially if they have to travel a significant distance to their nearest Kohl’s store to make a return.

Ask the Reader: What has been your experience with the Kohl’s return policy? Any tips you want me to add to this article?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart.