Impulsive Christmas Shopping

Impulsive Christmas shopping is a problem which plagues many of us and it can have a variety of complications. Some of the problems which often stem from impulsive Christmas shopping are going over budget, buying frivolous items, and even forgetting about items that were already purchased. All of these problems can pose their own set of dilemmas. It is important to remember that, although there are many problems associated with impulsive Christmas shopping, there is also some merit to this shopping tactic.

Going over budget is one of the major concerns of impulsive Christmas shopping. A common scenario is to pick up a few small items each time you go out Christmas shopping. These gifts may seem small and seemingly harmless to your budget but they can add up over time. For example you may only be purchasing items which cost a few dollars, but if you buy enough of these items, you could find yourself hundreds of dollars over budget without even realizing it. One way to combat this problem is to write down each item and the price of every gift you buy. This will help you to be aware of how these small gifts can add up and may prevent you from shopping on impulse in the future.

Purchasing frivolous gifts is another problem associated with impulsive Christmas shopping. You may see a few small items which you think will make cute gifts at the time, but after you purchase them, you might realize they are actually quite silly. When this occurs you have two choices: you can either return the item and replace it with a more meaningful gift, or you could keep the item and give it to your friend or relative anyway. If you opt to return the item, you may find yourself pressed for time to find a replacement gift, depending on when you started shopping. If it is close to Christmas already, you may have difficulty finding something at the last minute and you may have no choice but to give the gift you purchased on an impulse.

Another problem often associated with impulsive Christmas shopping is forgetting about items you have already purchased. If you purchase a number of small items on impulse, you may put these gifts in a safe location and then completely forget about them. When this happens, you may end up buying additional gifts for those on your list who were supposed to receive the gifts you already purchased. This can cause you to go over budget and can also create unnecessary stress.

While there are many problems which are often associated with impulsive Christmas shopping, it is important to remember that sometimes impulsive Christmas shopping is a good idea. When you see an item that you just know will make the perfect Christmas gift for a friend or relative, and you purchase the item without giving it any thought, that is the exact definition of impulsive shopping. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Buying a gift on impulse is not a problem when the gift you purchase is a great gift for the intended recipient, but impulse Christmas shopping becomes problematic when it causes the shopper to go over budget or to purchase items they wouldn’t normally buy.