The Christmas bells are starting to ring and there is already merriment in the air as Nigerians are always eager to welcome the yuletide season, recession or not. As much as we love the Christmas parties, rice, chicken, and bottomless glasses of red wine, though, Christmas can be stressful financially as when you add it all up, it actually turns out to be a super expensive time of year.

With that said, it does not always have to be. There are ways to avoid spending your naira on the less important parts of the festive season. Jumia Travel shares 5 tips for saving money and staying sane while navigating holiday shopping madness.

Plan for affordability, not desirability

Yes, you want the best for yourself this Christmas; however, you need to put your account balance in mind. Before you start planning, ask yourself: How much can I afford to spend this holiday season? Make a list, keep a budget in mind and set realistic spending limits. It is actually easier to mark out the specifics when you have a rough idea of the total amount you want to spend.

Grab bargains

It is Christmas, almost every store or shop will have end-of-year sales where the costs of several items are discounted. Take advantage of this and pick the items you need for a lesser price than you normally would have purchased them for. Also, you can decide to plan ahead for next year’s Christmas and buy Christmas end-of-sales items for even less by January. Gift wraps, Christmas cards, decorations and plastic tree have heavy discounts hit in January.

Refrain from impulse buying

Christmas shopping on impulse is dangerous. It is very easy to get carried away or swept up in the holiday spirit when everything in the shopping centre has Christmas cheer written all over them and there are also so many discounted items. Do not fall into that trap. Try to remember that the fact that some of these items are super cheap does not mean they are essential to you. No matter what you do, do not stray from the items you have marked out on your list.

Look to buy online

Nigerians have fully embraced e-commerce now and so, a majority of sales will be done online this season. Save yourself the cost and stress of actually walking into the store and hauling a cart, instead do all your shopping online. There is absolutely no denying you could probably find whatever you are shopping for, cheaper online. Try Jumia online store for clothes, perfumes, even food etc. – they are the same products, only cheaper.

Start shopping now

Don’t wait until the first week of December to start buying holiday gifts, start now! It might seem early, but by buying a few things every day or during the weekends between now and actual week of Christmas, you will be able to keep on top of your finances and keep tabs on what you are buying, without it coming as a huge shock to you all at once.

And don’t forget to have fun all the way as you do your shopping!

I done shop since 13BC