Three holiday shopping tips as you finish checking off your list

There are exactly THREE weeks until Christmas. WHAT?? Yes, you read that correctly. If you haven’t finished your shopping, it’s time to get your sleigh in gear. If you’ve still got some gifts to buy, here are three shopping tips to keep in mind… 

Shipping might not be as smooth as usual: Normally you can order anything you want and it’s at your house in 2 days or less. This is the Amazon world we live in. Even around the holidays, you can usually safely order something 4 or 5 business days before Christmas without worrying about it showing up. This year, things already seem less smooth. I just received a refurbished desktop computer from FedEx that I absolutely did not order. Fortunately, I was able to track down the actual buyer and she just picked it up. Her story will have a happy ending, but others will not be so lucky. So keep that in mind before purchasing that last minute gift. 

Be careful when shopping online: Amazon seems like a pretty safe way to shop, but be careful if you’re shopping at other sites. A lot is different this year, but fraud is still an issue. Make sure you verify any emails you get from retailers before you start clicking on links. Getting taken for a pile of cash would be some nasty icing on the crappy cake that has been 2020.

Help out your neighbors: If you’re not stuck at home, you can put smiles on faces by supporting your local small businesses. Times have been especially tough for the little guy over the last 7-8 months and every little bit helps. You could probably save a few bucks by shopping at big box stores or online retailers, but shopping at a small business could literally put food on someone’s plate this Christmas. Keep that in mind before you purchase those final few gifts.

John Pettit

John Pettit

John Pettit is the Managing Editor for CUInsight.com. Through news, community, press, jobs and events, he keeps credit unions digitally informed throughout the day. Web: www.cuinsight.com Details