Mark Your Calendar for the Best Day To Go Christmas Shopping in December 2022
If you missed out on Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday steals, don’t panic. According to some experts, the best day for Christmas shopping actually isn’t for another 10 days.
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Like its companion shopping holidays, the day has a nickname — Super Saturday aka Panic Saturday (since it’s the last one before Christmas Day). This year it falls on December 17, and there are such good deals to be had on this day that U.S. News & World Report hailed it as one of “the best days to shop in 2022.”
“The Saturday before Christmas and days surrounding it are filled with last-minute deals,” the article noted, pointing out that this is the time to get toys and games for the kids (and adults) on your list, as retailers don’t want to be saddled with them after the prime buying season. And with toys up 11% in retail price this year, according to CNBC, it might be worth it to wait.
In an October segment with “Today,” NBC senior consumer investigative correspondent Vicky Nguyen corroborated that waiting might be the best strategy. While early shopping may provide more time and selection, waiting has more deals as retailers become panicked about profit lines. And it might actually help your budget since you have less time to buy — hence, spending less money over a shorter period of time.
Forbes added that Super Saturday is the “fourth busiest day of the holiday season” for retailers, just behind Black Friday and December 23 when procrastinators can really find themselves in a pinch. December 26 is the third busiest, as everyone heads to the stores for returns and exchanges (and to pounce on price markdowns).
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With in-person retail shopping really making a comeback this year — up 2.9% compared to 2021 when the pandemic still prevented many from going into stores — expect a big crowd and long lines on Super Saturday if you wait until then to shop.
According to the National Retail Federation, 148 million people hit the stores for last-minute finds and deals on the shopping holiday in 2021, with 27% heading in-person, 32% shopping online and 41% doing a combination of both.
Nguyen also told the NBC audience she has some tricks for navigating the best deals during the holiday shopping season, including Super Saturday. She noted making a list of all your favorite stores and signing up for alerts and emails, as well as using an alternate email you create just for this purpose if you’re worried about getting bogged down by messages.
See: 6 Extravagant Holiday Gifts for Kids
Find: 40 Ways To Save Money Over the Holidays
The other thing to remember about Super Saturday on December 17 is that it’s also the last date that the United States Postal Service guarantees holiday gifts to arrive on time if you are shipping any this year and wanting to do so with first class or ground service options. Otherwise, you can do so with Priority Mail up until December 19 and Priority Mail Express through December 23. Of course, it’ll cost you significantly more.
If you time it out just right, you can get great deals at bargain rates and send them out on the same day without overpaying for shipping.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Mark Your Calendar for the Best Day To Go Christmas Shopping in December 2022
