Last Minute Savings Tips for Last Minute Christmas Shoppers

This is it; Christmas is hours away and you’re left wondering how you’re going to survive yet another trip to the mall for that last gift you forgot to purchase (don’t let it make you feel like an unorganized failure; we all forgot something this year). The mall, while usually a place you love and adore, is not the same place it usually is this close to Christmas. It’s a breeding ground for the insane, the crazed, the over-tired and those on a mission in which no one (your toes include) and nothing is going to get in their way.

The mall is also a place that tricks you into spending more than you wanted to spend. Here are a few sneaky things to watch out for so you don’t blow your Christmas budget in the two days before the big day.

The Distance

The fact that the major department stores you want to visit are all located at opposite ends of the mall is a strategy designed to get you to spend more than you want. Now you have to walk by all those other stores, looking at all their items and making stops to buy more. If you really can’t say no to extra spending this close to Christmas, walk around the exterior of the mall to make it to the stores you need to go.

Food

Did you know that there was actually research done that proves the more you drink and snack while shopping, the more you spend on things you don’t need? Watch out; that tall pumpkin spice latte is out to get you.

Outlet Mall Madness

Ever wonder why the outlet mall has to be so darn far away? It’s because those who build them think that if you have to spend that much time traveling, you’re going to want to make the trip worth it by spending as much as possible. Avoid this – and other – last minute Christmas shopping traps by staying focused, making a list and avoiding the hidden traps of the mall.

Image via Thinkstock