10 Things You Should Buy After Christmas

Each year I arise extremely early on December 26th to hit after Christmas sales.  I have done this for several years, and I find that it has created an enormous amount of savings for my family at the holidays.  I have created a list of the items I purchase most after the gifts are unwrapped but aren’t put away.  Why purchase something at full-price when you can get it the next day at 75% off or more. Check out our list of 10 items we think will save you  some cash.  Check out our post on 10 Ways to Save in the New Year as well.

10 Things You Should Buy After Christmas

1. Gift wrap, bows & tape.  Make sure to double check square footage of the wrap you  are buying, and go for the most square footage at the deepest discount. Also, avoid buying cartoon characters or your child’s favorite character, unless you know it will be their favorite next year. Our son’s favorites changed from year to year, so it’s best to just pick generic paper for this type of sale.
2. Christmas cards.  Make sure to get to the stores early (I recommend around 6a.m. or earlier), because otherwise the selection will be picked over once you get to the store.
3. Baking supplies. Not everyone bakes at Christmas, and retailers often have a leftover supply of baking ingredients.
4. Christmas decorations. Make sure you find the sweet spot where prices are marked down above 50% but all the items aren’t too picked over. One tip I want to share is to make sure you head to big box stores early on the morning of the 26th, because items will get picked over quickly in these types of stores.  I purchase Christmas ornaments at 90% off and keep them for next year’s Christmas gifts for my son’s teachers, bus driver, and coworkers.
5. Clothing. Stores will continue to mark down items that were already priced below retails.  Maximize your savings by checking for coupons before you go.  We recommend sites like Savings.com to find the best coupons!
6. Video games. Now is the time to save on games, especially for games that go with older gaming systems.
7. Coats. Now is the time to utilize coupons and store sales to maximize savings on winter coats. In our area in Pennsylvania, most people buy winter coats in the fall, so we have great sales on coats in the new year, and so I purchase the next size up for my children for the next year. If for some reason it doesn’t fit, we have an awesome Coats for Kids program in our local area, and we donate it at a fraction of the cost.
8. Party Items & Supplies for your Bar. The one time that “the day after” is a good thing! Stock up on savings for items for your next party.
9. Boxed gift sets.  I was able to score two really cute Disney’s Frozen boxed gift sets for my niece last year. Her birthday is in February, and they weren’t specific to Christmas, so she loved them and I scored a great deal!
10. Holiday craft supplies. I hit Michael’s up as soon as they open. I love making gifts for friends, family, teachers, etc. So, I purchase ribbon and other craft items, as long as I know I will use them. It’s not wise to purchase a ton of craft supplies that you will never use.

One final word of caution about all of these items. Make sure you use them. Put them in a place where you will remember to find them before next Christmas. You’re not truly saving any money if you find these items a few years later when they are no longer of use.  Comment your after Christmas savings below!