I’m not one of those people who starts my holiday shopping 3 months in advance. No, it’s much more serious than that. I buy holiday gifts every month out of the year–because that’s the way to save the most money. This works GREAT when you’re shopping for adults but can be slightly more challenging when it comes to kids: mainly, because the toy and gadget companies often schedule new product releases to coincide with the holidays–to boost the sales of their new releases. The same goes for a lot of techie-products.

From my way of thinking, technology-related products, including appliances of various types, are always best purchased as close to gift-giving time as possible. This way, the product warranty will last as long as possible. On the other hand, there are often big savings to be had by purchasing these items well before the holidays begin, before the manufacturers boost up the prices.

Like most things, it’s a trade-off. Getting better prices on techie-items in exchange for a shorter warranty. Is paying top-dollar for a technology gift right before the holidays worth paying 20 percent more for the item because you didn’t buy it on sale in July? This is a subjective question, and the answer depends on your personality.

Hints for Saving Money on Everything You Buy

Planning is Key

• Make a list including each person for which you plan to  buy gifts throughout the year, including the date by which you need to have each person’s gifts in hand.
• In Microsoft Outlook, set an appointment for each person you need to buy for; then, set Outlook to send you a reminder two weeks in advance. This way, you’ll never forget to buy a needed gift–plus, you’ll be able to maximize the time you have to find an excellent price on each person’s gifts.
• Always browse the clearance sections of retail stores; you can get some truly great deals here. I’ve seen items 50-75 percent–sometimes even 90 percent–0ff in the clearance sections of Target and Macy’s. Usually, this happens around the time the seasons are changing as the stores move out their older stock.
• Make it a point to check out Gold Box Deals on Amazon.com–every day, if possible. I can’t tell you how many fantastic deals I’ve gotten on Gold Box deals over the past couple of years–on software, grocery items, toys, kitchen appliances, jewelry, watches, cameras, and a lot more.