The most wonderful time of the year can quickly turn into the most stressful when it comes to holiday shopping. From feeling the pinch of inflated prices to dealing with product shortages on popular items and shipping delays. This holiday shopping season might be a tough one. Take the humbug out of the holidays with these 11 cost-cutting holiday shopping tips.

1. Develop a List & Budget

Be realistic about what you can comfortably afford. Consider all costs involved, such as shipping fees.

2. Use Browser Extensions & Apps to Save

Honey, Rakuten, and CouponCabin are all great options.

3. Stack Rewards

Using a combination of several rewards and cash-back programs can help you with significant savings. For example, use a rewards app, as well as a cash-back credit card for a bigger bang for your shopping buck. Topping that with a retail loyalty program may help you save even more.

4. Price Comparison Counts

Price comparison apps and browser extensions, such as ShopSavvy, Google Shopping, and ScanLife, enable you to compare prices before making a purchase.

5. Take Advantage of Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales

Black Friday remains popular for many doorbuster sales on hot holiday items, such as TVs, toys, and appliances. On Cyber Monday, holiday shoppers can find great deals while surfing the web for electronics, clothing, and more.

6. Look for Free Shipping Options

Shipping can be costly. Many retailers offer free shipping with a certain minimum purchase. You may also be able to find a free shipping code for a specific retailer if you do an online search. Amazon Prime members receive free shipping when shopping on the Amazon site.  Sign up for a free Amazon Prime trial. It may be possible to ship an item ordered online to a local store for free pick up. Finally, look into membership in ShopRunner for shipping. ShopRunner is a paid service that provides free, two-day shipping for online shopping at more than 100 retailers. You may be eligible for a free membership through a certain retailer.

7. Buy Discounted Gift Cards

Discounted gift cards are not only great to give as gifts, but also to use for holiday shopping. It’s a simple way to save.

8. Shop Outlet Sites

Many major brands have outlet sites where you can find great deals. Online outlets can make luxury products more affordable by offering up to 70% off certain items.

9. Avoid High-Rate Credit Card Debt

With inflation putting a dent in most wallets, it may be tempting to rely on credit cards. Instead, consider a low-rate personal loan. In addition to scoring a lower interest rate, you won't need to worry about the rate increases associated with variable-rate debt because Spirit Financial personal loan rates are fixed.

10. Scale Back on Gift Buying

This might be the year to cut back on gift purchases. While you may not want to cut back on gifts for the kiddos, there may be a lot of adults on your list who really don’t need a holiday gift.

11. Don’t Wait until the Last Minute

In conclusion, waiting until the last minute to complete your holiday shopping might mean disaster for your wallet. You might not find the items you’re looking for and may be tempted to overspend on pricier substitutes. Plus, heftier shipping charges to receive your items on time.