Christmas, crisis and bargains

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat! The goose is also getting more expensive: according to a recent newspaper report, traditional Christmas birds have almost doubled in price. A sad reflection of the current economic problems, it seems. Suppliers are quoting increased bills for fuel, food, etc, though they may yet be forced to reduce prices as cash-strapped consumers cut back.

It's going to make selling more important. At Christmas, many retailers just pile 'em high and rake in the cash. In recessionary times that strategy is likely to leave you still with a pile. The Christmas stock was ordered months ago, so there's no time for retailers to cut back on product. So I'd expect some good discounting before the holidays as the January sales start early. And in the new year the sales themselves will likely be full of bargains. Even better, towards the end of January there may well be some brilliant bargains to be had.

Before and after Christmas, you might also be able to negotiate a good deal. Just ask 'Will you accept an offer on that?' If they say no, smile and thank them anyway. You can get useful data to support this is by checking online prices beforehand. Although web purchases are going up, it is not always the cheapest place to buy. If you deal face-to-face, it may surprise you how many places will negotiate! .

Your comments

How true.

But it's also a good time to review our spending habits, and ask if we really need to buy something - such as a turkey, when most of it ends up in the bin.

-- Drew

Dave replies:
Turkey in the bin? Send it to me. My wife's a vegetarian. Actually, she's also a great cook and will probably do a turkey breast for me. Now that's sacrifice!

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