Stress-Free Holiday Shopping Tips

Shared by Dawn Zulueta. Read on...

• Make a list. Making a list helps Dawn get the exact purchases in less time. “It also helps me not to go over budget, and quite often, I have managed to keep it low.” Wise and discriminating shoppers like Dawn always consider cost and quality, as well as shopping convenience. “I usually give the sales person no more than two minutes to answer my questions; if they fail that, I just leave and look elsewhere. No time to waste,” Dawn states. She also gets dizzy and distracted by poorly managed departments; that’s why easy navigation of aisles and customer-friendly display layouts are plus factors for this beautiful celebrity.

• Shop earlier for good buys. Dawn discloses that her list of presents runs to more than 300. “My world has expanded so much since I got married,” she says. “That means I have so many more to show my thanks and gratitude to.” This necessitates her need to shop earlier so she can look for good buys and spend more time until she finds the perfect gifts. When she bought presents for her godchildren, she even took Jacobo along, and while she shopped, he entertained himself at Robinsons Department Store’s Toybox Section. “It was also the best time to see what he might want to ask Santa for Christmas,” she adds.

• Go to a department store you trust. Dawn goes to Robinsons Department Store because, she says, “I value RDS because they have sales personnel who are attentive and knowledgeable about their merchandise. I can save so much time and money when I shop at their stores. Plus, they carry all kinds of brands, imported and local, that have a variety of prices to choose from. I can find everything I need in one go.” Dawn admits to having scoured every inch of Robinsons Department Store — from toys and children’s, ladies’, men’s, home, and bed and bath to the clothes, shoes and cosmetics departments.

• Tailor each gift to the recipient. For Christmas, she usually gets her husband, Anton, his favorite brand of shirt or necktie, wristwatch or jewelry, and for Jacobo, his dream toy. Apparel or accessories for their favorite hobbies or sports are given to relatives. Godchildren and kids receive toys, accessories or books. For her closest friends, she loves to give jewelry, fashion accessories, handbags or travel totes. Home accessories and food baskets, meanwhile, are tops on her list for couples. Apparel, gift certificates or cash are her gift choices for homemakers.

It always pleases her to hear friends appreciate the gifts she gives them or comment positively on what she’s wearing or using. “They’re amazed at what I find in Robinsons Department Store and even more impressed when they learn how reasonable the prices are.” And aside from great buys, there is one more thing Dawn gets from RDS: “Big savings, that’s for sure!”

• Stick to your budget. Her advice for a worry-free Christmas shopping is really simple: “Make a list early and stick to your budget. Haste makes waste. When shopping is done earlier, it will be all the better for you and your loved ones so you can relax and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas together without feeling like the holidays just blew past and left you ragged, and worse, poorer.”