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I love the thrill of a bargain.
I love the holidays too, but it’s so easy to get carried away in the seasonal frenzy.
Christmas can creep up so quickly, so if you haven’t been planning it all year it can be really easy to panic and before you know it you’ve overspent on poorly thought out last minute gifts.
And don’t get me started on the crowds.
As a die hard introvert I would much rather be in the pub, nursing a mulled wine (or three) by the fire. Not fighting for a parking space before elbowing my way through the shelves for the last roll of wrapping paper.
When I realised I could do just that AND save a ton of cash by avoiding the holiday rush and stocking up during the sales I was thrilled.
You can get great deals at a fraction of the original price if you’re willing to wait it out for a few more weeks.
And you’ll be able to relax more with friends and family and really enjoy the holiday season when you know that you’re all set.
So if you’d love to bag a bargain and save yourself the headache of a January credit card bill, then read on for the top things to buy after Christmas.
Beauty and toiletry gift sets
Beauty gift sets are huge in the holiday run up.
They make great, easy gifts, but there isn’t a huge demand for them once the holidays die down. Luckily for us, that means they’re one of the first things to be heavily discounted in the post Christmas sales, which makes them one of the top things to buy after Christmas.
The wonderful thing about gift sets is that they’re usually already discounted compared to buying all the bits separately. When you factor in the extra sale reduction, that can mean huge savings.
A lot of these sets aren’t even holiday themed, so you can keep them for gifting throughout the year.
Or treat yourself!
I love snapping up gift sets on sale for a little post-festive pick me up. It’s a great way to stock up on your fave brands at a steep discount, or even try something new.
Wrapping paper and cards
I honestly cannot remember the last time I bought gift wrap or Christmas cards at full price because I always buy them after Christmas!
Shops don’t want to hang on to festive gift wrap and cards for the whole year, so you can usually get these at about 50% off straight after Christmas.
Stock dwindles FAST though, so be quick if you want to snap up these bargains.
And if you’re willing to hold out a little longer, you can get some even bigger reductions. Whatever is left after a week or two will often be knocked down to 75% or even 80% off.
And the holidays aren’t the only time you’ll need wrapping paper! Keep an eye out more more neutral patterns and stock up for birthdays and other celebrations while prices are low.
So pick up a few rolls of paper and cards now and get ahead of the game for next year. Just don’t leave them at the back of your wardrobe and forget about them…
Christmas Trees
Growing up, I never had a real Christmas tree. Now that I’m in charge of my own decorations, a real tree is a must for me.
(Pro tip: if you’re like me and need a real tree, but still want a bargain then pop to IKEA. In the UK, they sell trees for around £28, and that includes a £20 IKEA voucher. I don’t know about you, but there’s always something I need at IKEA so it works out as a Christmas tree for just 8 quid!)
But if you’re trying to save money then fake trees are great value for money. They so easy to pick up after Christmas, and can be a huge time saver. After all, there’s no need to keep a fake tree watered, and vacuum up fallen needles after you’ve dragged it through the whole house (twice).
And just like gift wrap and cards, shops don’t want to hold on trees once Christmas is done, so you can bag some pretty spectacular trees at steep discounts.
CHRISTMAS DECOR
Christmas decor is another no brainer to buy after Christmas.
Anything from lights, stockings, ornaments, garlands and wreaths will be so cheap it’s practically a steal.
So take note of anything you might need to replace or refresh for next Christmas.
Some things, like fairy lights, can be used year round so you can also use this opportunity to bag some cute new decor.
Stocking fillers, secret Santa gifts & toys
Toys and little novelty trinkets for kids and grown ups are everywhere at Christmas. But after December 25th retailers don’t want to be stuck with this excess stock. Which means you can get some amazing deals if you wait until after Christmas to shop.
Now is the perfect time to stock up on little stocking fillers or secret Santa gifts for next year.
It’s also a great time to stock up for upcoming birthday gifts, or any gift giving occasion, like thank you gifts or silly little “just because” gifts.
Pajamas
I love pajamas.
There’s just something about the cosy comfort of PJs and leisurewear that’s so inviting. And if they’re Christmas themed, that’s even better! Not even kidding. I am like a child at Christmas.
Thankfully, I’m not the only one.
The shops are full of the festive nightwear in the Christmas run up.
And we all know that pulling on those Christmas PJs is one of the easiest (and earliest!) ways to get in the holiday spirit.
But you don’t have to spend big bucks to get the festive magic flowing because festive PJS are steeply discounted once the big day is over.
So stock up after Christmas and break them out as soon as you feel the need for a dose of that holiday spirit.
I firmly believe that wearing holiday PJs is part of the thrill of Christmas, so I say break them out early. Get that festive mood going, and make the most of those cosy, lazy winter mornings in your bargain Christmas PJs!
Bedding
Like pajamas, Christmas bedding is one of the easiest and low maintenance ways to give your home a mini festive makeover.
I will happily pull out the Christmas bedding way before I even think of putting the tree up.
The holidays is a also a time when you’re pretty much guaranteed to get overnight visitors.
Why not use the post holiday sales to grab a great deal on your festive bedding, and help your guests get in the Christmas spirit too!
Food
If there’s any time of year where indulgence is the name of the game, it’s Christmas.
And let’s be honest. Christmas food is delicious!
You know what makes it more delicious? When it’s marked down!
After all the festive indulgence supermarkets want to clear their shelves for the new season healthy eating ranges. If you haven’t already eaten your own body weight during the holidays, you can score some great deals on seasonal food after Christmas.
There’s the usual chocolates, snacks, biscuits and cakes (yum).
But you can also find great bargains on cheese boards, nuts, joints of meat and party food. These will often be the deluxe ranges brought in specially for Christmas.
And a lot of these bargains can be frozen, so clear out your freezer way before Christmas and you can fill it back up with bargains!
Goodies for your Pets
Pet toys can be pricey.
But honestly, our beloved little fur babies don’t really care if it’s July and their toy is a giant snowman, or if their treats came in a Christmas stocking. If it tastes good and squeaks, they’re going to love it.
So why not pick up a few new pet treats and toys after Christmas while they’re on clearance?
You can stash stuff now and bring things out throughout the year, or whenever your fur baby needs something special.
Even things like pet beds and pet gift sets will be reduced, so this is a great time to stock up.
It’ll be kinder on your wallet, and your little furry friends will be thrilled.
Consumer Electronics and White Goods
You can get some brilliant bargains on white goods and electronics if you wait until after Christmas. Shops will start to slash prices on older models to try and clear their shelves for newer stock that’s coming in.
It can be a bit of a gamble, as retailers have started to really push the discount boat out for Black Friday. But you can still find deals that are as good as, or even better than the Black Friday sales if you wait until January.
Furniture
If you’re after a new sofa or mattress then keep an eye on the post Christmas sales.
Spring usually sees the new styles coming into stores, so you can get some good bargains as retailers start to clear some space. And look out for ex-display models, as they’ll often have an extra discount on top.
If you do go for ex-display make sure you check it over carefully. It’s been on the shop floor, so might have a couple of light knocks here and there. But if you’re shopping somewhere reputable then it should still be in great condition.
We got our mid-century modern sofa ex-display in excellent condition, and they knocked an extra 25% off the sale price. We’ve had it for 4 years now, and it’s still going strong.
Candles
Ah, candles. Who doesn’t love a nice candle?
They’re really popular as we hunker down and make ourselves nice cosy pre-Christmas.
But there are still 2 months of winter after Christmas! Candles are the perfect antidote to the gloom, so I love getting great deals on luxury candles in the sales.
Yes, a lot of them will be Christmas scented or themed, but you can also find deals on more neutral scents, like vanilla.
And if you’re not cool with with your house smelling like gingerbread and cinnamon outside of Christmas then you can store them carefully to burn or gift next year.
Fitness gear
It’s no surprise that losing weight and exercising more are two of the top New Year’s resolutions.
Retailers are keen to bank on this, so you’ll often find great deals on fitness gear and equipment that you can snap up after Christmas.
You can even get offers on gym memberships, like getting your first month half price or a trial membership. This can a be a good way to try out some classes before committing to a longer term membership.
So if getting fit is one of your New Year goals, January can be the ideal time to get kitted up and start something new.
It pays to be prepared
It’s obvious that you can make some huge savings if you shop smart.
The key is to prepare a year ahead and have a clear plan.
The aim here is to save you money, so don’t buy stuff that you don’t need or won’t use just because it’s on sale! Trust me, I’ve been there, done that, and it’s a false economy that will just waste your money.
So keep a note of what you already have, and what you need to restock or replace.
Now it’s over to you!
Have you bagged any great deals in the post holiday sales?
Get in touch and let me know what your favourite bargain has been!
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