Holiday Shopping with Chronic Pain: Top 20 Tips

I used to love browsing through the stores during the holidays, looking for just the right gift for family and friends.  Unfortunately these days, shopping quickly turns into an adventure in pain.  Quarter-mile treks across full parking lots, crowds of people bumping into me, and 30 minute waits in long check-out lines are nightmares experiences I try to avoid at all cost.  After many painful holiday seasons, I've gathered 20 time, money and pain saving tips to make holiday shopping more bearable – and sometimes even fun.

1.  Like Santa, make a list.  Having a list of everyone you need a gift for and what you want to give them,    helps cut down on impulse buys that will wreck your budget.

2.  Shop online as much as possible.  You can shop any time of day or night and you don't even have to get dressed – you can shop in your pjs or even your birthday suit if you like. 

3.  Shop during non-peak hours.  If you do have to go to a store for something, try not to go when everyone else will be there – like weekends.

4.  Shop early.  Start your holiday shopping as early as possible.  The longer you wait, the more likely stores will run out of what you want and you'll have to go multiple places searching for it or settle for something else. 

5.  Place online or catalog orders early.  Be sure to place your orders early enough to take advantage of their least expensive shipping option.  You'll pay a hefty price for express or overnight shipping.

6.  Stay home on Black Friday.  Even before chronic pain came into my life, I made it a policy not to leave my house the day after Thanksgiving.  No “deal” is big enough to be worth putting myself in the midst of the insanity that happens in retail stores on that day.  You're likely to be pushed, shoved and possibly even trampled – none of which is going to help your pain. 

7.  Read sale ads carefully.  Some ads may say “quantities limited,” “no rain checks,” or “not available at all stores.” Before you make the trip, call to be sure the item you want is in stock.

8.  Learn store policies.  Whether you're shopping online, by catalog or in person, find out what the stores policies are.  What are their refund and return policies?  Will they match or beat a competitor's price?  If you buy an item at regular price and it goes on sale the next week, can you get a refund for the discounted amount?

9.  Comparison shop online.  Even if you plan to go to the store to make the purchase, do as much comparison shopping as you can on the Internet in the comfort of your home.  Pretty much every major store has an online counterpart.  You'll save yourself running store to store comparing prices.

10. Buy online – Pick up in person.  A lot of stores offer free shipping if you order online, then pick your package up at the store.  That allows you to skip the crowds and go straight to customer service where your pre-paid package will be waiting.