Best Things to Save Money on in December
The winter season is obviously popular for holiday shopping, but what if you could save money this year? After Black Friday there are still plenty of deals you can find if you know what to look for. Keep your holiday cheer by saving money, and shop wisely while gathering gifts for your friends and family.
The list below will help you check off your holiday shopping and still make smart purchases:
- Tools
Department stores will stock up on tools and home improvement items for the holiday season, sometimes at a deep discount. Not only will prices drop, but you can sometimes use manufacturer coupons in combination with store sales for twice the savings.
- Toys
The weeks right before Christmas are when stores have the lowest prices on the best toy sales, but of course, there are always exceptions to waiting until late in the holiday shopping season for deals. If you are looking for the hottest toys this season, you should look much earlier to make sure you get them before supplies run out.
- Cell Phones
Mobile devices will always be a hot holiday gift. Try buying one after Christmas because retailers will be trying to reduce their overstock. There will be good deals out there.
- Holiday Decorations
Just like any other holiday, stores will try to clear up their inventory the day right after the holiday occurs. The discounts will pile up if you can wait to buy decorations, wrapping paper, and other holiday items until after Dec. 25th! Of course, the longer you wait after the holiday, the bigger the discounts. But with each day, inventory gets smaller and smaller.
- Champagne
The demand for champagne is high for New Year's Eve and other winter festivities. Retailers will often offer deals in an attempt to beat their competition and get customers into their stores to buy other items as well. In the end, the customers win.
- Apartment Leases
People do not like to move when it is cold. When it's windy, rainy or especially snowy, they want to stay inside instead of moving their belongings to a new place. This will drive apartment leases down. You can also save on movers because they will be slow during the cold months.
- NFL Tickets
By now, there will be several NFL teams that will not be doing as well as their fans had hoped. Their bad records could drop the demand for seats and in turn, you could score some cheap NFL tickets.
- Gift Cards
Gift cards can be found at a discount during December. You can save additional money if you used other discounts by buying online in bulk. Some restaurants and services will incentivize bonuses when you order a certain amount of cards. Retailers will also add perks of gift cards to some holiday purchases. These will also be great gift ideas because it doesn't limit the receiver to just one item and allows them to find exactly what they like.
According to Giftcards.com here are some 2016 Gift Card Promotions:
| Merchant | Valid | Gift Card Offer |
| Applebee's | Thru 1/7/17 | Buy $50 in gift cards at Applebee’s and get a $10 Bonus Card. Bonus card expires 3/6/17 and it may not be redeemed on the date of issuance. Restrictions apply to gift cards and bonus cards. |
| Bahama Breeze | Thru 12/31/16 | Get a $10 Bonus Card to use on your next visit when you buy a $50 Gift Card. Bonus gift card activates 1/1/17 and must be used by 2/10/16. |
| Baker's Square | Thru 12/31/16 | Buy a $25 gift card and get a $5 bonus card. $5 Bonus Gift Card is redeemable at any participating Bakers Square Restaurant, but is not valid on whole pies, pie slices to-go or gift cards. Must be used 1/1/17 to 2/10/17. |
| Benihana | Thru 12/31/16 | For every $50 in Benihana gift cards you purchase through December 31st, we’ll get a $10 promotional card which can be redeemed 1/2/17 to 3/31/17. |
| BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse | Thru 1/4/17 | Buy $50 in eGift Cards, Get a $10 Bonus Card and a 20% OFF VIP Card. Buy $100 in eGift Cards, Get a $25 Bonus Card and a 20% OFF VIP Card. The VIP card is valid through February 13, so it’s truly the gift that keeps on giving! Plus people who spend $100 on gift cards in the restaurant will get a new chalkboard beer glass. |
| Black Angus | Thru 12/31/16 | Get $10 Holiday Bonus Bucks for every $50 in gift cards purchased. Bonus Bucks redeemable 1/1/17 through 2/13/17. |
| BRIO Tuscan Grille | Thru 12/30/16 | Guests who purchase a $100 gift card through December 30 will receive a $20 bonus gift card for themselves for use between January 1 and March 15, 2017. |
| Bonefish Grill | Thru 12/31/16 | Receive a $10 Bonus Card for every $50 you purchase in gift cards. Bonus cards valid 1/1/17 to 2/10/17. |
| Buca de Beppo | Thru 12/31/16 | Receive a $10 reward card when a $50 gift card is purchased. Reward card must be used on subsequent purchase and is valid 1//17 through 2/28/17. |
| California Pizza Kitchen | Thru 1/2/17 | Purchase $100 in gift cards and receive a $20 promotional gift card good valid from 1/9/17 through 2/26/17. |
| The Capital Grille | While supplies last | Purchase $500+ in gift cards and receive an exclusive The Capital Grille knife set plus an additional gift card worth 10% of your purchase. |
| Carrabba's | Thru 12/31/16 | Buy $50 in Carrabba’s gift cards and receive a $10 bonus gift card. Bonus gift card valid at next visit from 1/1/17 to 2/10/17. |
| The Cheesecake Factory | Thru 12/31/16 | For every $25 in Gift Cards (including either plastic gift cards or electronic gift cards) purchased online from The Cheesecake Factory in a single transaction between now and 12/31/16, the purchaser will receive one electronic Slice of Joy Card (each, an “eSlice of Joy Card”). Each eSlice of Joy Card may be redeemed on a future visit from 1/1/2017 – 3/31/2017 for one complimentary slice of either cheesecake or layer cake. Only one eSlice of Joy Card may be redeemed per guest, per visit. |
| Children's Place | Thru 12/24/16 | Buy a gift card for $40 or more and get a $10 gift coupon on a next purchase $40 or more. |
| Chili's | Thru 12/31/16 | For every $50 in Gift Cards purchased, the purchaser will receive one $10 Holiday Bonus eGift Card that is valid from 1/1/17 through 2/8/17. |
| Chipotle | Thru 12/24/16 | Buy $30 or more in gift cards at any Chipotle restaurant between Monday, November 21st and Saturday, December 24th, then bring in your receipt on your next visit (before January 31st, 2017) for a BUY-ONE/GET-ONE FREE BURRITO, BOWL, SALAD, or ORDER OF TACOS. |
| Del Taco | Thru 1/1/17 | In-Store: Taco lovers can purchase $15 in gift cards and receive one coupon good for 2 FREE Grilled Chicken Tacos. Purchase $25 in gift card and receive two coupons good for 2 FREE Grilled Chicken Tacos. Online: Purchase $30 in gift cards online and receive one coupon good for 1 FREE Small Size Combo Meal. Purchase $100 in gift cards online and receive four coupons each good for 1 FREE Small Size Combo Meal. FREE FOOD COUPONS EXPIRE 3/5/17. |
| DSW | Thru 12/26/16 | For every $50 or more in DSW gift cards or DSW egift cards purchased at any DSW store or at dsw.com, customers will receive a $5 DSW Bonus Card. The bonus card will arrive via email by 1/6/17 and is redeemable 1/6/17 through 1/29/17 |
| Eddie V's | While supplies last | Buy $500 or more in holiday gift cards and receive an elegant martini set along with an additoinal gift card worth 10% of your purchase. |
| Fleming's Steakhouse | Thru 12/31/16 | Receive a $20 bonus card with every $100 Fleming’s Steakhouse Gift Card purchased. Bonus card valid 1/1/17 to 2/10/17. |
| Half Price Books | Thru 12/24/16 | Get a $5 Bonus gift card when you buy a $25 gift card in stores or online. Bonus gift card redeemable 1/1/17 through 1/31/17. |
| IHOP | Thru 1/1/17 | For every $25 gift card you purchase in-restaurant, you’ll get a $5 coupon to use. Coupon expires 1/31/17. |
| Juice it Up! | Thru 1/16/17 | Juice It Up! will donate 10% of all gift card sales through January 16, 2017 to No Kid Hungry. Don’t wait until January to pick up your gift cards! The first 25 customers to purchase a $25 gift card, at each location, will receive a Holiday Gift Pack which includes a Juice It Up! branded tumbler! |
| Landry's | Thru 12/24/16 | Purchase a $50 gift card and receive a $10 reward card to use 1/1/17 through 5/31/17–except on Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. |
| Longhorn Steakhouse | Thru 12/31/16 | Enjoy a $5 Bonus card when you purchase $25 in gift cards. Bonus card redeemable with purchase of 2 adult dinner entrees from 1/1/17 to 2/5/17. Valid for online gift card purchases only. |
| Macaroni Grill | Thru 12/31/16 | Receive a $5 bonus gift card for every $25 Macaroni Grill gift card purchased. |
| Maggiano's | Thru 12/31/16 | Purchase $50 or more in Maggiano’s e-Gift Cards, and receive a 1 year subscription to Food & Wine® Magazine! For $100 gift card, add on a $20 Bonus Card! Get a $10 off $50 Bonus Card with redemption 1/1/17 to 2/29/17. |
| Ninety-Nine | Thru 12/25/16 | Purchase $25 in gift cards, and receive a $5 Bonus Card redeemable on your next visit. (Offer not available for egift cards.) Bonus card must be used by 4/23/17. |
| Noodles & Company | Thru 12/31/16 | Every time you purchase $25 in gift cards, you get a $5 Great Giver Bonus Card (bonus card valid 11/14/16 – 1/16/17) |
| Olive Garden | Thru 1/1/17 | Get a $10 Bonus Offer for every $50 spent in gift cards. Bonus offer valid 1/2/17 to 3/31/17 for $10 off the purchase of two adult entrees |
| On The Border | Thru 12/31/16 | For every $25 in gift cards purchase online, the purchaser will receive one $5 eBonus Card delivered to the purchaser’s email address. $5 eBonus gift card is value on a following visit in-restaurant between 1/1/16 and 2/15/16. |
| Outback Steakhouse | Thru 12/31/16 | Get a $10 Bonus gift card with every $50 gift card purchase. Bonus offer valid 1/1/17 to 2/8/17. |
| PF Chang's | Thru 12/31/16 | For every $100 purchased in P.F. Chang’s Gift Cards, you’ll receive a $20 P.F. Chang’s Bonus Card. This single-use promotional card, valued at $20 USD, may be applied only toward the purchase of food or beverages at P.F. Chang’s restaurants and is valid on a future visit between 1/1/17 – 3/31/17. |
| Philly's Best | Thru 12/31/16 | When Cheesesteak fanatics purchase a $25 gift card to stuff a special someone’s stocking, they will receive a $5 Bonus Card for themselves to use in January 2017. |
| Pieology | Thru 12/31/16 | When you purchase $25 worth of gift cards, you’ll receive a FREE pizza bonus card valid from January 1 to March 31, 2017 (valid for in-store gift card purchases only). Don’t have time to visit a Pieology location? Don’t fret! You can now purchase gift cards online and send them straight to loved ones. |
| Red Robin | While supplies last | When you purchase a $25 to $45 Holiday Gift Card, you will receive a $5 Bonus Buck Reward Card valid from 1/1/17 through 2/28/17. |
| Regal Cinemas | Thru 12/31/16 | IN THEATERS ONLY. Buy a $50 gift card and receive a $10 promotional gift card for concessions. Concessions gift card redeemable 1/1/17 through 1/31/17. |
| Roy's | Thru 12/31/16 | Receive a $20 Bonus Card for every $100 you spend on Roy’s Gift Cards. Bonus Cards are redeemable 1/1/17 until 2/9/17. |
| Seasons 52 | While supplies last | Receive our precision forged Japanese Santoku knife from Mercer Cutlery when you purchase $300 or more in gift cards. Receive a 10% bonus gift card when you spend $500 or more. |
| Sephora | While supplies last | Give a $50 Gift Card that comes with a complimentary 45-minute Custom Makeover. Give a $125 Gift Card that comes that includes a 90-minute Custom Makeover and a shopping session with a Personal Beauty Advisor. |
| Taco Bell | While supplies last | Activate/reload $25 or more on Gift Card in-store to receive any combo meal free, excludes Party Packs. Offer available at time of purchase only. Does not apply to mobile gift cards. |
Written by: Cory Ando
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