This post was originally published on this site.
According to personal finance expert Kimberly Palmer, a game plan is essential to navigate these final shopping days.
HARTFORD, Conn. — People are making their lists and checking it twice — and that’s to make sure they don’t break the bank.
According to the financial site NerdWallet, the average holiday shopper plans to spend upwards of $1,100 on gifts, up $200 from last year.
The holidays have never been about what is underneath the Christmas tree, but that has not stopped 56% of holiday shoppers from stressing about it.
Keeping eyes peeled for deals is especially important as NerdWallet says prices for gifts like toys could still change as Christmas Day approaches.
“So you might want to wait to get those last-minute discounts, but then you run the risk of inventory running out,” said Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet personal finance expert.
Sign up for the FOX61 newsletters: Morning Forecast, Morning Headlines, Evening Headlines
Palmer says a game plan is essential to navigate these final shopping days. It helps people stay on budget and ensures online orders arrive on time, since 2025 tariffs could make the wait even longer or cost more.
“If it’s coming from overseas, you want to check and anticipate any extra delays or costs,” Palmer said.
Many shipping deadlines for major online stores are coming up in just a few days, according to RetailMeNot:
-
Academy Sports + Outdoors: Standard by 2 p.m. on Dec. 17; express by 2 p.m. on Dec. 22
-
Amazon: Varies by product; same-day delivery on select items if ordered by Dec. 24
-
American Girl: Standard orders by Dec. 11; custom dolls by Dec. 1; expedited by Dec. 21
-
Barnes & Noble: Standard by noon EST on Dec. 17; express on Dec. 18; expedited on Dec. 19; in-store pickup by noon local time on Dec. 24
-
Bed Bath & Beyond: Ground by 11:59 a.m. ET on Dec. 17; expedited by 11:59 a.m. EST on Dec. 22; express by 10:59 a.m. EST on Dec. 23
-
Belk: Ground by Dec. 18; 2nd-day air by Dec. 20; overnight by Dec. 21
-
Best Buy: Delivery date shown at checkout; same-day pickup available through Dec. 24
-
Dell: Standard by Dec. 19 (2 p.m. CST); expedited by Dec. 22; express by Dec. 23
-
Dick’s Sporting Goods: Ground by 11:59 p.m. PST on Dec. 18; expedited by Dec. 20; express by Dec. 21
-
Disney Store: Standard by Dec. 18; 2-Day express by Dec. 21; Next-Day express by Dec. 22
-
Harry & David: Standard by Dec. 18; 3-Day express by Dec. 19; 2-Day express by Dec. 22; overnight by Dec. 23
-
H&M: Standard by Dec. 15; expedited not guaranteed
-
Home Depot: Delivery dates vary per product (will be shown in cart)
-
JCPenney: Varies per item; next-day shipping by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 23; same-day pickup possible Dec. 24
-
Kay Jewelers: In-stock items by 2 p.m. EST on Dec. 23; same-day pickup if eligible
-
Kohl’s: Standard shipping may not guarantee Christmas delivery; 2-day by Dec. 19 (1 p.m. CST); 1-day by Dec. 20 (1 p.m. CST); same-day pickup (order by 1 p.m., pick up by 6 p.m.) on Dec. 24
-
L.L. Bean: Free shipping by 11:59 p.m. EST on Dec. 20 (with $75 purchase), monogrammed items much earlier; buy-online and pick-up in store by 11:59 p.m. EST on Dec. 23
-
Lowe’s: Varies by product; same-day delivery if ordered by 2 p.m. on Dec. 24
-
Macy’s: Standard by 5 p.m. EST on Dec. 21 (with purchase minimum); premium by Dec. 21; express by Dec. 22; same-day delivery or store pickup (in certain areas) on Dec. 24 (order by 10 a.m. local time)
-
PetSmart: Varies by product (estimate Dec. 16 for standard), check delivery date at checkout; expedited varies by product
-
Pottery Barn: Standard by 6 a.m. PST on Dec. 18; monogram orders earlier; next-day shipping by Dec. 22
-
REI: Standard by 9 a.m. PST on Dec. 20; same-day or in-store pickup on Dec. 24
-
Sephora: Standard by 6 a.m. ET on Dec. 22; 2-day shipping by 9 a.m. EST on Dec. 22; 1-day shipping by 9 a.m. EST on Dec. 23; store pickup by 4 p.m. local time on Dec. 24
-
Shutterfly: Economy by Dec. 16; expedited by Dec. 17; rush by Dec. 19; super rush by Dec. 20
-
Snapfish: Lowest-cost shipping by Dec. 15; ground by Dec. 16; expedited by Dec. 18; rush by Dec. 19
-
UGG: Varies by product; check individual delivery estimates
-
Ulta: Standard by 11:59 p.m. CT on Dec. 18; expedited by 11:59 p.m. CT on Dec. 21; premium by 11:59 p.m. CT on Dec. 22; store pickup by 5 p.m. local time or same-day delivery by 11 a.m. local time on Dec. 24
-
Walmart: Varies by product; check delivery date at checkout; same-day delivery and pickup available depending on item and location
-
World Market: Ground by 11:59 p.m. PST on Dec. 16; 2nd-Day by Dec. 19; overnight by Dec. 22
Retailers like Amazon usually give online shoppers some heads up on whether their gift is arriving before Christmas Day. If it is after, Stephanie Carls with the coupon company RetailMeNot said it may be a good idea to explore in-store pickup, since some places offer discounts for that option.
“This is going to be easier on you because you’re not waiting on something to be shipped in order to be underneath the Christmas tree for Christmas morning,” Carls said.
When it comes to finding the best deals, technology can come in handy. AI especially has become a game changer, according to Carls, so people can check if something is too good to be true.
“It is coming through as this great holiday helper…it can help go through different reviews, it can help find the best price, it can even help you set up some of those price tracking and price history pieces as well,” Carls said.
Browser extensions can help people stack those savings. A lot of them, like Honey and RetailMeNot, are free and can help people find promo codes and coupons.
Steffen Reals is a reporter and anchor at FOX61 News. He can be reached at SReals@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
RELATED:
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com.
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Stream Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.