The holiday season is upon us yet again and many people are struggling to make ends meet, let alone buy holiday gifts for friends and family. If you’re tight on cash and thinking of stopping at your local Walmart or Target this holiday season, then think again. Here are three lesser known places that you should definitely consider when shopping for your holiday gifts.
The first place you certainly want to stop by is your local Big Lots store. Big Lots is a closeout store, which means they offer a lot of name brand items for dirt cheap prices. For example, the price for a pink Polaroid i1237 digital camera on Walmart’s website was $68, but I found the same camera at Big Lots for $50. That’s an $18 savings! Big Lots also offers games, toys, electronics, and other assorted brand name items for less than you’d find even at Walmart. The only drawback is that since Big Lots is a closeout store, the merchandise is never the same. So if you see something that you like in the store, buy it or lose it. Chances are if you leave the store without it, you’ll never see it in the store again. Big Lots also offers furniture and holiday decorations at the same discounted prices, so stop in and see how much fun you can have by buying brand name items at discount prices.
The second place you should consider visiting this holiday season, especially if you live on the East Coast or Midwest, is Old Time Pottery. Old Time Pottery, as you may have guessed from the name of the store, sells high quality pottery, vases and planting pots, but that’s certainly not all. They offer a wide selection of awesome gifts like paintings, candles, throws, dinnerware sets and even purses. This store is similar to Big Lots in that it is a closeout store and the merchandise they sale is extremely high quality for an extremely low price. However, they differ from Big Lots in that Old Time Pottery offers few gift options for children and focuses more on seasonal and home decorative items. Subsequently, the holiday season is the best time to get out there and get shopping. Just like Big Lots, if you see something you want, you had better get it before it’s gone, although their displays and merchandise last a bit longer in the store than Big Lots. If you’re planning on giving gifts to adults and you’re decorating on a tight budget, definitely take a trip out to Old Time Pottery. You won’t be disappointed.
The last place that you have to visit for your holiday shopping needs is your local flea market. Don’t underestimate your local flea market, especially if it’s a big one, because it has a million different gift giving options and decoration ideas for the cheapest prices around. For example, the Big Top flea market, in the Tampa, Fla., area has a wide array of gifts ranging from attractive ties for $1 to remote control helicopters at $40. The gift ideas are literally endless and the prices are literally the lowest in town! If you are looking for a truly unique gift at a reasonable price, you really can’t beat a trip to the local flea market. A lot of the vendors make and sell their own handmade products ranging from handmade soaps and fragrances to carved wooden statutes and blown glass ornaments. Your local flea market is definitely the best place to go to get a unique gift without breaking the bank.
So if you’re on a tight budget this holiday season, consider getting all of your shopping needs done at these three overlooked awesomely priced stores. Happy Holidays!