Regina residents look for ways to pinch pennies as Christmas shopping season nears | Globalnews.ca

The weeks until Christmas are not the only thing people are counting. With current inflation, people are stretching their dollar as far as they can.

“Consumers are going to be looking for those kinds of deals,” said Marvin Ryder, a McMaster University professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship. “How can they stretch their dollar and get maximum return, but I think there will be lots of those opportunities and that’s part of my optimism. I think the retailer understand how to play the game.”

Regina resident Rachel Neslan said she has been stressed for months and is wondering where she is going to come up with the funds to Christmas shop.

“We can hardly afford the groceries that we need to get,” said Neslan.

In order to cut down on costs, Neslan and her husband are limiting how many gifts they have to buy.

“So doing Secret Santa … only having to buy one gift per family has helped,” she said.

Regina resident Kelly Fairbairs said she and her husband stick to a routine around holiday shopping.

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“It helps with a plan a little bit,” she said. “We tend to make it work in either direction … I like to buy things on sale …I try to think as far in advance as I can just so we aren’t hit with one giant bill right at Christmas time.”

According to the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) Leger Holiday Shopping Survey 2023, 88 per cent of Canadians are planning to shop more proactively this season.

With 52 per cent searching for sales, 41 per cent planning in advance, 20 per cent saying they are sticking to a strict budget.

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