5 Tips for Successful Holiday Tech Shopping!

Did you know that Staples is a great place to shop for all your favorite tech gifts for the holiday season? Staples even carries the popular Kindle in-store with a cool interactive display where you can try out the product and see if you like it!  It seems these days that tech toys are the hottest gifts on everyone's list!! How can you keep up with changing technology and keep the holidays affordable?? Here are my tips for successful holiday tech shopping!!
1.  Get age appropriate gadgets!! A young child of course doesn't need a cell phone, or an ipod.  There are alternatives, like a cell phone that only calls preset phone numbers, and there are child versions of music players. Same for digital cameras and other fun gadgets. Why get something nice they will ruin? Find one of those indestructible ones so it will last longer.

2.  Don't try to keep up with the trends. Seems like a new phone or music player comes out every 5 seconds. Okay maybe not QUITE that fast, but you get the idea.  By trying to keep up with the "latest and greatest", you are just going to waste money.  Yes, that new phone is super cool.  But do you NEED it? And next month or 3 months from now, that same phone will be improved and have a new name. Wait until the item is cheaper.  Phones break easily anyways.

3.  Learn to say no!! Your teen may whine and say buy mom everyone else has one!! If you can't afford it, or you already did your shopping for the year, don't give in to please your child.  THEY WILL GET OVER IT! And by not giving them everything they want, you teach them to be grateful for what they DO have.

4.  Shop around! Don't just buy the item because it is there! Save money by comparison shopping and watching for sales. Why pay full price when you can get it for less? This will free up money for other things!  Of course, if the item is hard to find, this doesn't apply! If this is the case BUY IT WHEN YOU FIND IT!!

5.  Don't stress over getting the holiday gadgets!! Shopping should be enjoyable, and if you are making yourself crazy trying to get all the hot holiday gadgets on your family's wish lists, you are going to make yourself insane!! Stick to your budget, and buy things you know your family could use.  And while you are at it, make sure you pick up a little something you want too! The shopper in the family deserves their wish to come true too!!!

So there you have it!! 5 ways to help make your holiday shopping for tech gadgets this year successful!!  Once you get all the shopping done, get yourself a cup of cocoa or a coffee, sit back and relax! It's time for you to enjoy yourself!!

About Staples:
Staples, the world's largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products and services. Our broad selection of office supplies, electronics, technology and office furniture as well as business services, including computer repair and copying and printing, helps our customers run their offices efficiently. With 2009 sales of $24 billion and 91,000 associates worldwide, Staples operates in 26 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia serving businesses of all sizes and consumers. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today ranks second worldwide in e-commerce sales. The company is headquartered outside Boston.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here