I know how many people out there loathe the fact that supermarkets and department stores start pushing the christmas goods as early as Now, October. Let me tell you how I know. Because I work in a supermarket. In fact I am a department manager. And yes I have put

out heaps of goods ready for people for christmas. Why, because it has been sent to me from our warehouse. I can't leave it out in our storeroom because there is no room to. I have heard customers complaining about this very subject for the past week or so. So let me tell you what I have been telling them. And it's not a bad wa to look at it, I think. 

I tell them I used to get annoyed too about how early the stuff appears. But I look at it differently now. I have turned it around to my advantange. Speaking as a customer not a manager, now. I will pick up one or two items each week right up until christmas. That means instead of the supermarket getting a huge amount of money from me in one go, they don't. All of the longlife goods can be bought way ahead of time. Now I know many people will say it is how they get more money from us. And yeah that probably is the idea. But only is f we let that happen. Like I have stated in many of my articles it all comes down to the choices we make. We can choose for this to work for us or the supermarkets. I know what I choose and it's me. There is so much for your christmas dinner or in fact your christmas day you can buy ahead of time. 

Here's some examples of what you can stock up on bit by bit. Of course you may not buy some of these things. And I am not suggesting you go out and get something you wouldn't normally get. So these are just a few of what you might buy.

Paper plates, Christmas wrapping paper, Christmas cards, Pudding, Christmas cake,Stolen, white Christmas, Fruit mince pies,  lollies, Cooldrink, Tin fruit (fortriffle, if you make one) sponge fingers (for triffle) , olives, coloured pickled onions,tomato sauce, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, hats (for the kids), blower whistles, Christmas crackers, stocking fillers, Advent calendars, balloons, decorations for the table or tree. A box of chocolates for Johnny's teacher or Aunty Jane. The last month you can start to get the chips, nuts etc. (If you get them too early they might go stale).

I'm sure by now your getting the idea. Imagine how much you could cut down that Christmas shop if it were just the fresh goods you needed to get. I reackon you could almost cut it in half. If you get really annoyed why not turn it into your advantage. You've got nothing to loose really. The secret is having somewhere to put it firstly where the kids or hubby won't find it. And secondly  where you can check what you've already bought. A good idea is to get one of those large plastic tubs to store it in. 

If your on a budget like me, stick to it. You can usually get one item without blowing the budget. You will normally adjust what your buying to get the one extra thing. If you don't do a dinner at your house you can still start early with the stocking fillers. And some of your gifts. The gift pack usually start appearing now.  It is kind of a way of having your own private christmas club. 

My thought for the day is  "When you see the christmas stuff on show don't get mad,  get even".  The thing is no matter how angry or how many times you complain about it, they (the shops) aren't going to change their ways. And let's face it they all do it. 

The other thing you can do is buy some things for the next year after christmas, at the post christmas sales. I have already got my paper for the next three years and for many of my family too. But that's another whole article I 'll talk about another time.

I hope you have a fantastic, stress free christmas this year and for many more to come. So what are you waiting for turn the tables on the big buisness's and start stocking up now, bit by bit.