I Asked ChatGPT How To Save Money on Holiday Shopping: 3 Tricks I Never Would Have Thought of on My Own
Written by
Seychelle Thomas
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Saving money on holiday shopping might be easier than you thought with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). You might have come across the same 10 holiday shopping hacks that tell you to do Secret Santa exchanges, stick to your budget and use loyalty programs, but what if you’re already doing that?
GOBankingRates asked ChatGPT to share the unique holiday shopping hacks that could actually save you money, and it came up with a few surprising options that could really work.
Do a ‘Holiday Shopping Inventory’ Audit Early
One of the first things ChatGPT suggested was doing a holiday shopping inventory audit to find out what you already have. So instead of double-buying decor, wrapping supplies or gifts that are sitting unused from last year, you’ll have a clear picture of what you already have in stock and what you still need to purchase.
That’s especially helpful if you’ve already been stocking up on holiday gifts throughout the year. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Holiday Retail Survey, 1 in 5 holiday shoppers planned to start shopping for the holidays earlier than last year.
If you picked up gifts months ago, you might have forgotten that you even bought them. So rather than wasting time making returns before the holidays hit, save yourself the hassle and do an audit before you head to the store to cross items off your list.
Shop ‘Return Resales’ and Open-Box Markets
Buying someone’s return doesn’t always equal broken items or missing pieces. ChatGPT shared that platforms like Amazon Resale, Best Buy Outlet and eBay Certified Refurbished quietly offload returned but new items for a discounted price. So if you’re looking for an item that would otherwise break your budget, you might want to check these places first. Rather than paying full price for a brand-new item, you’re buying new or near-new items.
According to the National Retail Federation, consumers are expected to return nearly $850 billion in merchandise in 2025. Resale programs have become a key profit recovery tool for many companies, which can lead to huge markdowns for consumers.
Tap Into ‘Neighbor Network’ Sharing Apps
Another unexpected suggestion from ChatGPT was using “no buy” or “buy nothing” groups. For those who aren’t familiar, apps like Nextdoor, BuyNothing and Freecycle often have unopened or lightly used gifts people are offloading before the holidays. It’s community-based frugality, which is perfect for finding decor, cookware or toys without touching your checking account.
While people often offer these items for free through these platforms, they may also be willing to trade for them. So if you have something they’re looking for, you can offload an item you don’t need to cross one of the gifts off your list. However, you’ll need to be quick to snatch the best picks since competition can be fierce.
The Bottom Line
By combining these three strategies, you can stretch your holiday budget a little further. Once you’ve planned out your holiday shopping with a quick inventory audit, you can take advantage of open-box deals and “no buy” groups to round out your shopping list and save more than your typical retail sale.
Together, these tricks can help you shop smarter, save money and keep the holiday season joyful instead of stressful.
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