Skip High Baggage Fees by Buying Gifts Online

With the holidays right around the corner and baggage [[Airline Fees |fees]] at an all-time high (some airlines charge as much as $50 for the second-checked bag), getting your gifts home requires a little extra foresight this year.

One of the easiest and most economical ways to shop and ship is to buy items online, and then have the company send them to where you’ll be spending the holidays. Most of us have spent a fair share of time on Amazon.com, but few are really aware of just how easy this one site makes holiday shopping. For instance, Amazon allows visitors to create wish lists, where they can pick and choose their favorite items. You can access your friend’s or family’s personalized lists by searching with a name or email. Once you find them, you can easily purchase and send with very little hassle.

Many online stores now even offer free or discounted shipping when you purchase a certain amount, such as Nordstrom, which gives free shipping when you spend $200 or more online. Other stores have similar promotions leading up to the holidays, so keep an eye on retailers like Williams-Sonoma, Red Envelope, and J.Crew, among others.

A word to the wise: Make sure that those receiving the items expect your packages and won’t open them. Unless, of course, you pay the extra to have your items gift-wrapped.

Do you have a better way to avoid high baggage fees? Or maybe you have a favorite place to shop online? Let us know by submitting a comment below!