IT'S never too early to start thinking about Christmas - is it?

A busy Texas mom of five says July is the perfect time to start doing her festive shopping for a variety of reasons - including being able to nab big bargains at stores, including Target.

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Christina Hayward is a registered nurse, who's currently a stay-at-home mom in Austin, Texas looking after her five kids.

They range in age from four to 12 years old and are all homeschooled.

She says when it comes to getting through each day - organization is key.

So it's no surprise she applies that same philosophy to her shopping habits.

More on holiday shopping

Christina told The Sun exclusively that Christmas is "an exciting time of the year and very important for our family," adding she spends a lot of money and time planning for it.

However, as Americans are forced to tighten their belts, because of high inflation stuck at forty-year highs, they're making tough choices about when and what to cut back on - including holiday spending.

The 38-year-old said her family hasn't been immune to the pressure of rising costs.

She said she spends an average of $1,500 a month just on groceries for herself, her husband and children.

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"Looking for ways to save on expenses is a priority," she said.

Shopping for the holidays early is one way she says she's able to save money.

She also shared that it takes away the pressure of having to resort to last-minute gift purchases, which can cost more and helps avoid disappointment among the kids if something isn't available.

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Christina said: "I first started shopping for Christmas in July during the pandemic.

"It was mainly because of supply chain issues, but I started to realize how much sense it made."

What does she buy?

Her four boys are big fans of Lego, so she's always on the lookout for a good set, and said there are always summer deals on toys.

The Amazon, Target and Children's Place superfan said she will hunt down the things she wants both in-store and online.

In a TikTok video, Christina, who uses the handle Teamhayhomeschools, showed followers some of the deals she found on toys at Target.

"Come shop with me for Christmas in July - there are some wicked good deals," she told her followers.

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Some clearance items, including dolls, children's games and even slime were marked at 70% off, providing steep discounts.

"Sometimes I will just buy the items and stash them away and only decide later which child will get which gift," she told us.

Another thing she looks out for are dresses for her daughter, and tee-shirts and shorts for the kids because "even at Christmas it's 80 degrees in Texas!"

Her video showcased some of the deals she found, including shoes that were 30% off, watches for kids and clothes marked at 60% off.

One TikTok follower even commented: "You're a genius!"

The mom said "these discounts are great," but that's not the only reason it's worthwhile to shop now.

Why it makes financial sense to start now

Christina said it helps her better budget for the holidays and she's not forced to shell out a lot of money all at once, and it helps keep her overall household budget in check for the year.

She revealed the family typically spends about $2,500 during the holiday season on meals and family gatherings, decorations and gifts.

Getting hit with a huge bill in January is expensive and she said it can easily derail your new year budgeting goals.

Experts agree and say shopping early can help break up those payments over several months making them easier to absorb.

Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com, told The Sun that one thing to consider if using a credit card is to make sure you're not paying for Christmas for months into the new year.

He said: "It is best to only use a credit card if you know you can pay the balance in full at the end of the month."

That's particularly true now, as the Federal Reserve just hiked interest rates by 0.75 percentage points, which will send credit card rates higher.

Mr McBride added: "If you have to finance the purchase for a period of time in order to pay it off, it is best to get a credit card with a 0% promotional rate on purchases."

McBride explained most major issuers offer such a card and promotion for at least 12 months.

More ways to save

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There are plenty of ways to save on your Christmas shopping.

Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst from Bankrate.com, said he loves the idea of stacking discounts.

He added: "For example, use a rewards credit card (if you are able to pay in full and avoid interest) and combine that with a store coupon code and an online shopping portal (such as Rakuten)."

"That's two ways to save on the same purchase."

Another option is to start putting aside money in a separate account, or in a separate envelope before or as you start your early holiday shopping, according to mom's blog MoneyForTheMamas.

The blog also suggests getting a side hustle to help defray some Christmas costs, which is what Christina did.

She started baking cinnamon buns during the pandemic and selling them.

In 2020 she says she earned $600 and last year made $1,500. This year she hopes to earn $2,500.

She uses the money to help her pay for the holiday season.

She said it helps make the holiday season guilt-free and has made her early-start shopping excursions more pleasant, along with not having to deal with big holiday shopping crowds.

Christina added that she doesn't do all the shopping in July.

Instead, she's waiting for the start of school ewer crowds to head to Hobby Lobby for their holiday decoration discounts, which she normally says are around 50%.

Read More on The US Sun

Read More on The US Sun

Here's more on budgeting and how you can make sure you're paying less for your bakery goods.

Plus, if you are shopping early, here are 17 states with a tax holiday on back-to-school items.