Tips:
• Plan your gift giving so you can get more creative and tailor the gift to your recipient.
• Budget what you are going to spend overall or even per person. (And stick to it!)
• Use a spreadsheet to keep track of what you’re getting for who and how much
• Avoid the malls to avoid impulse buying
• Don’t go into debt for gifts.
• Purchase online or from catalogs. You can shop any time and compare prices easily. My Favorite catalogs for selection, uniqueness and prices: Solutions, Restoration Hardware Gifts, Crate & Barrel, Harry & David.
Some examples of meaningful gift ideas:
- Photo gifts! Maybe this year you had a family vacation, birthdays, milestone events or just some great snaps in general—photo gifts are one-of-a-kind and endearing. Snapfish.com, Zazzle.com, Cafepress.com, are just a few places that can turn a digital photo into gift-giving gold.
- If you don’t want to break the bank and can’t find that perfect gift, give the gift of time. In our busy lives, a special outing or a pledge to do an extra chore can be better than any physical gift. Make a special coupon or ticket to be redeemed at the receiver’s convenience.
- Handmade or homemade gifts can be refreshingly unique and supportive to small and/or local businesses. Your area Farmers Market or sites like etsy.com are great places to look.
(This is a piece was originally written for Lillylikes.com but was not published.)
