Everyone has that one person on their list that is tough to shop for. They could be a parent, sibling, significant other or friend. For some reason, gift-giving becomes more difficult every year as if someone constructs a better and stronger “gifting barrier” each season. Below are seven ways to make gift-giving easier this year.
Make a List
Start by creating a list of everyone who needs a gift (including yourself). Then go through each person and think of something they would like. You may find that you’re able to get away with buying some people one gift instead of two or three. The more thoughtful your gift is, the less likely it is that it’ll need additional items to accompany it.
What’s more, writing down names gives you a hard copy of everyone who needs a gift and keeps your spending on track. This prevents impulse purchases when someone pops into your mind at the last minute.
Set a Budget
It’s always important to have a budget for your holiday spending. A good place to start is by looking at last year’s spending and adjusting for inflation or other changes in your financial situation. You can also consider what you want from this year’s holiday season — do you want to spend more time with loved ones or less? Setting financial goals will help you figure out how much you can afford to spend on gifts and other expenses like travel and entertainment, then stick with it.
Use Cash Rather Than Credit Cards
Whether your limit is $100 or $10,000, spending cash on gifts puts an actual cap on what you can spend this holiday season. It’s much harder to max out a credit card than it is to run out of cash. This might not be possible if you have a lot of holiday shopping to do, so take your time and pay as much as possible with cash or debit cards.
Buy Early
If you have a specific gift in mind, buy it as soon as you find it. That way, you can cross off one item on your list, and you won’t have to worry about whether the item will be in stock when you return to buy it later. If you’re shopping online, remember to factor in shipping times and postage boxes if you want the gift to arrive early. By buying early, you can also avoid last-minute shipping costs, especially if the store offers free shipping during a certain time period.
Consider Giving Experiences Instead of Things
Instead of spending money on another object that will succumb to gravity and eventually end up in a landfill, consider giving an experience. Gift certificates for things like hiking, sailing or cooking classes can create lasting memories — and often last longer than whatever you would have bought.
How about giving someone the chance to try something new? It could be anything from rock climbing to interior design. A gift certificate for a class or activity has at least two components: it allows someone to try something new and exciting, and it also gives them an excuse to get out of the house.
Shop Online, But Be Smart About it
Buying gifts online can be a great way to save time and money. You can shop from anywhere at any time and comparison shop safely from your own home. However, there are some traps that can make shopping online more difficult than it needs to be.
One of the most common mistakes people make is using “free shipping” as the only criteria for determining which site has the best price. In many cases, sites offer free shipping as a way to drive sales without actually offering the best deal. A quick search for coupon codes should help you find better prices on the same products.
Another issue is return policies. Some sites have generous policies that allow you to return almost anything within 30 days, while others require you to keep receipts and will only accept returns if the product is defective. Before buying something online, look at the site’s returns policy and make sure it’s easy enough that you’ll be comfortable when you want to return an item.
Buy in Bulk
Rather than try to find a different item for each person on your list, select one great item and buy it in bulk. Not only will you save money, but you’ll be able to dedicate more of your budget to wrapping supplies — and you’ll also be able to wrap everything at once.
Conclusion
Whether you want to make life easier for yourself or help out the gift-givers in your life, these ideas should help you create more memorable gifts that give back and spread goodwill to others.
