Recently I helped a friend slash her budget for gifts by about 90%. I’ve already shared some ways I do this in the 100 Ways To Save Series, but thought I’d tackle a few ideas in-depth here.
1. Budget for gifts – I always keep a jar with a weekly contribution towards gifts! Other people have a bank account with the money for gifts through the year including holidays.
2. Prioritize! There aren’t many things I found difficult about living in North America, but one I did was the constant gift buying for colleagues, the engagement, wedding & baby showers etc. Personally I really try to prioritize who I buy for and generally focus on people with less and adoption celebrations as they are often overlooked!
3. Make something - a blanket, scarf, pillow cases, dresses, the possibilities are endless!
4. Cook or bake something! I’ve made jams, muffins, cookies, hot chocolate mixes, breads, soups and chutney as gifts! Get organized and do it while you menu plan & freezer cook!
5. Offer a service! From a pretend coupon for a day’s cleaning to cutting the lawn 4x or free baby-sitting, these gifts are free, show service & love and may just be the kindness someone needs!
6. Keep a gifts drawer! This is a brilliant way to save money – buying last minute for forgotten Birthdays or hostess gifts adds up, keeping a drawer where you have instant access to nice gifts is a good way to ensure you never spend in a rush!
7. Shop the sales - I generally stock up my gifts drawer in the after Christmas sales. From great gifts at the Body Shop to Debenhams or Monsoon, there are brilliant gifts marked down to 75% off! I keep things like jewelry, body products, gift vouchers and children’s craft kits ready & waiting! Having these also makes it easier to bless someone in a difficult situation!
8. Go off the beaten track - one off shops, fairtrade shops, craft markets, Church fairs are all great places to find unique gifts!
9. Find something that works & stick to it! When I was a child my mom and I made up stationery kits for friend’s parties – these were a box with fun pencils, pens, stickers, tiny puzzle books etc. I gave these away at all the parties I went to when I was in Grade 4 and 5 and I remember kids in my school actually coming up to me and saying “‘I’ll invite you to my party if you bring me one of those cool pencil kits”.
10. Give charity gifts – from providing livestock to families in developing countries to buying mosquito nets or trees to plant. This is such a way to give to the less fortunate rather than buy for the sake of it!
How do you ensure you give in love while sticking to a budget?
I try to give homemade gifts when I can. A loaf of homemade bread to someone who doesn’t bake, a knit hat for a child, a simple edged flannel blanket or booties for a baby. I find that homemade items are much cheaper and more thoughtful. A lot of people appreciate the time and thought more than the money.
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I try to shop the after Christmas sales, but I’ve also found I can get some good deals during the back to school sales. I also try to make as many handmade gifts as I can and alot of baking.
So true Coli, summer is a great time too!
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Great ideas!
I have an Xmas fund I put $ in every week, year round, but in September i’m going to be starting a gifts/clothing savings account so I have $$ set aside for gifts and clothes.
I am making making making this year! I was chatting with my Mum the other day, and I’m just tired of the “stuff” fest that Christmas becomes. All of my circle of friends are just buying houses/getting married, we’re all a bit strapped for cash, and all a bit conscious of how much mindless consumerism is programmed into our generation. Ergo: consumables. I’m planning making cookies and sweets and fruit cordials. Knitted goods. I want to try and buy small, local, and hand-made/fairly traded wherever possible. I say this quite often but now my budget is stretched super thin it’s definitely hand-made or nothing this year!
xx
I keep a gift cupboard; things like toiletries, candles (some I make in pretty teacups), stationery e.g. pretty notebooks, hardback notebooks that I make fabric covers for; they can be taken off and put on a new notebook) lavender bags, drawstring bags, shopping bags, crochet fingerless mittens, crocheted flower corsages. I also keep a mental note of what certain friends collect; koalas, sheep, pigs, (not real ones!), certain patterns of china and so on andbuy them when I see them.
Brilliant suggestions everyone! Thanks for including them!
On our spare bed I have a stack of clothes from my closet that will be mailed to a friend back home. In a conversation during the last week she mentioned being so strapped for cash yet needing new work clothes….its not like I don’t have extra. While clothes are heavy in the mail, my entire “gift” to her will include a flat rate box with at least 4 different outfit combinations she can make. Lately I’ve been sending care packages to dear friends and family too. I’m not a big fan of sending items that wind up on the shelf or have no real use, so to send a bit of Louisiana love I’ve just been mailing a box with local seasoning, “dirty” rice, and a note. Simple but still thoughtful.
And at work we also have a celebration fund. Out of each paycheck we put in $1-2 so that when bdays or other celebrations come around we can access that money for a small gift, cake, etc.
These are really wonderful suggestions! I really struggle with gift giving within a budget and am always searching for something last minute!
I just started up a gift idea website and am in the process of adding more and more gift ideas for kids. I try to find good deals for everything I suggest, but I think your ideas for the most part are much better. Obviously the tips on saving don’t apply, but it always seems nicer and more personal when a gift is handmade or a service is provided like a coupon book. You can save some good money just by making your own card too. People always seem to appreciate a handmade card more than a store bought one anyway.
and just in case anyone was wondering – The kids gift idea website is http://www.GiftsKidsLove.com – Sorry for the plug =)
Some good ideas here. I think organisation is the key to frugal gift giving – coming up with a sensible idea whilst there is still time rather than dashing about at the last minute (as I often find myself doing) and spending much more than necessary
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I buy throughout the year when I see something at a good price. Lots of things come from charity shops and car boot sales, it’s surprising what ‘new’ gifts others have donated/want to sell at these. Hope you don’t mind but I’ve included a link to a post I did a while back. http://jumbleandjelly.blogspot.com/2009/11/gift-idea.html
This gift in a jar cost less than £5 and I’m sure it could cost even less with a bit more forward planning.
Lisa x
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I love the idea of a gift cupboard! I’m going to do that.
At my office we each contribute £3 per birthday, which can be a little costly when several people have birthdays in rapid succession (there are 18 people in my department). However, I stockpile loose change at work for my contributions. And it means that each of us gets a fab and pretty substantial birthday present: I use it as an excuse to get a new bottle of perfume every year – a gorgeous treat.
I love the idea of the stationary kits. I think I’ll put that in place this year as my son starts school and will likely be going to tons of parties.
This year I am planning to make everyone’s Christmas gifts. It will mostly be gifts of baked goods or homemade snacks. I have been researching the net all year looking for interesting and unique ideas. It’s time to get back to what Christmas is all about and not how much we spend.
For my family I often bake for their birthdays. My grandad loves a homemade pie.