Gifting on a Beggar’s Budget

Originally posted on November 26, 2009

I love buying gifts for friends and family. But our pockets are not always deep. You can give a wonderful generous gifts without emptying your bank account. After all, being generous has more to do with thoughtfulness than money. Read on for a few of my ideas.

Give a date night. I’m giving this gift to a few people this year. If you’re familiar with Restaurant.com, this site offers $25 certificates at participating restaurants for only $10. At least once per month, they run promotions of seventy, eighty, even ninety percent off of their discount prices. Weeks ago, I snagged a few $25 certificates for only $1! Actually, it came to less than $1 each because I went through Ebates.com, a site that offers cash back when you shop through their site. Along with the restaurant certificates, I’m buying movie tickets at a discounted rate thanks to the coupons in my entertainment book. This gift fits almost any adult. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a night out which includes great food and entertainment?

Books make great gifts. I love giving books. No matter where a person’s interests lie, you’ll find a book to suit him or her. Many bookstore retailers periodically offer high-value coupons. I’ve seen quite a few 30% off and 40% off coupons recently. Magazine subscriptions are also a fine idea. Now with digital e-books you can save even more.

Don’t fake it, make it. Instead of shopping the clearance rack for items nobody wants, get your baking gloves on and bake cookies from scratch. Or if you’re crafty, pick up a few inexpensive supplies and give a handmade gift. Make your own “coupons” for your babysitting services or offer to clean a person’s house or teach them about something you’re an expert on. Use your own special talents and give something from the heart. One of my go-to gift ideas are candles, because they fit just about everyone and people love them, so I love this Natural Soy Wax Candle Making Kit.

Pay-it-Forward listings on Etsy. I love the Etsy community. There is an array of the most creative hand-made goods you’ve never seen. And if you haven’t noticed, many etsians offer pay-it-forward listings, where fabulous items are offered for only $0.20. All you have to do is pay-it-forward, whether it be offering a great deal to someone yourself, or doing a good deed in some other way. If you take advantage of one of these deals, please make sure to leave positive feedback for the seller. Think of it as a thank you note for the gift they’ve given you.

Look to the blogosphere. There are a ton of giveaway bloggers out there doling out great prizes, including yours truly. Whether valued at $5.00 or $500.00, it’s free if you win. Give your prizes as gifts, and all it took was a little time on your part. The key to winning: Enter as many different giveaways as you can and get in as many entries as you can. Here are my current giveaways.

There are so many ways to stretch your dollar over the holidays. You don’t have to spend much if you put some thought into your gifts. Give something meaningful by asking questions about the person you’re buying (or making) the gift for. For example, does the person…have a favorite hobby? / root for a certain sports team? / like to travel? / enjoy a specific food or drink?

I hope I’ve given you some good ideas for gifts that make the recipient happy and the giver (that’s you) a fatter wallet.

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