With the weak economy, it has been more difficult to give gifts to all of the people that we’d like to give gifts. However, most people still have the desire to present their loved ones with gifts for birthdays, Christmas and other gifts throughout the course of the year. These are some ideas that individuals can use that will help them to save money on their gift giving throughout the year so that they will be able to give gifts to everyone on their lists.
Keep a list
Keeping a list of those people that you would like to buy gifts for is a great way to save money on gift giving. The main reason for this is that keeping a list of those people that you would like to give a gift to will ensure that you don’t overbuy gifts. The best way to start a list for gift shopping is to write down each recipient’s name and leave a space beside it where the purchased gifts can be filled in after a gift has been purchased.
Purchase gifts in advance
When an individual has made a list of the people that they will need to buy gifts for, it is far easier to purchase the gifts in advance. There are many times throughout the year when there will be deep discounts on items that will make a perfect gift for a friend or family member. When these items are seen at the store, they can be purchased and put up for the occasion when they will be given as a gift. After a gift has been purchased for a loved one, the purchased item can be filled in on the gift list that is being kept.
Homemade gifts
Many people have some talents that can be used to make gifts for loved ones. Making homemade gifts typically cost less than purchasing something from the store and will typically be treasured more than a gift that was picked up at the last moment. Handmade gifts can range from blankets made for children to elaborate decorations and wreaths made for adults. Decorative gifts will probably hold a place of honor in the recipients home for years to come. If this sounds like something that you would like to do, think about things that you enjoy creating and build the gifts from those ideas.
Coupons
Many stores offer coupons to save on purchases throughout the course of the year. If there are a number of gifts that you’ve considered buying for loved ones from the same store and that store issues a savings coupon, don’t hesitate to make use of those coupons. Coupons for department stores range from a dollar amount off of a purchase to a percentage off of your entire purchase. These coupons will help to save a significant amount on the shopping budget.
Shop online
In the advent of the internet, there have been a huge number of online retailers. The prices at these online retailers tend to be cheaper than the prices at local stores because they have less overhead than local shopping centers. If there is a gift that you would like to give to a loved one that seems expensive at local stores, check the prices of the items online and you might be able to save a tremendous amount of money toward that item. In addition to lower prices, many online retailers will offer free shipping at various times throughout the year.
There may be times where it seems like it isn’t possible to give all of the gifts that you would like to give without breaking the bank. However, following the simple tips above will save you a tremendous amount of money on your annual gift giving. Regardless of which tips you choose to use, it is always important to keep a list of the gifts that you’ve purchased so that you are able to avoid overbuying gifts.