Tis the season of gift giving and receiving. The holidays are supposed to be a joyous time of year; however, the financial stress of buying gifts for others can really put a damper on that. There is no reason to make yourself broke giving gifts to others, though. Here are 6 gift ideas that won’t break the bank.
Gift Cards
Pooh-pooh to anyone who thinks gift cards are a bad gift. I LOVE gift cards. The less I have to use my own money for something, the happier I am! Gift cards are also great for the gift giver because you may be able to use reward points to buy them! Many credit card reward programs offer customers the ability to turn their rewards points into gift cards, so check yours before you begin shopping for the holidays.
Go Out to Eat Together
Rather than exchanging gifts, go out to breakfast, lunch or dinner together- whichever works for your schedule and finances. Last year we started a tradition with my husband’s cousins (11 of us) to go out to dinner instead of trying to exchange gifts. This eliminates the stress of trying to find gifts for everyone, costs less and is much more fun! My best friend and I also go out to lunch every year for our birthdays since they are 5 days apart.
Experience
Experiences can range from free to expensive, so if you’re trying to stay reasonable keep that in mind. But nothing beats spending quality time with someone trying something new or doing something different together. Some experience ideas that I love: cooking class, hiking, pottery class, sip & paint, ice skating or a concert.
Homemade
One of my friends makes these delicious sugar-coated pecans and puts them in mason jars to give as gifts around the holidays. It’s cute, delicious and doesn’t cost a ton! Instead of pecans you could make cookies, cakes, cupcakes, pastries, pies or any other dessert you can think of. Another alternative is to put all the ingredients into a jar and allow your recipient to make the dessert his or herself.
Sentimental Note
While my husband and I generally do exchange some sort of gifts for holidays, no matter what the occasion is my favorite gift of all is the note he writes me, whether it be in the card or a separate letter. While it may not cost money to do this, this is something that can be treasured forever. It’s not important how expensive your gift is. It is important, however, how your gift makes the person on the receiving end feel.
Crafts
For lack of a better word to describe this, if baking and writing aren’t your things, you could also craft something for your recipient. If you’re good at taking picture, frame a photograph as a gift. If you’re great at painting, paint something your recipient loves or would find beautiful. If you’re a knitter, knit your recipient a hat, gloves, scarf or blanket. If you like pottery, make a bowl or vase or plate as a gift.
