How to save when buying gifts!

Everyone loves getting gifts. It can be a hassle though when you have to buy a gift for someone else if you have a limited budget.

Options

If you don’t have a lot of money how can you buy a tasteful gift? Well one idea is to use the person’s name who you are buying the gift for and use it to personalize the gift. A number of companies stitch or paint the person’s name and a message on pillows, towels, cups and other household items.

If you are artistic, you could consider creating a portrait of your friend or present her with a framed collage of pictures showing various adventures you and her have had over the years. You might also be able to refashion something from your own closet, perhaps something that you bought for yourself but never wore or create gift basket of your own.

What if you really like store bought gifts?

Well that means watching the budget carefully.  The best gifts are often not the most expensive. Most persons appreciate the thought that went into selecting something that showed you thought of them.

Most stores have advertised discounts for the month of December however it pays to distinguish between actual reduction of prices and gimmicks to trick consumers to spend more. However there are great deals that can be found.

In Jamaica we don’t have much secondhand stores but there are options for ‘migrating sales’ and other ‘garage sales’ that can reveal quality items for a reasonable price. The individuals that sell using this medium are usually quite flexible so feel free to negotiate the price. Of course there is no warranty on these types of purchases so investigate the items before you buy.

Why not check out the classifieds section in the Gleaner for the location and address of these types of sales!

Fairs

There is also the option of going to fairs.  These are often held in December and several vendors have stalls where they showcase various items. These vendors are usually willing to bargain and have the additional perk of having unique items.

So how do you save money on gifts? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer