Saving Money on Gifts
Updated July 28, 2007
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Shop for gifts all year long.
If you shop for gifts at the last minute, you'll probably end up paying whatever the price is of the gift at the time that you find it. If you know what types of gifts you plan on getting someone ahead of time, you can hunt for the best bargains throughout the year.
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Look for good deals on auction sites.
The most popular site is http://www.ebay.com.
You sometimes need to be cautious when purchasing items from an auction, but most of the time you'll end up getting great deals. Just make sure that you can see a picture or at least an incredibly detailed summary of the item you're buying to make sure that you aren't bidding on the wrong item and that the item is in good condition.
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Look for the lowest retail prices by shopping through price comparison sites.
Type in the name of the item you want or browse through categories and you'll see a list of stores that sell the product as well as the price they are selling it for. You'll be surprised how much of a markup some online stores have. Don't just go for the cheapest item, though. Make sure that you can find out how much shipping is before you purchase the item and that you can return it if you're dissatisfied.
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Check out thrift stores.
Thrift stores are great places to find odds and ends to make gift baskets/kits, and your recipient doesn't have to know that it's from a thrift store.
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Shop for gifts with points.
You can also get gift certificates by collecting points through http://www.mypoints.com, which is a program that will give you points for viewing advertisements that are delivered to your email. You can also earn points by taking surveys at Survey Savvy, E-Poll, MySurvey, Opinion Outpost.
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Create your own gift wrap and decorations.
You can create your own gift wrap and decorations with newspapers, comic strips, paper bags, product packaging from department stores, butcher paper, foil, photocopies, art supplies, etc. It just takes some creativity.
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Give a gift of your time.
Create your own coupon book offering services that you'll provide free of charge, such as childcare, yard care, pet care, house cleaning, tutoring, music lessons, running errands, taxi service, oil change, painting a room, fixing a computer, etc.
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Make your gifts.
A handmade gift is often more loved than a store bought gift. It's a good way to share your hobby skills too. If you're into scrapbooking, create a scrapbook. If you like to sew, make some handmade clothing, curtains, or pillows. If you're into woodworking, build a bench, table, bookshelf, or birdhouse. If you're a gardener, create your own flower arrangements or give out fresh produce, homemade jams, or canned vegetables from your garden. Just take a hobby that you already love and think of a way to give away your projects as gifts.
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Don't buy pre-made gift baskets.
It's cheaper and more fun to make your own. Plus, you can customize the contents to fit the interest of the recipient and add a personal touch.
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Have a gift drawing.
Instead of buying one gift for each person, have each person draw a name from a hat and only buy a gift for the person whom they drew. This way, everyone can afford to buy a more expensive gift for one person rather than cheaper gifts for many people.
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Make handmade cards.
Instead of purchasing expensive greeting cards, make them yourself.
...by Feed