Last-minute panic or overspending aren’t the best gift-giving methods. The best gifts come from planning ahead, being mindful of what the recipient might need/want and keeping things easy to facilitate good gift-giving. The most important part of the process for gifting thoughtfully without going broke is the method of giving as opposed to the actual price tag.
Why You may be Worried when Gift Shopping
When you are gift shopping, there is no structure which is why gift shopping can feel confusing. You walk into a store with no plans, no budget or spending ides to know to make an educated purchase. As a result, you may find yourself paying more for a great item, but you may not feel the gift idea was personal as it could have been.
The stress from shopping for gifts is more about your lack of preparation than it is about the actual gifts themselves.
One simple way to relieve your mind from thinking about how much to spend on gifting someone, is to create your budget prior to actually going shopping. Set aside a specific amount of money for each person and for each occasion, such as, b-day, holiday, wedding, baby shower and so on/ so you can determine the equal amount of money for your budget for each.
If you and your significant other are sharing your funds, this budgeting process should be collaborative so you can try to avoid future uncomfortable financial conversations.
There are some people who really enjoy giving other people gifts, but dislike going through the process of shopping for those gifts. The dread of what to buy and how much to spend, as well as the fear of whether or not they’ll appreciate the gift, can make it an unpleasant experience. The main objective now is to reverse that feeling – from stressful to smooth.
Create a Year-In-Advance Gift Plan
Don’t wait until the moment you need to give out presents to react. Start a full year’s worth of gift ideas by writing down every birthday, anniversary, and holiday you think you will give gifts for, and organizing them into a monthly summary.
This will allow you to keep track of each person’s birthday/anniversary, and will give you an idea of how much to set aside from your monthly budget for gifts going forward. This way, you won’t have to worry about someone else’s birthday sneaking up on you, and you won’t have to worry about last-minute purchases at a higher price.
Have Gift Ideas Ready at Your Fingertips
One of the hardest parts of the entire gift-giving process is coming up with ideas for what to give people. A great solution?
Anytime someone says they like something, or they need something, or they have trouble with something, however small; write down their name. if you think of a cool product for someone after seeing it somewhere- write their name down and give them that idea. Once you have built this running list of personalized suggestions for each individual in your life, you’ll have an excellent gift-giving strategy.
Be aware of what people say and do in person versus online.
Often times, great gifts can come from someone telling you a story about their daily life. For instance, your buddy might casually mention that he enjoys playing basketball, or your sister might mention that she has difficulty finding an outfit for her new job. Little things like these give you clues as to what would be a great gift for that person.
When you’re listening instead of just scrolling through Facebook, some very thoughtful gifts can come out of your keen observation skills.
Picture someone struggling to do something such as cook, organize, or commute to work, and then down the road you give them something that solves the issue. That is a really thoughtful gift—one that could feel personal, practical, and memorable—and doesn’t have to be expensive.
That is the best part!
Giving gifts is all about being able to create a clear plan, create a budget, track your ideas, and pay attention to others’ real needs, rather than feeling pressure to do so; this way, it’s much easier, less expensive, and far more meaningful.
