Ways To Save Money On Wedding Gifts-5 Easy Ways To Save Money For An Incredible Wedding Gift

March 10, 2009 by  
Filed under On Gifts

We have all felt it, the feeling of dread when the wedding invitation comes through the door for yet another wedding of someone you hardly know. Although it is nice to be invited the all important questions – what do I get them and how much do I spend? Spring to mind.

If you are invited to the full reception, generally the gift would be a bit more lavish and a rough gauge would be to spend roughly the same amount as the mea would cost. Obviously, this is quite a broad range but you can spend within the lower end, after all it is not a competition.

When you are on a budget and having to spend money on a gift was not anticipated it is good to know there are ways to save money but still manage to produce a lovely and suitable gift.

Firstly, make sure you are quick to browse the wedding gift list. These days the bride and groom usually supply a list for all spending ranges, as they know not everyone has a large budget and that there are many items that are cheaper but handy to receive, such as kitchen utensils.

Think about what a newly wed couple might want or need. If they are moving in to a new house, they will probably have many household items on the list. Try putting together a gift basket with small (cheap) kitchen utensils but placed decoratively with a bottle of red wine and chocolates tied with a bow. The bride and groom will be getting a multitude of boxed items and probably some duplicates but they will remember yours and it will be heartfelt.

Instead of the basket, you can go for a theme, such as a night in with ingredients for a lovely meal, including a recipe with some cheap and cheerful bubbly, you could round off the gift with a romantic movie and some un-popped popcorn all placed in a rustic mixing bowl.

Find a nice bottle of red wine (a kind you know they like) and tell them that it is to be opened until their 5th wedding anniversary. Tie a little note round the bottle which they are to open on the day. Thoughtful gifts which show that you wanted to make an effort out-value any expensive gift that has been hurriedly purchased last minute.

Look for a beautiful frame for the wedding invitation, or, you could take a plain frame and decorate it yourself. This would be a unique gift that they couldn’t find anywhere else. Other nice items to frame would be a favorite song or poem or even a reading from the wedding.

These gifts would be treasured and kept longer than the microwave or Coffee-maker they received. Putting a little effort, pre-planning and creativity goes a long way to saving money on the gift and you will more than likely end up with a more beautiful and appropriate gift than if you had spent twice as much.

5 Fabulous Money Saving Ideas For Unusual Gifts

March 9, 2009 by  
Filed under On Gifts

Giving and receiving gifts is part of our culture and makes us feel loved and cherished. Regardless of how much the gift cost when a bit of thought is applied, the gift becomes even more special. When money is tight and you need to save money rather than spend why not try making your gift from scratch?

As the years pass by, without really noticing it, we can fall into a rut of giving (and getting) roughly the same gifts. This is largely due to knowing what each other likes and trying to avoid disappointment, however, the element of surprise is one of the best parts of receiving a gift. Why not save money and produce a fabulously unique gift for your loved one?

Following are some easy to follow, money saving ideas for a truly unique and unusual gift.

The gifts you give do not necessarily have to be a physical item, you can give a gift in the form of a service or activity. You can craft a hand-made IOU card in the form of a certificate, stating that you will perform a service such as cooking a meal, cleaning the house or any other skill that would be appreciated. If you are a musician, you could provide musical entertainment for an evening.

You can take a simple household item such as a message corkboard and spruce it up. Cover the board with bright material and decorate with beads, shells or anything that takes your fancy to produce a lovely handcrafted gift. The fact that this item is completely unique and can’t be purchased anywhere makes it that bit more special.

A new craze where you can buy your loved one a piece of land on the moon or a star is taking hold. This wacky present includes the deed to the piece of land giving direction and the exact location with a certificate provided. What makes this even more interesting is, if you look in of the bigger newspapers you will find companies dealing in real estate (extraterrestrial). This gift will bring a smile and is sure to be something they did not anticipate.

You can do a little work on photoshop or any other image software such as “picnic” and fashion your loved one’s photo on a gift such as a T-shirt, a piece of crockery or a mouse pad. When you know the person well, you can give a suitable gift that will strike a chord.

When money is tight and you are trying to save money, the best ways to save money on gifts are thoughtful and sometimes humorous gifts. Try having a look in the joke shop. You can buy a few items cheaply and put them together to create a fun basket of goodies, through in a few candies and streamers. The receiver of the gift will appreciate the time spent on them and know that they were important enough to put the work in. Any thoughts of cost will go out the window.

You really do not need to worry about spending a fortune on a quality present, let your imagination run and create a special and unique gift, saving money on a gift does not have to mean a lesser value gift. You can even put a little brand (made by you), these gifts will be kept forever and treasured.

Fantastic And Unique Gift Ideas That Will Help You Save Money

March 8, 2009 by  
Filed under On Gifts

Everyone enjoys receiving gifts and the giving can be just as rewarding. Giving gifts is a little sign of appreciation that they are part of your life and a way to make them feel loved. There may be times when money is short and you want to give a gift but can’t find anything that fits the bill within your budget.

Following are some unique gift ideas that you can use to make them more affordable but every bit as fantastic.

You give gifts to people you care about and love. You know a lot about them, what they like, hobbies and interests. Because of this valuable knowledge you can create a gift yourself, customizing it to their taste. By giving a personal touch you are showing the person they are worth putting some effort into instead of just going into a shop and simply buying it.

If you have a particular talent such as arts and crafts, knitting or crocheting, you can utilize these skills to create beautiful and unique gifts. It doesn’t matter is you are not the latest Picasso, with a little creative imagination anyone can produce a decent handmade gift.

A thoughtful and charming gift idea is to simply frame a nice photo that would appeal to them. If you do not feel confident enough to make the frame yourself, you can buy an inexpensive, plain frame and decorate with paint, beads, shells and any other materials you can obtain from art stores or even around the house. This is a particularly good personalized gift as it conjures up good memories as well as receiving a gift.

Again, using photos from various points in their life, you can create an album with little personalized captions or a calendar. There are templates you can find cheaply online to save money and you can give the calendar a more personal feel with special occasions such as anniversaries and birthdays being added.

Luxury homemade food items such as truffles, cookies and preserves can make excellent gifts. Once you have finished making them, place in a decorative container and finish off with a little bow with a note attached giving the recipe.

A great idea for a present could be a subscription for a magazine they particularly like, This can be a relatively inexpensive gift and they will be reminded of you every time they receive the magazine.

Receiving a gift which has been given a lot of thought and effort is heart-warming. Cost is unimportant and pales into significance compared to the hours spent crafting the hand-made gift. Sometimes the most simple ideas are the most effective. If you take a look in little boutique style craft shops, you will find a wealth of stimulus for unique gift ideas that will still have you saving money.

Save Costs On Presents With A Beautiful Homemade Gift Basket

March 7, 2009 by  
Filed under On Gifts

In an age where everyone has almost everything they want, with there every whim available at the click of a mouse, isn’t it nice to receive a gift where care and thought not to mention some elbow grease has been applied?

A gift basket can be tailor-made to an individuals taste and although they can be expensive to buy ready made, making your own allows you not only to save money but gives that added personal touch.

A gift is always nice no matter what, but a gift which has been carefully constructed with the intended person in mind is the highest compliment and shows that they are important enough to spend the time.

Putting together a gift basket for a loved one can be great fun and there are many resources to utilize for the contents. Homemade food such as preserves and cookies are just a few. Practical foods such as cheese and fruit can be bought cheaply then organised in a food basket to look beautiful.

Before commencing on your gift basket, plan ahead. How much can you afford, who are you giving the gift to and what do they like. No matter what their interests and taste, there is always a gift basket that will appeal.

Many companies who produce gift baskets, base them on a theme such as 60’s memorabilia, rustic, country foods and other interest and pastimes. Even the smallest budget can produce a suitable gift with a little pre-planning.

There are many types of containers to choose from but the most aesthetically pleasing has to be the wicker basket. They are relatively cheap but have a unique ability to muster up memories of sunny picnics in childhood. If a wicker basket doesn’t quite suit the theme, you can use flower pots, trays and even coffee mugs.

Let the theme run the show, if the theme happens to be gardening, you could use a plant pot, if it’s cookery, then a mixing bowl, the ideas are endless. The container can also provide humour as well as practical use. Different materials, such as crepe paper, cotton wool, straw or any other filler you can think of can be used to line the container. You can save money on filler by using materials from your home.

The arrangement of your basket should include the main gift being placed in the center with the surrounding gifts and bit and bobs surrounding it. Your filler material should be interspersed amongst the gifts. The basket should look full and slightly overflowing for a more exciting presentation.

Once you have completed the basket place inside a plastic bag and decorate with balloons or a bow and place your card where it can be seen.

Encompassing the receiver’s interests, what makes them laugh, their personality shows genuine care for them and a gift which, no matter how much money is spent, cannot be matched. To save costs on presents does not have to mean saving on quality.

Tips To Save Money – Easy Ways To Save Money On Christmas Gifts

March 6, 2009 by  
Filed under On Gifts

Christmas time is always going to mean spending, and sometimes a lot of it. Research has shown that residents of the U.S spend a large percentage of all spending at Christmas time. Every year many experience a growth in gifts to be given and nowadays it is increasingly difficult to make the cash flow go far. However there are methods to cut your spending without sacrificing quality. Following are a few effective tips to save money at Christmas.

The sentiment of gifts that have been given a lot of thought as opposed to a quick but expensive gift are still appreciated. Instead of beginning the Christmas shopping on the 22nd of December, start a little earlier and with a bit of thought and pre-planning you can acquire surprisingly cheap but charming gifts.

At any time of the year always keep a look out for suitable gifts. Around the festive season, many items shoot up in price where other times of the year they are low priced. If you buy your gifts throughout the year at a better price not only will you be saving on the item itself but you will not notice the expense as much, if at all.

A great time to start your Christmas shopping is in January for the sales, however, you would be forgiven for not being in the mood to start all over again. But keep in mind a gift just here and there all adds up.

It is easy to overlook sales offers and money saving coupons but if you are thinking ahead, you can use these in conjunction with your gifts, again saving money and reducing that Christmas list. Instead of throwing out these old magazine and papers, scan for special offers, you’ll be surprised at the amount you can find.

It is so much easier these days to get the best deal all from the comfort of your home. Scan shops online for the best deals and buying online can significantly reduce cost and save money on fuel and sometimes sales tax.

Don’t underestimate the value of dollar stores. Ok, there can be a lot of useless items but often there are excellent little gifts to use as additional presents, or fun presents. These stores are also very good for wrapping paper and other nic nacs needed at Christmas time, some sell Christmas paraphernalia all year round.

Recycling a gift that has never been used and left unopened is a practical way for saving money and clearing space as well as the item actually being enjoyed by someone. Just remember who gave you the gift, you don’t want the embarrassment of giving the gift back to the same person.

Look out for discount prices in yard sales, if you look hard enough you can find some fantastic items that can be spruced up and made to look as good as new. Frequently you can find items that are unused and still in the original packaging for a hugely reduced price.

There is always the make-your-own gifts which could include gift hampers/baskets. You can save money by making these gifts yourself at a small percentage of the price they are sold as a complete package. A little creativity goes a long way to cut costs on that enormous bill at Christmas time.