| Want to save $1000 this year for very little | | | | massage and facial. This gift is easily |
| effort? Gift giving is an area where impulse | | | | worth over $75!Organize personal negatives |
| buying is a frequent occurrence. I was | | | | and photographs for a friend or family |
| amazed to discover I was spending over $1500 | | | | member. Create a scrapbook, photo books, or |
| or more per year for gifts. What have you | | | | even Photo CDs.Make some creative hand |
| spent for gifts in the last 12 months?In my | | | | puppets for a child if you have mismatched |
| experience, gifts were last minute purchases | | | | socks and buttons lying around your |
| for which money was no object. I now spend | | | | home.Create a care package for a friend who |
| less than $500 per year for gifts. Take two | | | | recently got a new job. In a box or basket |
| hours of your life and save yourself $1000 or | | | | put some instant coffee, tea bags, aspirin, |
| more per year on gift giving.Get | | | | bandages, travel size toothpaste and |
| PreparedLabel 12 manila folders January - | | | | toothbrush, along with a coffee cup.If the |
| December. On the front of each monthly | | | | friend is a female, add some trial size |
| folder, write the days of the month. Next to | | | | products such as perfume and hair spray. If |
| the appropriate date on the folder, write in | | | | you want to increase the value of the gift, |
| the occasion for which a gift and/or a card | | | | give a portable umbrella.Design a similar |
| will need to be purchased. Then, write the | | | | package for a recent high-school graduate |
| amount of money you will spend on that gift. | | | | student who will be entering college. You |
| Inevitably, a wedding or birthday will come | | | | may want to even provide a $5 phone card |
| up that you didn't know about, so be sure you | | | | instead of an umbrella.Buy movie tickets... a |
| leave a little money left for these | | | | gift where one size fits all. When movie |
| unexpected occasions.The key is, don't exceed | | | | tickets are purchased in advance from movie |
| what you budgeted for each gift. For | | | | theatres, you can usually get them at half |
| example, for Mother's Day, I will write $15 | | | | price!Offer to make dinner for your friends |
| next to the holiday. I only allocate $400 | | | | if you're a good cook.Give a single friend or |
| for the known holidays and set aside $100 for | | | | elderly family member freshly frozen dinners |
| the unexpected gifts such as a wedding or | | | | for a week.Mail out holiday cards for an |
| birth of a child. You may find that you are | | | | elderly family member. if you're computer |
| unable to budget $500 a year for gift giving. | | | | literate, put their address book into a |
| Just determine what you can afford and STICK | | | | database so the information can easily be |
| WITH IT. Don't deviate from your | | | | updated.Make a year's worth of greeting cards |
| budget.Advance PlanningThere are very real | | | | and personalized stationery for someone if |
| benefits to planning your gift-giving in | | | | you're a bit crafty.Make enough birthday |
| advance. And, with a little creativity, you | | | | cards, anniversary cards, and blank cards for |
| can bring your overall cost down | | | | a year's worth of holidays. The |
| substantially. Because you're prepared, you | | | | thoughtfulness will go a long way throughout |
| can actually enjoy the holidays. You won't | | | | the year.Help someone else get organized. If |
| feel financially strapped since you've | | | | the person you need to give a gift to is an |
| budgeted for the gifts in advance. Since | | | | entrepreneur or extremely disorganized, make |
| you've anticipated the gift-giving occasion, | | | | a filing system for the upcoming tax |
| you will undoubtedly find the gifts on sale. | | | | year.Purchase gift-with-purchase cosmetic |
| It goes without saying, but the ideas is, | | | | perfume specials and split the gifts. |
| NEVER PAY RETAIL - EVER!Frugal Gift IdeasBuy | | | | Usually the gift is nicely wrapped, generic, |
| gift-wrap and greeting cards on sale, or | | | | and valuable enough to give away for an |
| better yet, make them yourself.Shop for gifts | | | | upcoming gift in your tickler file.Getting |
| all year long to get the best price. This | | | | OrganizedIn a drawer or closet, place the |
| may mean you could be buying Christmas cards | | | | gift giving manila files, the greeting cards, |
| in January.Plant an herb garden for a friend. | | | | gift-wrap and purchased gifts in |
| And, while you're at it, make one for | | | | chronological order. This is now your |
| yourself too.Treat your partner/spouse to a | | | | tickler file and shopping list to remind you |
| homemade spa. Give him/her a gift | | | | what holiday is coming up. |
| certificate announcing a full one-hour body | | | | |