The holidays are so close that you could probably hear the sleigh bells and smell the eggnog. If you’re like me, you’re probably still digging yourself out of whatever you spent last year. And, if you’re like me, whatever gifts you bought and gifted are currently:
1) Lost or broken (due to clumsiness)
2) In the attic (the gift became boring)
3) Sold on eBay (the gift recipient needed to pay off last year’s holiday debt)
Think of all the money you ever spent on toys…
So you’re planning to spend more money this year on more useless things, right? It’s inevitable. You can’t possibly pretend that you forgot about the holidays. No one would believe it.
“Woops… oh wow. The holidays? Totally slipped my mind. Sorry.”
Some people have invented new religions to avoid buying gifts/ spending money.
“Sorry, it’s against hallelujah-ism. What’s that, you ask? New religion. Basically, I’m not allowed to spend more than ten dollars this month.”
That won’t work (trust me, I’ve tried it).
So what can you possibly do? Well… saving money during the season of spending is easier than you think. It’s all about being sentimental in your gift- giving process. An expensive product doesn’t necessarily qualify it as a good present.
Sentimental Gift Giving 101
1) Don’t be afraid to use the old-photos-in-a-nice-picture-frame gift (cost: less than $20 bucks). The gift of good memories is priceless. Print out that one photo you both love and frame it. It’s easy, it doesn’t get in the way, and it’s cheap. What else do you need?
2) Put lots of thought into it. Write a long note. Paint a picture. Make it surprising. It’s all about the presentation. If your recipient is unable to forget your gift, you’ve done an excellent job.
3) Don’t overspend. Research has shown that expensive gifts make recipients feel guilty. They’ll be obligated to reciprocate by “returning the favor.” It’s a big mess. If you know someone is having financial problems, give them a cheap gift. They’ll be happier with something simple, because they won’t feel like they owe you something. They don’t need any more debt on their back.
Those are our tips. We really hope you’ll save more this year. Maybe take a few surveys for some extra money (every little bit helps). Try not to stress too much. Remember, the holidays aren’t about money. The holidays are about getting together and sharing things. Unless, of course, your religion is hallelujah-ism.