Five Graduation Gifts to Give Instead of Money

With graduation fast approaching you may be wondering what kind of gift you can give for the event aside from the all-time favorite and appreciated gift of money. The following five suggestions are offered to help you choose something unique and memorable for the upcoming graduate on your shopping list.

One: If you know the schedule of the graduate after school and are part of or very close to the family so you can get inside tips on what dates to choose, you can purchase a trip for the soon-to-be graduate. Taking a trip abroad just after high school and just prior to starting college can be a wonderful experience for a young person, if it is thought out properly and well planned for. You can give that special someone the perfect gift by doing the planning (and paying) for them. You can choose a place relevant to their upcoming collegiate studies, a place of touristy popularity, or simply a place you know will be near and dear to their hearts. In any case, this gift is one that will be cherished if your recipient would like to travel.

Two: If the graduate does not have a car and you are in the position to and feel they can responsibly handle it, a car could be the perfect gift to give the upcoming graduate in lieu of money. You can choose a new one or a slightly used one with a good warranty. This is the perfect gift to help them as they tread new territories because it takes one worry away from them (reliable transportation) as they begin their adult life.

Three: If you are hoping to teach the graduate the value of investing, you can purchase stock for them in their name and teach them, if they do not know how already, how to track their investment. Or, you can include a self-help tool in the gift that will help them track how their stock(s) are doing, such as a one year subscription to The Wall Street Journal newspaper, or other newspaper that tracks stock, or a periodical that offers inside trading tips and tracking.

Four: If the graduate is headed directly to college and will be staying in a dorm, consider a gift certificate package for graduation that will take them through their first year of college. Choose gift certificates for places that will be within easy distance of their campus, such as pizza places, fast food restaurants (for a quick bite before studying), movie theaters, local malls or CD stores, or even for practical places such as the computer shop or grocery store, and don't forget the campus bookstore. Every student can find a use for bookstore gift certificates. Mix and match the gift certificates to what you anticipate the student's needs will be. This is a gift that will be appreciated as the upcoming year unfolds and the graduate becomes acquainted with responsibility and finances, and how best to juggle the two.

Five: A lap top is a fantastic gift for the college-bound or business-bound graduate alike. Computers become obsolete so quickly that you will be doing the student a great service by purchasing them the latest up-to-date computer technology on the go, and since the use of them in either education or career is becoming quite the norm, you will be saving them a hefty expense as well. This is a nice gift because it is personal and practical as well.

Graduation is a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment that deserves recognition. These five ideas are all very sound ones that you can choose from to help make graduation time even more memorable for that special someone, or they can help to inspire an idea of your own. The most important thing to remember is who you are shopping for. By taking care to ensure that the gift you give is one that will be used, appreciated and well-received by the person you are selecting it for, you are well on your way to the proper gift selection.