Inexpensive Christmas Shopping and Gift Ideas

Since it's getting ever closer to that familiar holiday and I know a lot of people are feeling that holiday spirit already, I thought I'd post some tips and ideas that I've used this year and in past years to cut back on holiday spending.

Tip #1: Buy Used

It doesn't hurt to buy a gift such as a movie or a game-or even a gaming system-used, just remember to shop wisely. No one's going to mind getting that game they've been wanting if it was pre-played. For used games, I would highly recommend places such as Game Stop, where there is a large variety to choose from on all sorts of different consoles, and there is generally a large staff who knows what they are talking about when it comes to gaming to aid in you making good choices. However, when I say buy used, there are some lines that have to be drawn. Used clothes are not always bad, but most people are not going to appreciate getting used underwear, etc (underwear may not seem to be a great Christmas gift for some of you, but I do seem to get it every year from at least the grandparents).

Tip #2: Shop the Sales

By shopping the sales I am not just referring to Black Friday because that is a sale that even I won't touch. What I mean is that if you can get away with buying summer clothes for someone for Christmas, they're usually on sale. I got my little sister (1 and a half years old) a whole slew of summer clothes, all for $2.00 or less for each set (top and bottom), but it's a good investment because a lot of people are buying her Winter clothes, so this way she'll still have things to wear come next Spring and Summer. There are usually some sales going on somewhere. Game Stop usually has a lot of good sales on consoles, if whoever you're buying for doesn't mind an older version of something. My boyfriend and I bought a Nintendo DS there for $100 and that came with a charger and two used games of our choice. The only thing is, it was the original DS, not the DS Lite, but that didn't make a difference to us, so if you can get away with that then go for it.

Also keep in mind that a lot of clothes stores, if you're shopping for clothes, like to have sales right around November. I know that right now, around here, Kmart has a lot of buy one get one free in baby winter clothes along with between 40% and 60% savings on adult winter clothes. Other stores around here that are having really good winter clothes sales (and I know they're really good because I've stopped at each one) are Peebles, WalMart, and Goody's. It's always helpful to keep an eye on local stores like these to see what deals they've got.

Tip #3: Check Out The Dollar Stores

I'm not sure how each of you does Christmas, but we live off the dollar stores for Stocking Stuffers. Everyone in the family gets a stocking for each other and the stocking is usually just candy and dollar store gifts. Gifts from the dollar store don't have to be viewed as "cheap", though, like some might imagine. There are actually some high quality things to be found there. I finished the Christmas shopping for my sister at the dollar store, where I found about 5 baby looney tunes books (which my mother LOVES) and 2 baby looney tunes coloring bucks. That was enough to stuff her Christmas Stocking AND use some as gifts, and it really didn't cost me all that much.

Tip #4: When All Else Fails, Buy Personal

What I mean by this is that you don't need expensive, extravagant gifts to make someone's Christmas great. A lot of people are happy with small things that are personal and come from the heart. I'll give you an example of this. I wasn't sure what to get my grandfather (he's the hardest person on my list to shop for), but I saw Candy Land (yes, the board game) for $2 at a local Dollar General. I remember that we used to play Candy Land all the time when I was little (it was my favorite board game) and now that I've moved out and I'm working and going to college we really don't get a lot of one-on-one time or time to really spend together, so I bought that with the condition that I would take a couple hours or so out of my day to sit down and talk with him and play it like we used to and I know he'll love it because it's guaranteed bonding time.

Maybe this example doesn't immediately pertain to you, but it is a good thing to keep in mind. Everyone I know in my family (older members, not siblings) would gladly pass up getting a fancy, expensive device to get something a little more personal, perhaps something that reminds them of the past or of good times together, etc. These sorts of gifts are very often overlooked and they're the ones that are usually the most appreciated.

For the one you love, if you're running short on gifts, try getting a book of coupons. They can be any sort of coupons, but it's something that a lot of people don't do and that a lot of people appreciate getting. They have all sorts of coupons that you can buy either online or at bookstores like Borders or Barnes N Nobles, such as Love Coupons, Sex Coupons, Naughty or Nice Coupons. Really, it's all about your taste. I, personally, got my boyfriend some love coupons and they're really cute, including romantic dates, movie nights, etc. Or, if you want to make it even more personal (or just plain can't find any set of coupons you like), create your own coupons. This can be done either by hand or on the computer and will be tailored to fit exactly the sort of things you're looking for with no guess work involved. I did this for my mother one year when I was a bit younger and she really enjoyed it because it was right around the time I became a teenager and started drifting apart, so don't underestimate how much a simple gift can be loved.

Tip #5: Try Some Arts and Crafts

Yes, I know you're not all children anymore, but arts and crafts really do make great gift ideas. My grandmother got into making shirts, so with a pattern and a blank shirt (which can be bought usually for a couple of dollars), she can press a pattern onto a shirt and decorate it and everyone in the family looks forward to getting her shirts because the patterns are always really need and very individual to our personalities.

Scrapbooks also make great arts and crafts projects. They can get kind of costly pretty fast if you buy too many stickers, papers, fancy pages, a lot of pictures (28 cents to print each picture at the stores around here), etc, so keep that in mind when going to buy things. But, like everything else, scrapbooks are a very personal way to show people that you care and they don't have to be overly expensive to be appreciated.

Tip #6: Family Portraits

Family portraits always make great gifts for those family members who you don't get to see as often as you'd like (or as often as they'd like) who might miss you terribly. The only downside to this is that you have to be careful where you go because they may cost a fortune at some places. The stores I would recommend are Olan Mills (sometimes located within Kmart) and portrait studios at other large supermarts, such as WalMart. They usually have some sort of really good deal or package going on, especially around Christmas, that will not drill a hole in your wallet.