Top Ten Gift Ideas for Roommates

Are you struggling to come up with ideas for gifts for your roommates? Items ranging from headphones to DVD towers will help you breeze through your holiday shopping for all of your roommates. The following is a top ten list of gift ideas for your roommates this holiday season:

#10) Headphones. For the musically inclined roommates, a great set of headphone for their music players is a terrific gift idea. Typically, if the cost is higher, then the quality is also higher. For your roommate, being somewhere in the middle of that curve is ideal. Bose makes a quality set of headphones in the upper middle class. The Bose headphones feature noise-canceling ability for their added cost. They usually cost anywhere from $40 to $80 and can be found in any Brookstone store.

#9) Playstation/Xbox games. For roommates who love to play electronic games, an electronic game for their Playstation or Xbox gaming system is a perfect way to be a great roommate this Christmas. Usually, Madden football is a great place to start your search. Most games for both consoles run $50 each and can be found at your local EB games or Gamestop.

#8) CDs. For roommates who love to listen to music, CDs also make a nice gift that they are sure to use over and over again. If you are able to ask your roomie about their music selection, select a CD from their favorite genre. If not, a great option is to buy the most current professionally mixed CDs, such as Now23, which has the most recent top Billboard hits. CD's in general are anywhere from $12 to $20 and can be found at any general merchandise retailer such as Target or at electronic stores like FYE.

#7) Bottle of Wine. For a fast and easy gift for a roommate you are less familiar with, a simple bottle of wine may do the holiday trick. For quick gift fix, just inquire your roommate or their friends for a hint or two at their taste in wines. Once you have a general idea of their likes and dislikes, selecting a wine is a short trip away to your local beverage store. Wine products can range in price from $5 to $100+.

#6) Mp3 player accessories. For the music savvy roomie with an Mp3 player, accessories are a great gift and addition to their player. The best choice for accessories is the Mp3 AM/FM transmitter, which carries your tunes from your player into the radio in your car. These transmitters are easy to find at your local Radioshack retail location. Prices range from $20 to $50.

#5) Magazine Subscription. For the roommate who loves to read, a magazine subscription is the perfect gift. Any magazine that may interest your roommate will be an instant hit this holiday season. Prices for year-long subscriptions are usually from $10 to $40 depending on the popularity and periodicity. Magazine subscriptions are easiest to make over the internet at the website of the publication you are looking for.

#4) Gym Membership. For guys and gals who love to stay in-shape, a 3 month membership to the local gym is an outstanding way to say Happy Holidays. Gym memberships typically run from $15 to $30 per month. So head down to the gym and pick up a membership voucher for your roomie.

#3) Cocktail Shaker. For friendly roommates who love to have fun and party, a cocktail shaker may be the perfect gift this Christmas season. A cocktail shaker set is an ideal gift for your household, because your roommate can provide the drinks at your holiday party while you provide the cocktail mixing set as a gift. Three piece sets of cocktail shakers are generally available for less than $40 at retailers such as Target and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

#2) DVD tower. If you are like most roommates, the entertainment center in your home is probably full of DVDs in disarray. To alleviate any such issues and give your roomie a great gift, try giving them a DVD tower for the winter holiday season. DVD towers look great with your DVDs stacked in them next to the television. One of the towers can be picked up at a local Wal-Mart or Best Buy, where prices are around $20 to $30.

#1) College Apparel. For those college roommates, a T-shirt or a hat from their favorite school is sure to be the perfect roommate gift. T-shirts and hats are a cheap gift solution for picking up some college apparel. Most T-shirts and hats price out around $15 to $20 at the campus bookstores or through online retailers. Eastbay is a great online retailer for most college apparel, but for in-store purchases athletic retailers such as Dick's Sporting Goods is the ideal place to get your college gear.