by Maria Papadopoulou

Created on: February 03, 2010   Last Updated: February 14, 2010

Budgeting for gift giving can be a challenging task.  It is easy to get carried away and spend more than you can afford when you see things you really like or when you feel obligated to purchase something expensive to please your loved ones (especially when they tend to give you expensive gifts themselves). However, there are some things that you can do to save some money when it comes to gifts.

1. Homemade gifts

Homemade gifts are fun to make and at the same time do not cost you anything. You can make them with available material at home. Make warm fuzzy crafts with craft glue and fabric, greeting card holder crafts with clothespins,ribbon, craft glue and scissors, or desk organizers with  empty egg carton, acrylic paint., fabric, small foam brush and scissors. Organize old photos and make special scrapbooks for your loved ones. If you know how to sew, you can make purses, sweaters, even pillow cases using fabric scraps. If you like cooking, you can bake cakes or biscuits for your loved ones.

2. Use gifts you do not want

If you have been given gifts that you do not want, instead of returning them back to the store to replace them with other things, you can actually keep them and offer them as gifts to others who might want or need them more than you do. Books, jewelery, or teddy bears that you do not want can be given to people who might really want them. Just make sure that you have thrown away the cards and that you do not accidentally return them to the people who gave them to you in the first place.

3. Special offers

Look for special offers when purchasing gifts. Look for the buy three for the price of two or two for the price of one offers. See if you can get a discount for purchasing things in bulk (for example if you want to buy 1 book as a gift and you end up buying 5, then you might get a 20-30% overall discount).

4. Let your creativity flourish

There is no rule that says that gifts should always be material. There are many other ways to show your love and appreciation to someone. A poem, a song or a portrait that comes straight from the heart , not only can it be  a wonderful gift, but even holds sentimental value and in that sense, it is even more important than a material gift.

5.Start a new hobby together

Starting a new hobby with your friend/neighbour/relative/partner is a great gift that not only can it bring you closer but  also come cheaper for you both. If for example you both subscribe to the gym you can encourage each

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