Shopping Tips

How to Buy the Perfect Gift for Someone You Barely Know

Sometimes buying the perfect gift is not an easy thing to do. Even when you’re buying for your family, finding the “perfect” gift can be a struggle. Choosing a gift for someone you barely know can be even more complicated. With close friends or family, you at least have the advantage of knowing their likes and dislikes. With an acquaintance, however, you likely do not have this information. If you have found yourself stuck in this situation, the tips below can help you pick the perfect gift, even when you don’t know what to get them.

Set a Budget

As bad as it might sound, you are not close with this person, and as such, there is no reason for you to spend an excessive amount of money on their gift. Instead, set a realistic budget for the present and do not go over it. $50.00 is more than enough to buy a nice, reasonable gift for someone you do not have a close relationship with.

If you are gifting in a work or group situation, you may already have a budget assigned for you. If so, don’t be “that” guy and purposely go over budget. Doing so will make others in the group feel bad they did not spend the same amount and may cause resentment. It is best to stick to the budget you are given.

Try to Gather Information.

Before you purchase your gift, try to gather as much information as possible about the person. This information could be things such as their favorite color, allergies, and so on. Allergies, especially, are important to know about. The very last thing you want is to give someone a gift that sends them to the emergency room because of an allergic reaction.

You can often gather this information in the course of everyday conversation. Offer up the same information about yourself in passing and watch as the people around you share in return. However, with that said, try not to be weird about it. If you suddenly bring up your allergies when you’re not eating anything, you will likely get a few odd looks from your recipient.

Don’t Get Personal.

Personal gifts such as perfume or clothing are best kept for people you are close with. For a co-worker, acquaintance, or other non-personal recipients, keep your gift more on the broader side. By gifting a more generalized gift, you avoid the risk of overstepping a boundary and making things awkward.

A few gifts that may be too personal are:

Clothing
Personal Care Items
Home Decor
Automobile Items

You may consider these items as perfectly acceptable. However, when you are gifting for someone you don’t know all too well, you can never be sure how they will view the gift. In that light, it is best to steer clear of these types of gifts altogether.

Stay Away from Themed Gifts

A Star Wars coffee mug might be great for your Star Wars fanatic uncle, but it may not be great for your co-worker. Themed gifts tend to be based on personal information that you may not have for this recipient. As such, if you do not have the kind of knowledge a personalized gift requires, it is best to stay away from them.

With that said, if your gift recipient very obviously likes something and has made that clear, buying them a gift along their favorite theme should be okay to do. These themes may include television shows, movies, books, musicians, and so on. Look for clues such as decor, the clothing they wear, and things they mention to help you discern if you are comfortable buying them something along these themes.

Opt for Old Standby Gift Options

If, after shopping, you are still unable to find a suitable gift, opt for an old, trusted standby for them. There are gifts we all know and love to reach for when we don’t know what else to buy. They are not horrible gifts, but they tell the other person you were not quite sure what to buy them.

These can include:

Candles
Gift Cards
Money
Food or Drink Gift Baskets
Drink Tumblers
“Nice” Ink Pen Sets
Essential Oils and Diffuser
Books or Journals

These gifts will not be the type that they remember forever; however, they will satisfy the responsibility of needing to gift someone. Plus, you never know. Some people like getting candles or gift cards. And I can’t think of a single person who does not like receiving money.

Don’t Be the Elephant in the Room.

Finally, it may be tempting to give a white elephant gift that you have already received. These are the gifts that you received but put on a shelf and forgot about. There are very few situations where this is acceptable to do for one main reason; you may end up regifting the item to the very person who gave it to you. Another bad situation that can arise from white elephant gifts is regifting them in front of the person who gave them to you. Because you likely cannot be sure where it came from at this point, it is simply best to avoid regifting it all together.

Christmas Money Saving Tips

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When you have a large family you really have to look for ways to make things more affordable. Christmas can get expensive but I have learned a few Christmas money-saving tips that help me get the most for our budget. You don’t need to have a large family to benefit from these simple tips to save money on Christmas.

Start shopping early. We started very early this year. Started filling an amazon box int he closet with goodies in July when we found sales. This let me take advantage of clearance, sales, and Amazon coupon codes to help build a nice stock of Christmas gifts for a fraction fo the price and spread the overall cost of those gifts out over a 5-6 month period. Even if you haven’t started yet you can dive in now and make the most of the deals left before the sales die out for the year.

Take advantage of stores clearance sections. This is a great way to save money on everything from clothes to toys and even pantry goods for your stockpile. I love shopping clearance year-round for my family and often check the instore clearance sections. One thing I have learned is to also check online clearance sales and take advantage of free shipping to get the most for my money.

Choose a truly meaningful gift in place of multiple gifts. Many families see the number of gifts as important but most people would rather have one thing then really wanted than a dozen things they were not interested in.

Make gifts yourself. It is easy to make something that your loved ones will love. Use your crafting skills to make a memorable keepsake that will be treasured for a lifetime.

Give useful gifts and keep them limited. Rather than going crazy for your kids, choose something fun and fill in gaps with things your child needs like clothes, shoes, and books. Remember that gifts can be practical and still be a great gift.

Make the most of stocking stuffers. Frugal stocking stuffers can be both fun and useful. During the back to school sales stock up on extra school supplies, add things your child loses and always needs more of like hair ties, and take advantage of some of these frugal stocking stuffer ideas.

Save on more than gifts

Chrismas money saving tips you don't want to miss

Look for ways to earn a little extra money. The holidays can be expensive but if you are crafty, have a skill others do not or are willing to do manual labor most people do not want to you can usually find some ways to make a little extra money on the side. Using rewards sites like Swagbucks is a great way to earn gift cards and payments to PayPal for online shopping is a great way to save money on Christmas.

Turn on the charm and have fun with Christmas decorations. You do not need to invest a lot to have something special for your family to enjoy decking the halls. These tricks to save on Christmas decorations will help you get started and have fun with holiday decorations without breaking the bank.

Don’t spend more than you need to on dinner. Holiday dinners can be a big drain on your Christmas budget. With a little work and planning, you can cut this expense a lot allowing you room in your budget for other things.

Shop for ingredients in the weeks before the holiday to take advantage of all of the sales.
Ask guests to bring a dish or drinks
Make things for the meal from scratch.

Simple Tips For Your Holiday Budget

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As a busy mom of 5, I know the stress of the holiday both on the mind and the wallet. They come right in time for cold weather new, clothes, and higher utility bills. With gifts, food and family gatherings to budget, the holidays can be a strain. By planning ahead and sticking to my budget I am able to make the holidays a great time without stressing over how I can afford it. This year I challenge you to step away from the cycle of debt and walk away from the holidays feeling good about your spending.

Creating a holiday budget

The best way to walk out of the holidays without debt is to set a strict budget and stick to it. Take a look at your family budget in the months leading up to the holidays. Set as much as you can to the side each month to hunt the sales. Stick to this budget and don’t let yourself break it no matter how tempted you are. The holidays are not just about the gifts they are about enjoying family. Something you can’t do if you are busy worrying about what you will do about your bills because you overspent.

Take a portion of your food budget and set it aside for your holiday meals. Grab ingredients you need for hot sales as they come out rather than rush and pay full price right before your big holiday dinner. If the budget is low change the menu because it is about who gathers around the table not the menu on the table.

Don’t shuffle your bills to give yourself a buffer for holiday spending. This leaves you with extra stress when the holidays are over and you are attempting to pay the bills on reduced pay from the holidays you had off of work.

Do NOT take your holiday spending budget from your emergency savings. It is never a good idea to spend money that you have saved for emergencies. We all know Murphy’s law loves to hit around the holidays. If you do not have an emergency budget get one now. You will be glad you did.

Keep notes on your budget. Write things down so you don’t slip up by forgetting your planned budget. Nothing throws off good intentions like forgetting you had them in the first place.

How to stick to your holiday budget

Sometimes the hardest part is not finding room for the holidays in your budget but sticking to it once you have found the room you have to spare. The good news is you CAN save money and get everything on your list while sticking to the budget.

Snag items you need when they go on sale. The less you spend on each item the more money you have for other needs.

Amazon Toys and games
Amazon Clothing sales and deals

Look for clearance on items you have on your list. I love clearance because it offers the biggest discounts. Check out these links below that same time on finding deals.

Take advantage of coupons to save money and make more room for your holiday budget. Don’t forget to take advantage of apps that pay you to grocery shop like Ibotta.

Set your budget and save money for the perfect holiday without breaking the bank.

Make homemade gifts for friends and family using what you have around the house. A thoughtful homemade gift means so much more than spending large amounts of money.

Upcycle wrapping paper. The shipping paper from shipped packages makes a great minimalist wrapping paper. Kids love the funnies section of the newspaper for wrapping.

Watch deal groups like our Black Friday Bloggers on Facebook for sales, coupons, and freebies as well as the best holiday funding tips you will find.

Keep your heart in the right place. While we live in a very materialistic society that does not mean you have to let go of the meaning of the holidays just to please others. Focus on what the holidays are all about and don’t worry about if the gifts you picked from your heart are valuable enough.

Creating a holiday budget

Keep notes on your budget. Write things down so you don’t slip up by forgetting your planned budget. Nothing throws off good intentions like forgetting you had them in the first place.

How to stick to your holiday budget

Snag items you need when they go on sale. The less you spend on each item the more money you have for other needs.

Amazon Toys and games
Amazon Clothing sales and deals

Look for clearance on items you have on your list. I love clearance because it offers the biggest discounts. Check out these links below that same time on finding deals.

Take advantage of coupons to save money and make more room for your holiday budget. Don’t forget to take advantage of apps that pay you to grocery shop like Ibotta.

Make homemade gifts for friends and family using what you have around the house. A thoughtful homemade gift means so much more than spending large amounts of money.

Upcycle wrapping paper. The shipping paper from shipped packages makes a great minimalist wrapping paper. Kids love the funnies section of the newspaper for wrapping.

Watch deal groups like our Black Friday Bloggers on Facebook for sales, coupons, and freebies as well as the best holiday funding tips you will find.

Baby Gear Shopping Tips

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When it comes to baby gear each family’s needs differ. While many of us can leave some things out to save money on a new baby there are situations that won’t work. Due to my recovery from the accident we are planning a lot more gear than we usually do. Shopping for baby gear this time around reminds me of when we had our first. Trying to find things that fit our needs has been frustrating but lucky me I have the baby gear shopping experience to make it easy for me to be picky about what we are getting. Here are my best baby gear shopping tips.

Baby gear shopping tips

New parents and parents preparing for their new babies can get overwhelmed when it comes to shopping for baby gear. What you need really is determined by your families needs but some features make things easier for parents and become staples as your kids grow. Some brands are known for higher quality and products that last, and colors can be just as important if you plan to have future children.

Shopping for strollers

This is the big one for us this time around. While we used strollers extensively with our first two kids baby wearing become our thing with the younger ones. While I was hoping to find the same stroller we used when my son was born I am saddened to say that it is no longer available and I was forced to look for another stroller that is as close as I can get. I am very particular because well I learned what works well for a long term stroller and I want to meet those needs for our family. Here are some features to look for in a stroller.

Parent tray – A parent tray is vital these days. We all carry phones, keys, and many of us choose to bring water bottles along with us. A parent tray gives you a safe place to keep the things you need without having to buy extra accessories later.

Child tray – When you a start shopping for a stroller you don’t really think about what the future holds. that cute stroller with no disruptive tray blocking the view of your baby is great when they are young but when you have a toddler that wants a place to store their cup and a snack you quickly learn a child tray is vital.

Reclinable seats – If you want a stroller that is long-lasting for your family you want to look for reclinable seats. Children like to change position and if your child falls asleep you want the option to recline the seat and let them sleep while you enjoy what you are doing with your baby at your side.

Movable canopy – A movable canopy is important for blocking the hot sun from your baby. You do not want to trap hot air in with your baby by using a baby blanket for shade. A movable canopy can help protect your baby from sun and wind.

Good tires – Good tires are vital on a stroller. If you plan to do a lot of walking or going places where the ground may be uneven you want to have tires that can handle the uneven ground. We have plans for the Woodward Drem Cruise, Michigan Renaissance Festival, and Greenfield Village when our baby is a newborn so we are looking for a jogging stroller that fits our needs so it can handle the workload while being easy to maneuver in crowded places.

Car seat compatibility – If you intend to use a carrier style infant car seat you want a stroller that will work with it allowing you to snap the car seat in and start rolling instead of carrying the car seat.

Single or double? – If this is your first child you will need a single stroller but if you have two young children close together a double stroller is an amazing tool for surviving outings with multiple young kids. A double stroller was so handy when our older kids were young. This time we are getting a double stroller for use with the youngest two.

Shopping for Baby furniture

Cribs – Finding the right crib for you can be a challenge. If you have limited space look at a mini crib. These will last until your child is ready for a toddler bed but usually do not convert into toddler beds due to the smaller mattress size. Depending on your future plans you may want to consider a crib that converts into a toddler bed or even a twin bed frame. If you plan on having more children you may want to keep it as a crib for future use and buy a toddler bed later.

Basenisets and co-sleepers – If you want your baby in the room with you in the beginning without putting a full-size crib in your room you can try a bassinet or sidecar co-sleeper to keep your little one near your all night long. A bassinet is also a great option for keeping in the main part of your home.

Pack and plays – are a great option for your main living space or bedroom. With basements and changing options, a pack and play is great for both travel and everyday home use taking on the functions of several pieces of furniture. If you are limited on space or like to travel a pack and play is a great option.

Changing tables – Are great for keeping an organized diaper station. If you have a multi-floor home and go with one of these you want one on each floor. Diaper caddies are great for setting up a diaper station that can travel around the house with you. Add a changing pad for laying your baby on top of on the bed, couch, or floor so you can have the convince of changing diapers anywhere.

High chairs – A high chair doesn’t really fall on your radar until around 6 months but they need to be considered when working on your baby gear shopping list or baby registry. Look for a high chair with a removable tray for easy cleaning. The best high chairs for most homes can be folded and moved out of the way or folded to be taken to dinner parties and events outside of the home.

Shopping for a baby carrier

Baby carriers are a great way to get yourself an extra pair of hands while caring for your baby. Babywearing has been a blessing for my family over the years allowing me to keep up with the demands of life. I suggest two types of carriers a soft wrap or sling for when your baby is younger and a larger structured baby carrier that will help you enjoy physical activities from exploring the zoo to camping with your baby.

Shopping for baby toys and entertainment

Swings – Many parents rely on swings to keep fussy babies calm while they cook, clean, and take a quick shower. A portable swing is best if this is what you plan on using your swing for. I have been known to put the portable swing in the bathroom so I can take a bath or shower while baby sleeps swinging back and forth. The options for stationary swings have gotten pretty intense over the past few years. Some of the coolest once can rock side to side as well as back and forth.

Bouncy Seats – When it comes to handy things to have around the house a bouncy seat is always high on the list. These make a great quick place to sit your baby down. Look for one with vibration to help a fussy baby drift off to sleep. I am a huge fan of the infant to toddler rockers that turn into rocking chairs for toddlers. They grow with your baby and older siblings cannot break them as easily if they decide to hop in.

Play mats – Play mats are great for getting your baby to enjoy tummy time. Look for one with both floor and hanging play options to help entertain your baby. We like the ones with added toys that can come off when the baby outgrows the floor mat.

Noise machines and soothers – Babies do not do well in silent rooms after spending all that time inside their mother’s womb. One great way to deal with this is to use a noise machine or soother. Look for one that can make several different sounds so you can try different sounds to find what works best for your baby.

Teethers and small toys – There is an endless world of teethers and small toys for your baby to play with. I suggest no matter what toys you choose that you grab some of those colorful chain links. These can be used to attach toys to your stroller or high chair to make life easier on you when your baby starts throwing things back and forth.

Make your baby registry

Once you know what you want you can make your baby registry and fill it with baby gear that will fit into your family’s needs. Sign up for a registry on Amazon and get a free welcome baby box packed with full-size goodies and free samples to help stock up for your new bundle of joy.

Don’t forget while you are online to stop by and get these 12 freebies for baby.