It will be no surprise to hear that I love giving presents. There is something about the moment you see somebody unwrap that gift you have spent so long finding for them, that totally gives me a high. However, cash is tight for everybody these days, and spare funds are generally a long and forgotten memory. If buying somebody a present is not something that your budget can stretch to, there are other things that you can do. Here are my top tips for gift giving when money is tight.
There is no obligation to give a gift
First and foremost, it should go without saying yet can’t be overstated enough – you do not have to give anybody a gift just because it is a special occasion. Gifts are generally fun little additions to an important day, but they are not the be all and end all. Your presence will always be valued more than your presents! Be honest with your pal and tell them that you’d love to get them a gift but cash is tight, and if they are a good friend they are always going to understand.
See what you can sell
Some peoples’ love language is gift giving, so it feels upsetting not to be able to give a gift to the person that we care about. If you really want to give a gift but you don’t have the cash to afford the perfect present right now, you could always consider if there is anything in your life that you can sell. For example, if you have a custom number plate on your car then it’s always worth looking into selling a private number plate. Another option could be to pile up any games you don’t play anymore – the majority of new games are digital downloads anyway! – and bringing them to a computing shop to see if you can get a good price for them.
Making presents is always a cute idea
Sometimes we get a little bit embarrassed about making presents, but I actually think its a great idea. One of the best presents I ever got was a scrapbook that my friend made me when I moved away, filled with little notes, memories, in-jokes and photos from all of my nearest and dearest. If scrapbooking isn’t your thing, even taking the time to cook a dinner for the two of you is a great gift – bonus points if the music that is playing when you eat together is a playlist you have made especially for the recipient!
Make a pact not to do presents
The concept of gift giving has become a bit redundant in many relationships. In fact, I had one friendship where we jokingly gave the same card back and forth and put the same amount of money in it every time! Instead of worrying about that £20 that you are passing back and forth to each other, you could always make an agreement between the two of you that you can alleviate that pressure from your lives and simply not take part in the exchange anymore.
Schedule a gift swap for later
If you are worried about a gift-giving event coming up imminently and you know you aren’t going to have time to save up enough money to get the gift that you want, you could always agree to swap gifts at a later date. Not only does this give you more time to get funds together, but it means you and the recipient can make plans for meeting up in the future and spending some quality time together, which is always a pro.
Have you ever worried about being able to give a gift? Do you have any other tips you can share? I’d love to hear them in the comments below.
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