Show Creative gifts Sp l 4 Dear Mom Now that the semester is iJ is almost over I have been thinking more about Christmas The problem I have little money to tos s spend send end on my friends and family I want the gifts to look cool not cheap What should I do i Sincerely Penny Pinched I pear Jear Dear Pinched Heres Here's my take on cheap Christmas gifts that dont don't necessarily look it 1 Think before you buy Make a list You will spend your small wad very quickly without one Call this material hunger sort hunger sort of like going to the grocery store when your belly is crying out for food Your Christmas list will help you curb the spending you might otherwise do without one 2 Take the list wherever you go so that you can pull it out and remember your plan Often I find the most creative items when Im I'm not looking for them Without the list you will be scrambling to remember if this gift will go along with your initial idea 3 Get Creative Every Christmas I shop at thrift stores for baskets to hold theme gifts And every year my loved ones are thrilled about the thought and energy that it must have taken me to put it together er They dont don't need to know how m much ch it cost me and it shouldn't matter anyhow A gift for the cook in my family can drum up many wonderful things such as a cookbook from Barnes Noble I get these on the discount racks right within the store and the Dollar Store I have also found some pretty neat utensils at ata ata ata a buck a piece 4 Think Smart If you are stressed for time dont don't run thinking you will find all the items on your list in one or two hours Plan your day Allow for an el enjoyable experience which goes without saying dont don't do doall doall doall all of your shopping on Christmas Eve 5 Shop with a friend who is budget conscious or and/or take only cash and when the money is gone its it's gone When I write my list I also include a budget amount for each person If I spend too much on one person I am obviously left with less for another I find its it's usually best to stick to my original plan Friendships are great motivators in sticking to your budget A good budget conscious friend can persuade you to put the on hold check with ith other stores to find the cheapest price or to put the horrible gift idea back on the shelf There is nothing worse than taking a gift back during the holidays that initially appeared wonderful Good luck And Merry Christmas Mom |