Last week I wrote a gift guide for seniors, and this week I’m going to talk about gifting ideas on a budget. Holiday shopping can be rough if you have a large family or group that you are buying for while on a strict budget. Budget gifts can still be huge hits! Here are some tips to stretch your dollar during the holiday season.
Gift Cards
Gift cards are a good budget gift option, however there are some guidelines. First, you have to make sure that you are gifting a useable amount. This does not mean that you have to spend more, but that maybe you give them a gift card to another place. For example, since most video games tend to be around $60, if that’s out of your price range you can give them a gift card to their favorite coffee shop. Second, gift cards get a bad reputation because people often don’t tailor their selections to their recipient. Do not just give them a Target gift card unless they really love Target. Try to get them something that shows that you listen to them and their interests.
Handmade Items
This is going to depend on your level of ability, but many seniors are able to knit, quilt, carve wood, and engage in other craft-related hobbies. If this applies to you, this may be an option for you, especially if you already have a stockpile of materials. I understand that materials can be very expensive.
Joint Gifts
If there’s a specific gift that you have in mind, but it’s just out of reach, consider going in with someone on that gift. This is already a pretty common practice for wedding registries, so I think it’s alright to bring this practice to other gifts. If this makes you uncomfortable, though, you can go for one of the other ideas.
Thank you all for reading this and I hope you are having a great December and holiday season!
Written by Brigid Stakelum
