gift giving

How to Use the Holidays to Teach Kids About Money

Emily Guy Birken — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 08:30:08 +0000

My kids love the holidays. They plan their Halloween costumes as early as March; they ask to help make pumpkin pie the moment there's even a hint of chill in the air; and they have Hanukkah wish lists going nearly year-round.

My husband and I get a kick out of their enthusiasm. It helps us remember the holiday magic we felt as children. But in addition to being fun and meaningful traditions, holidays also offer parents the opportunity to teach their kids about money.

Before this year's holiday season kicks into high gear, consider using the occasions to teach your kids the following lessons about managing money:

Halloween

Your kids' favorite candy-based holiday provides you with several ways to teach important money management skills.

Costume budgeting

Whether you are footing the bill for your child's costume or you are asking them to use their own money, start by setting a dollar limit on the amount they can spend and offer to help them shop around. These limits will help your child understand the trade-offs they will have to make to stay within a budget.

For instance, your daughter might find that the Wonder Woman costume at the local party store would blow her budget — but she could save money by stenciling Diana Prince's WW logo on a red T-shirt she already owns and adding white star stickers to a pair of blue shorts or a blue skirt. Recognizing that she could spend either money or time is an important part of learning to budget. (See also: 20 Simple and Cheap Halloween Costumes for Kids)

Candy negotiations

Not every candy in your child's trick-or-treat bag can be a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup or a Snickers. There's bound to be some candy corn, Good & Plenty, or even just Dum Dums that your kids aren't particularly interested in. You can help them to learn the value of negotiation by fostering candy exchanges.

After they've finished with trick-or-treating, encourage your kids to trade with each other. These candy swaps can help your kids figure out just how much they value coveted candy. Is another Mars Bar worth three Twizzlers? Just how many Tootsie Rolls are equivalent to a Blow Pop? This kind of negotiation can help your kids learn how to compromise and determine what they value.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for family, but it can also provide your kids with an excellent opportunity to learn about the importance of tracking your expenses.

Track spending

The average household spent $342 over Thanksgiving weekend in 2016, according to Statistic Brain. You can involve your kids in your Thanksgiving expenditures by asking them to keep a running tally of your spending for the holiday.

Save your receipts from any Thanksgiving-related expenditures — everything from your purchase of pumpkin pie fixings, to the gas station fill-up on the way to Grandma's house, to the 75 percent off fitness tracker you bought for Aunt Sue on Black Friday. Hand over the receipts to your child so they can keep careful track of just how much Thanksgiving will cost you this year.

Not only will this exercise in tracking your household spending help your kids to practice their math skills, but it will also help them see just how quickly expenses can add up.

Christmas and Hanukkah

Kids get understandably excited about the gift aspect of Christmas and Hanukkah, but these holidays are also a perfect opportunity to teach them how to manage their money.

Gift budgeting

It's so easy to go overboard when buying gifts for loved ones, and it's important for children to learn that you can give presents without breaking the bank. Even very young children can help you to create a list of everyone you want to give a present to. From there, decide on the amount of money you can afford to spend per person. Older children who will be buying their own presents for family can make this decision themselves, with your help. Younger kids can help by writing down the dollar amount you can spend.

You can then start brainstorming gift possibilities. Have your kids comparison shop for prices or figure out alternatives if certain gifts aren't in the budget. This exercise can help your kids understand that generosity and spending too much aren't synonymous.

Wants and needs

Holidays can often be a time of excess, which means it can be tough for kids to recognize the difference between their wants and their needs. One way parents can help their kids learn those differences is to institute the Four Gift Rule. With this rule, each child receives:

Something they want.
Something they need.
Something to wear.
Something to read.

Limiting your children's wish lists to four distinct categories helps your kids focus on the things that they truly need and the wants that they value most. You can make it clear to your kids that they can put more than one item in each category, but that they will only receive one present from each category.

Not only will this system help save you money and time, but it will help your kids keep their gift expectations reasonable.

Holidays, with a side of money management

Enjoying the holiday season with your children is a perfect time to teach them some of the finer points of budgeting, negotiation, money management, and managing expectations.

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This article is from Emily Guy Birken of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Celebrate Love, Not Money, With These Recycled Valentine's Day Gifts

Kentin Waits — Wed, 10 Feb 2016 16:00:08 +0000

Are you tired of feeling more anxious than excited as each major holiday rolls around? Do you think it's absurd that Valentine's Day merchandise starts hitting the shelves the day after Christmas? Me too. This Valentine's Day, let's stage a coup and not spend a single dime on trinkets and gimmicks and glittery gewgaws. Let's escape the clichés and consumerism and return to true romance with these second-hand Valentine's Day gift ideas.

1. A Book of Classical Poetry

Want to wax romantic but can't find the words? Buy a used book of classical poetry for $1.50 and bookmark your favorite selections with a little paper heart.

2. Vintage Stemware

Pair a bottle of good wine with a set of antique wine glasses and turn a cliché gift into the ultimate romantic gesture. For maximum impact, choose ornate etched or cut stemware pieces (around $1.00 each at most thrift shops). Don't be afraid to mix patterns and don't worry about finding complete sets — after all, just two glasses will do!

3. Two Identical Books

Isn't the real value of any holiday time spent together? This Valentine's Day, visit your local Goodwill store and pick up two copies of the same book — one for you and one for your better half. Start your own little romantic reading group for less than $5.00. Read in bed together, discuss the plot twists over breakfast, and start a whole new conversation between the two of you.

4. A Project Piece for Two

Ready to take togetherness to the next level? Browse your local thrift store for a small project you can work on with your loved one. Choose something that presents a fun challenge but won't overwhelm you or your partner (remember, frustration and exhaustion aren't sexy). Restore a weathered birdhouse, beat-up bench, or salvaged mirror. Then, bask in the glow of your combined creative genius. (See also: 18 Amazing DIY Decorating Projects That Are Easier Than You Think)

5. An Antique Vase

Amp up your flower power and turn a conventional gift into a something entirely unique. Pick up an antique porcelain or stoneware vase for a few bucks and, instead of roses, add a less expensive wildflower bouquet. Can't find a vase that suits you? Try a large vintage canning jar.

6. A Vintage Frame

Buy a vintage picture frame for just a couple of dollars and add a photo from your honeymoon, anniversary, or other special occasion. Are you half of a brand-new couple? Take a series of retro photobooth-style pics (yes, there's an app for that) while holding printed messages like "Be Mine," "Our First Valentine's Day," or "Love Me Tender."

7. An Antique Porcelain Plate

Buy a hand-painted antique plate or small silver-plated tray. Fill with individually-wrapped fine chocolates and add a handmade card. It's the perfect gift and it costs less than $20.00. (See also: 15 Delicious Homemade Treats Your Valentine Will Love)

8. A Date Night Basket

Thrift stores are filled with baskets; pick up a large one for two or three bucks and fill it with everything you'll need for a stay-at-home date night. Add a favorite DVD, microwave popcorn, pretzels, craft beer, and a homemade "Do Not Disturb" sign for the front door.

What's your all-time favorite Valentine's Day gift? How do you and your special someone celebrate without all the commercialism?

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This article is from Kentin Waits of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Things You Can Totally Regift — And 7 Things You Shouldn't

Paul Michael — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:00:03 +0000

Regifting. It's the act of receiving a gift, and then after a period of time, wrapping it up and giving it to someone else.

Some people are not sure which items are permissible to regift, and which are definite no-nos. So, here's a quick guide for you. It should be noted that you can only regift items that are NEW, and should never regift used items unless they are antiques.

Items You Can Regift

This stuff seems to get passed around from person to person and there's no reason it has to stop with you!

1. Candles

Jim Gaffigan once famously said of the candle gift he received, "You know I have electricity, right?" The great thing about candles is they are designed to be used up and thrown away. So, after enough time has passed, it's very easy to regift any you haven't used. If the person who gave you the candles asks about them, well... they were awesome, you lit them every night, and they are all gone now.

2. Wine and Spirits

Unlike most food items, wine only gets better with age. So, if you ever receive a bottle you probably won't drink, it's very safe to regift it. This also applies to bottles of hard liquor, including whisky, rum, bourbon, gin, or anything else. If it's sealed, you're good.

3. Gift Cards

If you are given a gift card to a store you never frequent, it's fine to regift it. You may have to buy a new gift card holder, as the original may be personalized to you. Check to make sure the balance never expires, or is still intact (there are some devious people out there operating gift card scams).

4. Gift Baskets

Some people love getting gift baskets. Others, not so much. If you don't, you are good to regift it to whomever you please, as long as you haven't removed so many of the contents. If it's chock full of goodies, and you only want the little tin of mints, go ahead and take them — but don't destroy the packaging. And a word of note… food items go off. Don't keep it so long that you are regifting a basket full of spoiled goods.

5. Some Clothing

Clothing can be tricky. If someone gets you an ugly sweater that you will never wear, they may well give you the receipt so you can return it. If they don't, be careful who you regift clothing to. If it's a unique item, and you travel in the same circle of friends, that sweater could become the cause of an argument. But if the clothing is relatively nondescript, and still has all the tags attached, it's totally fine to regift it to someone who will actually wear it.

6. Fragrances

Perfumes, after shaves, and eau de toilettes are all fair game for regifting — provided, of course, they are sealed in the original box. All of these items come wrapped in plastic. Once you remove that, it's considered used, even if you never spray it. So, if you do receive something that you're unsure of, go check it out first at your local beauty store before cracking the seal. If it's not your style, regift it.

7. Toys and Puzzles

Your kids may get toys, games, stuffed animals, and puzzles that they really don't want. These are perfectly okay to regift, and are often great to have on hand for those many birthday parties your kids will be invited to throughout the year. However, make a note of who gave your kid that gift. The last thing you want to do is give it straight back at the next birthday party he or she attends.

8. Kitchen Items

Toasters. Blenders. Frying pans. Coffee makers. These, and many others, are all totally fine to regift in their originals boxes. Even refurbished items are good, too. Just make sure you don't offend anyone who comes over to your home and cannot see the great coffee maker they got you. Awkward.

9. Soaps, Lotions, and Bathroom Items

When I was a lad, I used to get my dad "soap on a rope" every year. I am pretty sure he still has them all somewhere in a box in his attic. Soaps, hand creams, lotions, bubble baths, or anything else in that vein are all fine to regift. The good thing about them is they're private and personal. They are supposed to stay up in the bedroom or bathroom, so no one expects to see them around the house.

10. Novelties and Gag Gifts

You will get a lot of these at white elephant exchanges, or when you turn a certain age. From tins of unicorn meat to whoopee cushions, these gifts are never really meant to be taken seriously by you. They're fun. If you want to give them to someone else later, that's totally okay. In fact, some people bring back those same gifts to the white elephant parties year after year as a running joke.

Items You Should NEVER Regift

Meanwhile, some stuff you have no choice but to keep.

11. Anything Personalized

Unless you know someone with the exact same initials as you, you cannot give these items to anyone else. Imagine their surprise when they open a set of cufflinks only to see your initials engraved on them. It just leaves a bad taste. Even names are off limits, because there will always be that suspicion that you gave them an item you just didn't want.

12. Dated Items

There is a difference between dated and classic. If you have something very cool, still in its box, that someone would find collectible, it's good. But that ancient piece of technology, or something that looks and feels old (even though it's unopened and in pristine condition) is off limits. A prime example of this — GPS navigation systems. These days, many cars, and almost all phones, come with this tech built in. An old unit, with outdated maps and no current tech support, will not be a welcome gift.

13. Jewelry and Watches

There's nothing wrong with regifting watches or jewelry if they are unworn and in their original packaging. However, when people give you gifts like these, they expect to see you wearing them at some point. How do you explain why you have never worn that great watch or pair of earrings? It's up to you if you want that kind of hassle, but honestly, keep them for a while, wear them, and then if you really don't want them, sell them on eBay or Craigslist.

14. Framed Paintings or Photos

A piece of art, be it a painting or a photograph, is a tough thing to regift. Someone went to a lot of trouble selecting something that they think will look beautiful displayed on your wall. When they next come visit, they may want to know where it is. Anything like this is going to give you all kinds of regifting headaches.

15. Anything With an Inscription

If someone goes to great lengths to inscribe a special note to you inside a book, it is no longer just a gift. It's a personal message. Sure, you could deftly remove that page, and few people would notice. But you're not only regifting an item, you're regifting a heartfelt statement — and that's not a good idea.

16. Anything That Is Universally Awful

You may receive a gift that you absolutely hate. And, chances are, your friends and relatives will hate it too. Who knows why such items exist, be they tacky, offensive, cheap, or just plain useless. You don't want to regift someone an awful present. When you get one of those, find a way to sell it, or donate it. Maybe someone, somewhere, will find a use for it. Maybe.

17. Opened CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Rays

They may well be brand spanking new, but if they don't have the seal around them, you cannot regift them. Everyone knows that these items are sealed due to copyright protection. If the cellophane is ripped off, and that little tamper-proof seal is gone, you have to keep it.

Are you a re-gifter? What do you pass along and what do you keep?

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

47 Unique Gift Ideas for Women

Andrea Cannon — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 10:01:02 +0000

Choosing the perfect gift can be difficult, especially when you have someone on your list who "already has everything." That's why we've found some of the best gift ideas for every woman in your life. (See also: 50+ Unique Gift Ideas for Men)

1. How to Find Ideas

If she can't think of any gift ideas, or you don't want to ask, then consider the following sneaky ways to figure out what she has her eye on.

Check Her Pinterest Boards

Pinterest comes standard with boards like "Products I Love" and "My Style," which may contain some gift ideas. However, most women have more than just the standard Pinterest boards, so keep an eye peeled!

Check Her Amazon Wishlist

Amazon wishlists work like gift registries. You can find all of the things she wants in one place and buy them on the spot. If she does not have an Amazon wishlist, ask her to make one. Then, she's guaranteed to get exactly what she wants.

Go Window Shopping

Go shopping together and pay extra attention to what she shows interest in. You may get exact gift ideas, or at least some new general thoughts on what she likes.

Ask Her Friends and Family

When you're stumped for ideas, her friends and family can help. You will also score brownie points for the sentiment.

2. Find Something Meaningful

You don't need to spend a lot of money to give her something meaningful. Some of the best sentimental gift ideas include:

A fill-in-the-blank journal, which is both affordable and a sweet gesture.
Choose a gift that acknowledges a special date, like a birthday girl bathroom set.
Is she a lefty? Give her something to help with everyday tasks, like a simple utensil set.
Custom signs and family matrix clothing are unique, personalized, and affordable.
Choose a personalized tote, monogrammed mug, or notebook with her initial.
"I love you" bean plant. She'll be reminded of how much you love her as the plant grows.
Baking mixes in a jar are a quick, affordable DIY gift that she can enjoy on a busy night. If you include the recipe, it will be the gift that keeps on giving.

3. Unique Kitchen Supplies

Regardless of whether she has a nicely-stocked kitchen or is just starting out, the following items are something almost anyone can use (or replace their current one with):

4. Coffee Essentials

There are a plethora of gifts to help coffee lovers get more from their daily cup of joe. Some of the best coffee-related gifts include:

5. Book Accessories

If she's an avid reader, there are tons of gift ideas you can take advantage of, without having to know her taste in books. Some of the best book-related gifts include:

Gift card to her favorite bookstore
Unique bookmark
Book messenger bag
Book pillows
Four-hour books

6. Appeal to Her Inner Child

To appeal to her free-spirited inner child, consider some of these fun gifts below:

7. Items to Be Careful About

Just as there are gifts that will work for most women, there are also gifts that won't work for most women. Before buying any of these items, make sure to take into account her personal style and taste.

Perfume

Most people are very particular about their perfume or cologne, so it isn't always a simple thing to buy. A perfume sample kit, on the other hand, is a great way for her to find a new favorite scent.

Cosmetics

Unless you know her exact shade and favorite formulas, it's not usually a good idea to buy a woman makeup or skin care products she hasn't specifically asked for. Think about getting her a nice cosmetics storage display case instead.

Jewelry

It can be difficult (and costly) to buy her jewelry. Instead, think about buying her a nice new jewelry box, or maybe a decorative jewelry stand or keepsake box. If you still want to buy her jewelry of some sort, try something unique, like a pearl necklace where she harvests the pearl, or a birth month flower pendant.

Clothing

Unless you know her size and personal style, it can be a risk to guess what clothing and accessories she might like. If you really want to buy her something to wear, consider a kimono robe or some comfy socks she can cuddle up with.

5. When All Else Fails

Still stumped? When nothing seems like the right fit for her, there are some generic ideas that nearly anyone will love. You can still customize the gift and show her that you put plenty of thought into it.

Gift Cards

As long as you choose a gift card to one of her favorite stores and wrap it in a fun way, she'll be thrilled.

An Experience

Instead of giving a gift this year, think about giving her a tour, massage, spa service, cooking class, dance class, or art class. She'll be able to learn a new craft or hone her skills.

Bathroom Essentials

Choose a relaxing bathroom set, manicure must-haves, or an essential beauty kit.

Subscription Boxes

You can choose from food, beauty, and clothing subscriptions, among others. You can also choose from pre-made boxes, or surprise her with one customized to her preferences. You can send her one box or sign her up for ongoing subscriptions so she receives another the following month. (See also: The 10 Best Monthly Subscription Boxes)

Do you have other unique gift ideas for the woman who has everything? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

15 Times When You Really Should Bring a Gift

Amanda Meadows — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 21:00:03 +0000

Gift giving can be awkward and the etiquette tricky to navigate. Close friends and family who are possibly gift-worthy don't tend to ask for gifts outright on the invite, and many times, you don't want to ask if you need to bring a gift, either! (See also: 9 Gifts to Give to the Neighbor You Like)

So here's our gift to you: a rundown of 15 semi-ambiguous instances when yes, you really should bring a gift.

1. First Visit to Someone's Home

When you're invited over to a person's home in a formal sense, whether it be a neighbor, colleague, or an acquaintance with whom you'd like to become friends, it's a good idea to bring something like flowers, a wreath, or a fruit basket.

2. Dinner Party

Find out what the menu is, and determine what item to bring. If you can't cook, a good bet is a bottle of wine, a pie, or an appetizer tray. If you're broke, offer to help clean up.

3. Funeral

This can be a sore spot. Funerals are so expensive that these days families set up donation funds, so ask if there is one. If not, send a care package of food, bring drinks to the wake, provide handkerchiefs, whatever feels right.

4. House Party

The older the host, the more important this is. No one likes a mooch, so be sure to bring a bottle of liquor, wine, a case of beer, or some snacks. The more party supplies there are, the longer the party can go!

5. First Business Meeting With New Client or Partner

This is especially true for international business meetings. Reserve this for when the contract is landed and signed. Once you have a working relationship, it's a good idea to send a card along with a bottle of champagne or get creative with something related to your services.

6. Father's Day

Everyone knows to get their mother something special on Mother's Day, but dads tend to get short shrift. If you have a good relationship with your father, send anything other than a card and a tie, like a fancy shave or a dinner at a steakhouse.

7. Housewarming

This one may be conventional wisdom, but now that fewer and fewer people can afford to buy homes, this can be a tough one for younger adults to master. Best bet: gift cards to places like Home Depot and Bed, Bath, and Beyond or freshly made food.

8. Wedding

You're likely already spending a lot to be at the wedding, but gifts are usually necessary. You will need to follow their lead. Some will ask for household items on Amazon, to donate to a charity, or for cash to put toward their honeymoon. Check their invite or wedding website for information.

9. Bridal Shower

The whole point is to "shower" a bride with gifts, right? Ask for the registry, or get a gift card. This is different from the bachelorette party, for which you generally do not need to buy a gift (unless specifically asked).

10. A New Baby

If a close friend or family member has a baby, you should send them a gift to celebrate. If they are extra close, you should get them something even if they don't have a registry. A Babies-R-Us gift card, a huge case of diapers, even a hand-me-down onesie is a huge help and appreciated.

11. Thanksgiving Dinner

Hosting Thanksgiving is a big undertaking! Many hosts try to do it all, and it can be hard for them to think of everything. Bring a homemade side dish, wine, dessert, appetizers, extra glasses, napkins, ice, whatever will help round out the menu and make the host's life easier.

12. Birthdays

There are some obvious milestones that warrant gifts, whether they are in the form of gestures or material things — especially 1st birthdays, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, quinceanera, 18th, and 21st. If someone you are not very close to has a birthday, buying them a coffee, cocktail, or lunch will do; and a card always works.

13. Graduation

If a nephew, niece, grandchild, or child of a significant other graduates elementary school, middle school, high school, or college, it's expected to give a gift. A copy of Oh, The Places You'll Go! will work if you don't know them very well, but usually a check, gift card, or a nice meal is a good way to celebrate their accomplishment.

14. Romantic Anniversary

Gender politics are pointless here — each person in the relationship should show a gesture of love on this day. Some jewelry, a nice dinner, a backrub, anything that the other person enjoys can be a reminder of your love.

15. Christmas

The biggest gift-giving day of all can be intimidating. You have a budget. How do you know who deserves a gift and who doesn't? If your workplace is having a gift exchange, one gift under $25 will suffice. Key relatives and best friends get presents. All other friends and neighbors? Your yearly holiday card will do just fine.

Any gift-giving opportunities missing from this list? When do you bear gifts?

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This article is from Amanda Meadows of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Resist Buying Just One More Present

Julie Rains — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:00:10 +0000

There always seems to be one more Christmas present to buy. I am learning to resist the urge to keep shopping throughout the holidays. Here are techniques that have been helpful to me:

Stay away from malls and email announcements.

I rarely go to the mall in my area due to its monstrous size and the difficulty of maneuvering around its parking lot and the surrounding congested roads. Avoiding enticing, glamorously presented merchandise is easy to do if you skip the stores altogether.

The relentless emails are hard to resist, however, especially for an avid Internet shopper like me. I’ve created filters to delete e-commerce announcements, which then reside in an accessible but not-so-visible online location for 30 days. In the meantime, if I decide to go shopping, I can quickly peruse special offers by sorting through my digital trash.

Make lists of gifts that you’ve already purchased.

For those who have firmly established gift-giving lists and corresponding budgets along with friends and family members whose preferences are unchanging, grabbing bargains throughout the year can be a great money-saving strategy. If you buy in January to give in December, remembering what you’ve bought and where you’ve stashed the gift is not always easy. Record purchases and their locations and check your list prior to the beginning of additional shopping.

Be careful about buying ahead.

Make sure that the money spent on bargains is allocated to either your holiday budget or regular-spending budget. Also, think about whether these purchases will be useful or desired for the intended recipient months from now. Consider snapping up things with a small-dollar value that can be given for regularly scheduled gift exchanges with your coworkers or groups of friends.

Don’t use the holidays as an excuse to buy everyday items.

One of my biggest problems has been waiting until Christmas to buy things that my family needs. Often I delay spending only to splurge later, conveniently ignoring both holiday and everyday budgets.

For example, I may buy winter coats for the kids, who keep growing out of last year’s clothing, as Christmas presents. Superficially, this approach seems to save money by making a gift of a needed item that I would have bought anyway. Extending this mindset to everyday household items (towels, socks, or even a replacement coffee maker), gift buying can easily get out of control.

Instead, I’ve decided to buy everyday items throughout the year when I have more time and energy to evaluate needs, set priorities, and stay within budgets.

Simplify your gift-giving list.

In the midst of the holiday spirit of love and generosity, adding people to your list is easy. The trap is that there is always one more person and one more gift to buy. Obviously, you don’t want to be at a family gathering or similar situation where you receive loads of gifts but have nothing to offer because of a unilateral decision to simplify; say something before the get-togethers if you intend to cut back gift-giving dramatically.

You can still trim your list by not adding new friends or eliminating those you see infrequently, substituting a letter for a present or finding alternate ways to celebrate these relationships.

Create homemade gifts.

Even if you trim your list, you may want to have a few items on hand in case you need a gift in a hurry. Make baked goods, food-related gifts, or gifts in a jar (#3), which are perfect for surprise gifts. If no gifts are needed, use them as hostess gifts or save for yourself.

Are you great at sticking to your holiday gift-giving list and budget? If not, what keeps you from controlling your shopping? Share in the comments.

This article is from Julie Rains of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

5 Reasons to Change Traditional Holiday Gift-Giving

G.E. Miller — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:00:08 +0000

Some traditions are worth keeping. Others almost beg for you to stomp all over them, perhaps none so much as traditional American holiday gifting. If the recession has taught us anything (and this is a big "IF"), it's that many of us are spending way more than we should be. If it's taught us anything else, it's that maybe all of that stuff didn't really matter in the first place.

So why the heck do we continue to mindlessly head out among the chaos and spend a few hundred or thousand dollars on impersonal stuff that we don't even know the receiver will need or even want, while they do the same for us?

I'm not advocating that you ban gift-giving altogether. But I would enourage you to reconsider how you approach holiday gift-giving this year. Here are five reasons why.

1. Nobody Knows What You Need More Than You

How many times have you had to fake liking a gift? It's painful, but we do it. That piece-of-junk kitchen appliance or ugly sweater ends up never getting used. Then you have to live with the guilt knowing that your loved one spent $50 on it for you, and you never used it. When they come over, you leave it out in the open so it appears that you have been using it after all. Kind of sad. You have a chance to end that painful cycle.

2. Nobody Knows What Your Loved Ones Need More Than Them

This is #1 flipped around. Why spend all of the time running around the herd looking for something that you're not even sure someone will like? You're wasting your time and your money, and when your loved one opens up that gift, you know they are faking their joy. Again: painful.

3. Mother Earth Will Thank You

All of this junk eventually ends up in a landfill. The human race cannot continue to exist if our current consume-and-dump ways continue. In giving up the purchase of junk, you're doing the world and the human race a great service. Change has to start somewhere, and why not with the biggest consumer-purchasing event of the year?

4. Stuff is Impersonal

Do you remember what you gave your mother five years ago? Does she?

5. You Don't Have to Give up Giving and Receiving

Just because you are actively choosing to give up the mindless purchasing of stuff does not mean you have to entirely give up the joy of giving. Have a discussion with your loved ones about how you want to handle holiday gift-giving this year. You may just find that they are relieved at your suggestion to try something new.

Here are a few experience gift ideas that you can discuss with your loved ones:

Events: Buy tickets to a play, an athletic event, a concert, movies, or a musical.
Night on the town: Treat someone to a nice dinner and a movie.
Food and drink: There are few things that people love as much as food and drink. Bake a pie, cook a really nice dinner, or buy wine.

These are just a handful of ideas that you might like (with a good chance that your gift receivers will really appreciate them as well). And they all have one thing in common: bringing people closer together through a shared experience.

Doesn't that sound like a tradition worth starting?

This article is from G.E. Miller of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Holiday Gift Giving Techniques

Nora Dunn — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:01:45 +0000

Ah…Christmas time. I love Christmas. I really do. Well, parking madness, shopping terrors, and cold weather aside, I love Christmas. No really! But some of the things we eventually love about Christmas (like sitting around a beautifully lit tree on Christmas morning with the family and opening gifts and enjoying some Christmas cheer) gets clouded by what we have to go through before that beautiful day…shopping. There are a number of ways you can shop for your loved ones each year, and I think I’ve tried them all. Let me give you the run down:

Making Gifts

You can make all your presents. Ah. Right from the heart. You’ll save money, avoid all the darn commercialism, and people will really appreciate the beautiful gifts you spend all that time and energy making for them. Right? (heh heh)

One year, I decided to make all my gifts, when I was a starving artist. And we’re not talking popsicle-stick houses either. We’re talking high-quality gifts. I made porcelain flower arrangements, clocks, beautifully framed photo collages, things that my family and friends really appreciated. And they loved the things I made (at least they say they did, so that’s good enough for me)! Problem is, I spent more money on all the crafts that I then had to pour hundreds of hours into, than I would have if I had just gone out and bought my gifts for the year.

And what if you do receive the shabbily made gift – that popsicle-stick house? We’ve all gotten these gifts that were made with love, and that really have no place in our homes. You know – the year you got the very colourful finger painting…made by your fully grown children…"yeah, I’ll put that right up here on the fridge, with the alphabet magnets". I mean – what do you do with them? I have a box in my hall closet at home, filled with truly tacky gifts that my friends and family have made or bought for me, some so bad that I’m sure it was a joke. And every time these friends visit, I pull their creation out of my dusty box and find some prominent home for the object. I’m sure they can see through it, but it’s the thought that counts, right? At least, that’s what they must have been saying when they made the bloody gift!

Okay, so making gifts have their place, but only if you’re willing to put some serious elbow grease and money into it. You can also…

Re-Gifting

C’mon…everybody does it! You receive this really nice bar of soap from some fancy store, one of 15 bars received this year. You really like it, but you’re still working on the soap you received six years ago. So…..you put it in a special place, and when you need to come up with a gift at the last minute – whamo! You have soap.

Okay – sometimes you really can re-gift and it can be a good thing. Maybe you really received a gift you have no hope of ever using, but that would be perfect for that somebody else in your life. But beware.......remember who gave you the gift in the first place.

True story: It’s my second Christmas with my ex’s family. My mother-in-law, bless her heart, hadn’t quite figured me out in terms of what to buy for me, and since the relationship was still kind of new, we were both unclear as to what types of gifts we should get for each other. For our first Christmas, I got her…you guessed it…soap. (Everybody can use soap, right)? Guess what I got back the next year? That very same raspberry foam soap that I had given her the previous year. And I know that this was a re-gift, because she never would have been able to buy the same soap that second year; the store went out of business!

So…re-gift at your own risk. It’s a big bad world of soap out there.

Early Shopping

You can also get all your Christmas shopping done early. Ah – to happily avoid the mad parking lots outside of shopping malls, the disgruntled crowds in the stores, and to be done by September. What could be wrong? Well…

If you are going to go to the effort to finish shopping early, stick to your guns and don’t go out again. For example, I (foolishly) decided to keep a friend company one year while she did her last minute shopping. The number of things I saw that were even better than the gifts I had all wrapped up at home were incredible. So I ended up going shopping twice anyway, and I bought twice as many gifts. My family liked it, but my pocketbook certainly didn’t.

Another year (I hadn’t learned my lesson yet), I was tickled pink to be finished all my shopping by the end of October. My family, however, doesn’t operate this way. So, a week and a half before Christmas, the decision is made that we’re all going to chip in for one big gift for my mother-in-law. Oops. And now I had all this soap I couldn’t give her! Ah well – off the soap goes to the “miscellaneous gift” pile. Which takes me to the next method of gifting you can employ.

Miscellaneous Gifts

Ah – the “miscellaneous gift” pile. You know the one. You see a great sale on at a store, and some really funky items that are an absolute steal. You don’t really know who in your life would enjoy them, but you just know you have to have them, and that surely there’s somebody you forgot to add to your list who will appreciate this, and being able to whip this gift out at the last minute will save your butt from an awkward one-sided gift giving session.

In fact, this funky item on sale is such a great deal, you know there’s at least two people who will enjoy this gift. You just don’t know who yet. So you buy four. And they sit in your miscellaneous gift pile for way longer than you had anticipated. Years, actually. You’re only able to give away one, maybe two each year. Watch Out! Remember who you gave it to.

My best friend’s step-mother was notorious for doing this. And how do we know this, you ask? Because she got the very same wooden salt & pepper shakers, two years in a row.

Really Last Minute Shopping

And, of course, you can join the ranks of so many men (and I do stereotype men here, but I think you’ll agree that this is a somewhat established pattern), who do all their Christmas shopping…on Christmas Eve. They realize that in half an hour all the malls close and they still haven’t found something for that special someone in their life. Do you want a Christmas eve giggle this year? Stake out in front of a 24-hour drug store on Christmas Eve, and watch the mayhem. Men, pale faced and panicked, running around in a chaotic state, begging the staff at the drugstore to find them something for their girlfriend or wife. Drug store perfume, chocolates, soap – anything!

My Plan

So here’s my plan for this year. I’ve turned over a new leaf. I’m going to join the ranks of December shoppers and shop for my family and friends in the last 3 weeks before Christmas. Sure, the crowds will be harrowing and the parking lots a complete disaster. But the Christmas decorations will put me in a numbed festive mood, and I’ll happily shop for my loved ones, secure in the knowledge that nobody’s going to hit me up at the last minute for a “group gift”, I won’t be in danger of re-gifting something back to the original donor or giving somebody the same funky item two years in a row, I won’t spend hundreds of hours crafting the perfect piece of junk for the hall closet, and I won’t be limited to the last dregs at the drug store either. I think it’s the perfect plan.

What could go wrong?

This article is from Nora Dunn of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: