Tips needed on Presents

Boomdocker

CAFCGirl wrote:

Any other ideas for HM gifts, I'd be grateful!

An idea I like that I might try is from a thread on here regarding gifts in a jar/basket where you build or create a gift with a theme in a appropriate gift bag. For example for an anniversary you might give a couple a DVD rental voucher so they can rent a movie of choice and with it add popcorn to pop or snacks, bottle of wine. Or how about Cookie mix and cutters to bake own biscuits tied up with ribbon? For a coffee lover some coffee beans and a nice mug. You get the idea.

I like these ideas as you can be canny with your purchases and make use of offers and more importantly you can really personalise them. Theres a fab thread on here somewhere I am sure.

Boomdocker

One more thing. Check out all the high street card shops when they have a sale on and buy wrapping paper and the like out of season. Theres a Birthday's in town and in there sale they have random packs of 2 sheets of paper and 2 tags for 29p. I try and buy generic paper that will suit most occasions so that gifts are still nicely wrapped but hey lets face it, no-one need know what you paid for it.

pavlovs_dog

get yourself a gift book :beer:

skystar

My hubby says I am an expert at saving money when present buying!! Mind you he also says I am mean and tight

I do most of my gift shopping in the January sales. As Penny-Pincher says boots do an excellent sale. Most things are half price or less. I am lucky I have a huge loft and keep boxes there with the stuff I have got. I make a list with what I have got and who to give it to.

I always buy cards, gift bags and wrapping paper while reduced as well and store that until needed.

Also, if I see boxes of sweets/chocs on offer (e.g. bogof) when I am at the supermarket I will take a couple of them. There are loads of sweet toothed people I buy presents for and they really appreciate sweets!

I never pay full price for anything. I can usually find a discount code for what I am looking for.

I save nectar points and boots points as well. Most of the points I have on those are "bonus" points so even more free cash.

Some magazine subscriptions give away free gifts as well. Sometimes the sub is only £1 and you get a really nice gift set that can be given to someone.

Anyway I am rambling again!

rammy007

i always keep in mind who i have got to buy for in the coming months so when i do see something i buy it and have it ready when the birthday?occasion arises i do it with birthday cards as well and sometimes have them months in advance but keep them in my card organiser

oops_a_daisy

Whenever I see something reduced that would make a good present I buy it. Like kids tops for 50p in Tescos for my daughters friends' parties. I buy fashon jewlery that is reduced to 50p and make up sets that are reduced too. I save the bags that we got on birthdays and recycle them. At Christmas I always buy gift sets in the sales and we make our own wrapping paper with rubber stamps, glitter glue and brown paper. I save during the year for christmas with farepak high street vouchers.

Greenwellies_2

Hi,

I'm sure there is a more appropriate thread for me to add my 2p worth but here goes anyhow!

I grow lavender in my garden, I then pick it and leave it to dry on the garden bench. I take all the flowers off, then store them in a margarine tub next to the hot water tank. I then go to charity shops bootsales etc and get very pretty glass bottles, some epsom salts, rock saly a few drops of lavender oil, and hey presto, home made bath salts

I also purchased clear soap, melted it down, then added the lavender and placed in a mould, wrapped in the hand made paper that daughter made at play group - ta-daar!

Another thing I done was using daughters flower press kit, pressed some lavender, brought some cheap candles from poundstretcher and a plate (cost £5 in total) and used some glue to dress up the candles with the pressed lavender. very pretty, and effective.

I will be experimenting with other ingrediants this year, such as rolled oats for a bath 'milk', but I have yet to find a recipe for these (been too busy to look)

Ranting moment ahead:
Personally I have a BIG problem with being a consumer, and I detest the way that advertising is making us feel we have to buy products or gifts. I want a really traditional Christmas, where it is about enjoying the company and a simple gift, not a snazzy toy / bag / smelly set that you don't really need.
ranting over

Greenwellies

gravitytolls

Presents? We get eggies for the children, and hide them around the garde, with their names written on each one. If it's raining, they're hidden indoors. I might give my mum a box of chocs, but that's it.

My friend buys presents, DVD's, PS2 game etc.

But Easter is about the death and ressurrection, or about celebrating the new life/rebirth of the land depending on your outlook.

Personally, I'd hate to see Easter turned into a mini Christmas. Really, if you don't believe in it at all, I can't see why anyone shoudl spend any money on it at all.

I hope that doesn't sound a littl eharsh, cos I'm not trying to have a dig at anybody, it's just a personal opinion about the commercialisation of EVERYTHING in this country.

kittiwoz

I used to get Easter chocolate when I was a kid but we don't really do it anymore because we're not Christian or religious. My mum did buy me a box of chocolates this year but more because I don't see her very often than because of Easter.

I buy people Christmas and birthday presents but I never spend much. Normally about £5-£7 for birthday presents and family Christmas presents and £1-£2 for friends at Christmas. I try to buy things that are particularly appropriate to the person I'm buying for rather than more generic stuff like chocolates or smellies. Sometimes I buy people presents for no particular reason if I see something at £1 or under that they'll like. Sometimes I buy people presents because they've had a bad exam or their flatmates are rowing, stuff like that. I made my friend Jon a cake for his birthday because it was his first away from home.

There is a thread on the freebies board about a website that has PDFs of paper toys, boxes and baskets which seems really good.

HopeElizzy

Last christmas we bought all our relatives trees........... we went to the Woodland Trust website where we searched for the nearest forest and sponsored some trees for £30. It was buy 3 get 1 free when we did it and they were £10 each. We bought one for my parents, one for OH's parents, one for BIL&SIL and my sister had the free one! That was all we got them and they were all quite pleased and have been out for walks to have a look at their forest as it grows.