Present buying etiquette

looneyleo

If I get a bargain present I definately pocket the difference, otherwise what is the point of all the effort trying to save money? The only time I don't do this is for my two children. I have a strict budget and stick to it. The more presents I can get the better, always making sure that the christmas present bag "looks" equal for both.

I spend all year looking for bargains for the family sometimes buying up to a year in advance. I never buy a "bargain" if I don't know who I will give it too. You just have to stand back from the present and objectively ask yourself "does that present look good enough for that person?"

Good Luck in your present hunting!

Rachel85

I feel a lot better about buying bargains now! My H2B is the only person I have a strict budget for. If I get a bargain for him it just means he gets more (for example his Top Gear subscription was £11.55 in Tesco Clubcard vouchers instead of £46 in real money - he still has no idea - they were my mum's vouchers as well!!)

I'm new to the OS board but can see me spending a lot of time on here (probably even more so when I've finished my degree in 2 weeks...)

EssexGirl

We too work to a budget for each person. Generally for adult family pressies we ask what the person would like, then choose what we buy from what they tell us. That way it's still a surprise, but it's something they want.

For my mates (hubby doesn't exchange pressies with his mates!) we have a £5-£10 budget. After a visit to a factory shopping village at the weekend, one of my mates is getting a very nice brand t-shirt (she likes nice lables) worth £30 that I bought for £3. What she doesn't know won't hurt her and i have saved and kept the change

People should be happy with what they are given.

metherer

EssexGirl wrote:

People should be happy with what they are given.

I quite agree. People now seem to be extremely ungrateful.

The only time I have asked for something to be exchanged was last year, when I had specified I wanted a traditional bird table, wooden, with a roof etc. My family got me oe of those pole feeders instead with two branches off the top. All metal.:mad:

As it was the absolute opposite of what I was after, I bit the bullet and asked for an exchange. They would have realised I hated it anyway, when they saw I'd gone and bought myself a traditional bird table.

Hated doing it though.

Metherer
x

windym_2

I now put a lotto scratchcard in friends birthday cards and don't give a pressie. One friend won over £30 and was delighted!