ALT-1 Holiday Gift Ideas that Won’t Put a Dent in your Wallet
In these difficult economic times, many families are finding it challenging to purchase gifts for their loved ones. In the past, families were able to buy gifts for their mailman or children’s school bus driver. However, now families are struggling to purchase gifts for their friends, coworkers and extended family members.
With the Christmas holiday just around the corner, it can be stressful to think of ways to find gift ideas that won’t put a dent in your wallet. So many of today’s popular gifts on the market are increasingly expensive and it can be difficult to purchase these kinds of products when on a fixed budget.
Costco
Costco Gift of Gold Star Membership - $55
Costco Wholesaleoffers deals on clothing, produce, household items and much more. Recipients will be able to take advantage of this coveted membership that allows them access to their more than 590 Costco locations worldwide.
If you already have a membership, there are many gift items at Costco that are offered at a fraction of the cost of their regular sale price. Their gift card items are amazing for the holidays. You can purchase a combo pack that features multiple gift cards for less than their total value. You can divide the gift cards as gifts for your friends and family. Right now they are featuring a multitude of different gift card packages. Here are the top combos for the loved ones in your life:
California Pizza Kitchen: Two $50 Gift Cards - $79.99 Ghirardelli: Four $25 Gift Cards - $79.99 McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant: Two $50 Gift Cards - $79.99 The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Four $25 Gift Cards - $79.99
Gift memberships
There are gift memberships that can suit the variety of different people in your life. Gift memberships make great gifts because they extend long after the holiday has passed.
Gameflyoffers gift memberships from one month to a whole year and is a great alternative to buying a singular video game. Gamefly allows recipients to rent games for any game console, use it for as long as they want and then trade it in for a new one. This is a great gift for children who tire of video games quickly or easily master them. Gamefly offers the newest video games and you can start membership for as low as $7.95.
Gym memberships can make a great holiday gift because so many people start to think about weight loss and getting healthy for the new year. Many gyms offer gift memberships and if you are already a member there can be some discounts.Bally’s Total Fitnessoffers a Friends & Family Plan that allows you to add friends or family members to your plan at a lower cost. This allows them to take advantage of the gym facilities, all the amenities and even the workout classes that would suit their likes.
Photo memories
Photos can make the best gifts for the holidays. However, things have come a long way since gifting a single picture in a frame. Many people are dependent on their digital cameras and computer folders can be filled to the brim of digital images. It can get expensive developing numerous digital images, printing out pictures on home printers or creating photo books online. A great gift idea for the holidays is to give a gift certificate for a photo sharing site.Shutterflyoffers a gift certificate package that allows you to pick the amount you’d like to put on the card. This allows recipients to develop their favorite pictures, create their own photo books and make family photo enhanced products. They can make a mug with a picture of their dogs on it, a photo book of their last vacation or just prints of all the photos they have stored on their camera.
Previously used
Thinking out of the box when it comes to previously used items can be a great way to stretch out your finances in gift giving. You can get great finds at antique or thrift stores. There are vintage clothing and accessories with fantastic high-end brand names like Chanel, Gucci and Prada, as long as you take the time to comb through the racks. The store will have an individual price tag and gift receipt for your purchase and it can make a great gift for a friend or sibling.
Antique figurines, jewel boxes or candle holders are just a few examples of what you can find at a store featuring gently used items. An older family member or coworker will love the time and effort put into finding their gift and they can be a unique gift with quality craftsmanship for not a lot of money.
New video games are increasingly expensive and yet new ones are coming out with each passing month.Gamestopoffers previously used video games for a fraction of the cost and many of the games are still relatively new. Instead of paying full price for the latest Xbox 360 Kinect or Wii game, try looking for it at Gamestop first. With the same cost of a brand new game you can purchase multiple games that are gently used at Gamestop.
The holidays can be stressful for many families because of the many financial struggles going on in the world today. However, the act of giving during the Christmas holidays doesn’t have to focus on the expense of the gift. People react better with gifts of thoughtfulness, time and effort. It’s important to remember the true meaning of Christmas during these difficult economic times and recognize the most important things in life.
