It might be a tad too soon to utter the C word, but truth is that December isn't that far away and we need to start preparing. Not only that, but throughout the year we have to buy presents for different people so it's always good to know how to save money on these as much as possible. I love buying presents and I like to be creative with what I buy but I don't always have the budget I would like to be able to treat my loved ones as much as they would like.
Thankfully, over the years (thanks to a dad who loves a bargain) I have worked out a few handy ways to save money on what I need to buy. This means I can buy presents without my bank account crying too much!
Shop Online and in Advance
I am sure we all know that internet shopping can be a great way to save money. Whether you're looking for bike discounts, cheap subscription services or voucher codes for free postage you can usually find it online. There are websites dedicated to such discounts, which means that you can always find out the best way to save money with just a few clicks of a button.
One thing I have learned is to shop well in advance. When you leave it to the last minute (something I am sure we are all guilty of) you end up having to pay extra for things like next day delivery. Also, when you are in a rush you have less time to look for disix weeks before an occasion and start to shop for a gift then. That gives you plenty of time to get organised and buy what you need.
Ask What They Need
I am sure we all have the odd person in our family or friendship circle that is impossible to buy for. They're someone that seems to have everything they need, so buying something for them is a hard task. I have decided over recent years to just ask them what they would like - or at least a hint! This means that they get a gift they are actually going to love and you're not wasting your money buying something that is going to sit in a cupboard because they're not a fan.
Get Creative
I'm not going to lie, I don't have a creative bone in my body so I did struggle with this at first. I always assumed that getting creative meant going on Pinterest and creating something wondrous from scratch. There are loads of lovely ideas out there, but that is something that is far beyond my artistic ability!
However there are ways to get creative without having to create something Blue Peter worthy. For example, I love buying photo frames and filling them with photos from nights out, days out and other memories. There is a lot to be said for gifts that contain real memories! There are lots of ways to get photos printed for free too, which is an even better way to save money!
The most important thing to remember is that, your loved ones don't really care how much you have spent on a present. They're not going to want you going bankrupt stretching beyond your budget in order to buy them something. Set a budget of what you can afford and set out to find a gift that fits within this.