It may not be easy to find a gift for a loved one. It’s also hard to understand what would please and if the recipient appreciated the gift. It’s even made harder if you don’t know his interests. For example, you may want to buy a superman bobblehead for your child.
What makes the gift a great one is the satisfaction to both the giver and the recipient. In this article, you’ll learn the tips you can apply to pick the best and most satisfying gift.
Tips for Buying Holiday Gifts
Planning
Make a list of all the items you think can fit the person to whom the gift is targeted. After listing, go through the list and decide on what to buy. Most gift shops have come up with gift guides that assist a customer in picking a gift for each occasion. The guide provides a list of products offered in that particular store. You’ll have a variety of choices to make.
Budget
There’s a tendency to overspend during the holiday season. A lot of merrymaking and unnecessary spending is possible during such seasons. Poor planning may interfere with your financial standing. It’s wise to operate within your budget. Avoid frenzy and unplanned spending by limning borrowing to buy an expensive gift.
The worthiness of a gift doesn’t primarily lie with the purchase price. You can buy an expensive gift that is not satisfying to the recipient. A cheaper one would have been appreciated more. Spend on affordable gifts. Children’s gifts are not as expensive as adults.
If a gift is for a combined family, come up with a common one that all members will appreciate. Rather than buying everyone a gift, you will save in terms of costs.
Cost
There is a tendency for stores to increase the prices of commodities during festive seasons. Visit several stores, comparing the prices. It isn’t very pleasant to buy an item at a high cost only to find it half-price in another shop.
You feel cheated and don’t even find the worth of that item. You are not in a position to return the item back to the store. Visit as many websites as possible if you intend to buy online. Go where there are discounts and compare the cost.
In this way, you’ll buy a less costly gift that will satisfy you. It’s important to avoid planless shopping just because the spirit of the season is within your mind. Bring your senses to normalcy first, bearing in mind this just a passing season that has come and will come and go, and life will continue after that.
Receipts
It’s essential to keep purchase receipts of the goods. Think of an electronic gift that fails to function. How will you exchange or have it fixed by the store? Receipts are proof of purchase, and the store is not obligated to repay where there’s no proof of purchase. You may buy the wrong size of clothes and need to replace you won’t make it if you’ve no proof of purchase from that particular store.
Timing
The wrong timing of when to buy a gift can cost you a lot of money. After the festive season, prices of commodities go down. Some stores even embark on a clearance sale to create space for other goods. This is the time you can buy items at the lowest prices since there is no competition. You can even pre-plan your next festive season by buying unperishable items such as electronics. You’ll save more in terms of costs.
Exercise of caution
Shopping malls are usually crowded during the festive seasons. This situation creates a haven for criminals like pickpockets and shoplifters. Exercise care when entering those stores to avoid losing your wallet or purse to pickpockets.
Carry only the cash or credit card that you’re likely to use, leaving every other important document at home. Replacing a stolen card during the festive season is impossible as financial institutions close down their business to allow staff to enjoy the holidays. Ensure you don’t lose sight of your credit card when swiping for payment due to a recent increase in fraud.
Do not leave your goods on car seats as during the festive seasons, ‘ thieves are all over. Parking your vehicle in a safe area and lock your gifts in a car boot for safety.
While inside the store, be cautious of any suspicious character who may be following you with evil intent. Make sure your car security system is functioning. In this case, you’ll be able to know when an intruder gets closer to your car when you’re out of view.
Mode of payment
For online shopping, you’ll require to open an online payment account like Payoneer or PayPal, where you can transfer some money for shopping. Limit yourself to only funds which are enough for making such payments, rather than pulling your PayPal account with huge amounts of money. There is an increase in cybercrimes, and your account can be hacked, and you lose your money.
Delivery
You may have purchased items worth lots of money. Your vehicle may not accommodate them, leaving you to put them in your car seats where they are unsafe; it would be safe if your items were delivered to your premises, even if at a fee. They could be too heavy to carry yourself, and the risks of being snatched or stolen are minimized.
Conclusion
The festive season is fun. It’s the season of spending and making merry—a time to socialize with kin and friends. Make the season an opportune time to remember the less fortunate, your friends, and family with a special gift. Remember to spend wisely and be sober. Remember, after the festive season, life continues after that.