We hate to be negative this time of year, but gift-giving can get expensive! How to pay for all those gifts? Here are a few suggestions…
Loose change for gift cards. If you have a big jar of coins, seek out a Coinstar machine, usually located at supermarkets and discount department stores. If you dump your coins in for cash, you are charged a fee. But if you exchange your change for gift cards, there is no fee, and there are lots of choices, including gift cards for popular retail clothing stores, movie theaters and restaurants. Gift-card selection depends on location.
Reward points on credit cards. When was the last time you checked your reward dollars? Cash them in, and allot the money directly to your Christmas gift budget.
Get creative with your gift-giving. Great gifts don’t have to be expensive…
• Try thrift shops for retro clothes for the hip teens (and millennials) in your life. Or a funky old lamp, bookends, tea cups, old shot glasses. It may take some time to hunt down that special gift, but that’s part of the fun.
• Who doesn’t love food? One or two items of something especially delicious makes a great gift. We advise that you do not purchase pricey gift baskets, since the individual items within the basket often are small-portioned and low-quality (except for maybe a gift basket from your favorite food market such as Zabar’s). We like this list for foodie gift ideas.
• Craft beverages. Wine used to be the holiday gift beverage of choice, but now there are more craft beer breweries than ever, offering crazy-labeled (and delicious!) beers to please the person who has everything. Click here for some favorite craft brew ideas (and there are tons more, most likely one or two in your area, such as Southern Tier Brewing Company, New Belgium Brewing, Green Flash, Goose Island Beer, Jester King Brewery, Blue Point Brewing company, Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales.)
And the craft brew craze has expanded to include bourbon and whiskey (a little more expensive, but still great for gifts). Here’s a list of top-end brands to try.
Check if your local liquor merchant will mail your selection.
For teetotalers, artisanal sodas and ciders are great gifts. Craft soda sites…
Wild Bill’s Olde Fashioned Soda Pop Co.
Of course, a nice bottle of wine still makes a great gift, and your local wine seller would love to tell you about wines for $20 or less that taste great. Here are some affordable holiday picks.
More help with the holidays…
• Low-Cost Holiday Gift Giving
