Last Minute Gifts that Won’t Kill Your Budget

Have you finished your holiday shopping? I thought I had. Then I went through about 10 boxes in my dining room that have been delivered over the past two weeks, and I realized I was severely short on gifts for my husband.  To add insult to injury, I went to the website for the top item on his list and it’s on back order. Yikes!

I hate to admit it, but this has happened to me before. In fact, it happens to me every year, which makes me the queen of last minute gifts. Here are some hints to help you get through these last few days with a gift for everyone on your list.

1. If something is not available online, and that retailer happens to have a store nearby, I go to the store and buy it. If the store doesn’t have it, I purchase it online, print a photo of the item and wrap it in a box with a note that says the gift is on its way. They may not have it on Christmas day, but they’ll know it’s paid for and coming soon.

2. Look for a suitable replacement. Find an item with similar specifications and include a gift receipt. When they open it, explain that the one they wanted wasn’t available, but this one is practically the same. If they don’t like it, they have the gift receipt to return it and get what they want.

3. Buy gift cards. Grocery stores, Wal-Mart, Target and others carry a wide assortment of gift cards to other stores. Many online retailers give you the option to print gift cards using your own computer. If you absolutely have to have a gift on Christmas Day, give a gift card.

4. Give something homemade. If you are handy with the computer, make a photo calendar using online templates. Google “photo calendar templates” to make it easier. Put together a photo CD or DVD. One year my father-in-law made me a quilt rack for my living room. It’s still one of the nicest things I’ve ever received from him. Use whatever skill you have to make something thoughtful.

5. Give the gift of time. Make a certificate or a coupon book promising dates with spouses, play time with children, etc. Think about what is important to the recipient and craft an event around it. Perhaps your spouse works a lot. Offer a day where you’ll do his chores, or let him sit and watch TV all day and serve him his meals on the couch.

If you give a gift with thought, they’ll like it, if it isn’t something they’ve asked for. From our family to yours, have a Merry Christmas!