I’m not planning to go shopping on Friday. I am going shopping Saturday and if I see something for someone on my list I will get it. When I was younger, I would wait until the last minute to do my shopping and then just buy things for the people on my list. My parents, grandmother and best friend generally got some great gifts. The other people on my list weren’t as lucky because I bought them what I wanted to get them and since I was shopping last minute I didn’t take a lot of time to think about the presents I would give. 

Think before your purchase. I have learned from my past. Price isn’t important either. An inexpensive, well-planned gift is much better than one that is expensive and hastily considered. Don’t think so? What about those pre-wrapped gifts that you can buy at almost any store? They are pre-wrapped because it is easy and convenient just to pick something up and requires very little thought. Even if you are getting multiple gifts for people in a group or club, like let’s say the assistants at the office, or book club members, try to select different colors or something that would make the gift unique.

For years I would give gifts to my Sunday School students or when I was a classroom teacher homeroom students. Even if I gave them a pen or pencil, I would try to make it so that each student got something that seemed unique – just by changing the wrapping or giving half of the students blue pens instead of black. Also buying pencils that were holiday/winter themed pencils in a variety pack also helped so that even though they were “getting the same thing” everyone received something that was slightly different.

Giving out mugs with candy or tea in them, or plastic cups (like the kind you find at Walgreens on sale for 8 for $1)? Select different patterns on each cup or use “the same but different” approach when filling them. Instead of everyone receiving peppermints, buy some spearmint candy (green and white striped candy) and fill some mugs with that.

Even gifts for the masses can have some diversity to them and still be appealing.

Have you thought about your Christmas list?

What will you send to people that won’t break your budget?

 

One year when I didn’t have a lot of money, I baked cookies for some coworkers, and put them in a tin along sealed with clear cellophane tape and a note saying to keep the cookies fresh put a piece of bread in the container. Everyone loved the cookies. And also the additional note with the information on how to keep the cookies fresh.

Let’s say you have a friend who likes something you make – be it lasagna or a cake or anything else. My mother makes things for people at Christmas like a couple fo pans of lasagna travel out of her door as well as about a half a dozen cakes. 

What can you make. Many people consider making a gift for a person as sewing or crocheting (or knitting) but think about what you can cook that your friends will enjoy. Do you make a great casserole that your friends ask you to make everytime they come over? Make it for them and include instructions for reheating or cooking, if you choose to just make the item and let your friend cook it at home.

Before you get caught up in the frenzy of Black Friday… make your list. Monday is December 1. Do not let yourself get caught up in dilemma and spend more than you must. Planning out your gifts and budget before you hit the stores will help you avoid plastic meltdown.

 

Scale down your holiday plans this year. If you are not working or have less money to spend on your loved ones, do not let this make you depressed. If someone only likes you for the money you have or the gifts you can give them (other than the gift of your friendship or relationship) then you know who your true friends and relatives are.

Something that is new to a person does not mean that it has to be bought from a regular retail store. Have you ever been to a thrift store and seen new items that were still in the packaging? I bought a new, unused Daily Bible for a Sunday School student for only 25¢. If you give a gift to a person that you know they will like and it is not broken or damaged in any way there would be no reason to return the gift.

Scaling down your holiday shopping and buying does not mean that it has to be less enjoyable. This means that it has to be more thoughtful. This is something to remember before Thanksgiving and Black Friday. If you can’t afford to buy extravagant gifts, then don’t. Those who truly care about you will also care about your financial well being – that also means children as well. I’m sure if you explained to a child that they could get a gift but you might not have a place to live for any child over 6 will understand that.

It may sound like the Grinch who stole Christmas, but if you plan appropriately and want to spend within your means for gifts then make a conscious effort to spend wisely and be honest with yourself if no one else.

Hold off on tossing out catalogs and containers before Christmas. Both may prove useful for the holiday season.

Before you throw away those catalogs, start looking through them for some gift ideas. This is especially helpful for items that you know the cost of the individual parts that make up a basket or themed gift.

A tea company catalog arrived in my email box the other day, rather than just deleting the catalog, I looked through it. Hmmm. Maybe because I keep up with these things, I quickly figured out that a variety pack of 120 tea bags in a container should not cost $30. For a tea drinker in your life, you could buy the same tea and put it into a container for a lot less and even include a dollar store mug.

As I was sorting through some containers and before I put them in the container to donate I stopped myself and thought that I could use them for gifts. Especially for those unusually shaped gifts or to make a gift of tea for someone myself. It may not seem like a big deal but if you gave someone a bag of coffee or a box of tea alone this does not look like an exciting gift. Wrap the gift or add something to it to make it seem fancy and you have elevated your gift’s status from ok to out of the ordinary.

Before tossing out those containers and boxes from gifts past, look at them in a new light and think about the opportunity that you will have to use them. After Christmas, if you haven’t used them, then donate them.

Deflation. What does it mean? We all know that inflation is something we don’t like but could deflation be bad as well?

Of course we are accustomed to high prices. Discount stores generally have lower prices on items than the corner store or the convenience store. If prices decrease how can that be bad?

Consumer prices are decreasing because people do not have any money and are buying less. In order to get people to buy things retailers decrease the price. Unfortunately when the prices decrease below the cost of manufacturing, this is more than a loss leader this is deflation and can ultimately be bad for the economy in the long run.

If prices fall below the cost it takes to produce products, businesses will likely have to cut production and slash payrolls. Rising unemployment would cut demand even further, sending the economy into a vicious circle.

Deflation usually represents a system-wide contraction in demand, with consumers waiting on the sidelines as they wait for prices to decline even further.

Deflation isn’t here yet and the solution isn’t to buy more things. Inflation is settling and prices are returning to normal levels. This is definitely something that is important so that necessities are affordable. The only area where prices are really falling are at the gas pump and in housing. Food is still expensive but there is still a demand for food.

Low prices don’t necessarily mean that there is deflation occurring. This may mean that there is less profit that companies will make and make them more competetive.