10 Thrifty Ways To Deliver Big On Valentine's Day
By Ben Popken on February 11, 2011 11:38 AM
Just because the economy is in the dumps doesn't mean your spirits have to be on V-Day. There's lots of great ways to celebrate your relationship without buying into all the myths of conspicuous consumption. At the same time, classic romantic gestures can be nice and sweet, as long as there's more feeling than Franklins behind them. Here's a guide to some last-minute, creative, frugal and even free ways to say "I love you." (Spoiler alert: the best day to celebrate February 14... is February 15! It's like getting Valentine's Day half-off!)
1. SAY IT WITH A (FREE) SONG
Amazon is giving away a free $2 worth of MP3s. So find the song you guys played over and over on that big road trip and send it!
2. EVERYBODY LIKES THOSE DARN FLOWERS
If you've waited until this long to put your flower order in, you're probably out of luck as far as ordering flowers for delivery on Valentine's Day goes. You can order them for Friday or Saturday, or Tuesday instead. And who says the only kind of flower it can be is roses? Tulips, oriental lilies and carnations are totally beautiful, appropriate, and affordable.
Another thing to do is try hitting your local bodega or grocer very early on the morning Valentine's and pick up flowers before the crowds hit and deliver them yourself. But be careful you don't get burned; When I was a hapless 7th grader buying roses for the first time — on the morning of Valentine's, natch — I got suckered into buying what the florist told me were "Black Beauty" roses. He told me the dark coloration was just how this kind of exotic rose looked. I later learned through the girl grapevine two things: 1) I had given my girlfriend a bunch of dead roses and 2) she was no longer my girlfriend. So make sure whatever you get is fresh and will make it through the day!
3. LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE
We all know the candy industry is a bit of a scam. Considering the raw cost of ingredients, that's some pretty huge markup! Turns out that making your own chocolates and sweets isn't that hard and it's really fun. And if you waited until now to start getting your Valentine's gift together, it's the perfect thing to do early on Saturday morning. Epicurious has some great recipies for homemade sweets, like Coffee Chocolate Truffle Kisses, White-Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries with Citrus Sugar, or Bittersweet Chocolate and Walnut Fudge.
4. OH, JEWELRY...
Despite what the ads say, shiny bangles are not magic amulets that will instantly make your beloved collapse into your arms. So make sure you can afford it, your lover actually will want and appreciate the token, and that you don't pay out the nose. For starters, there's more to jewelry than just diamonds. Black pearl earrings are lovely and don't cost much, for example. A good place to hit up for jewelry that won't break the bank or your heart is bluenile.com. Thrift stores are treasure troves of unique and funky vintage jewelry. So too are consignment shops.
5. VALENTINE'S DAY CAN HAPPEN ON ANY DAY
Declare Feb 15 to be your Valentine's day. Or a week later. Reader Witold says he and his fiancée celebrate Valentine's on Feb 21 and it works great. "That way, we can get a good reservation, buy discounted V-day gifts, and not pay inflated rose prices," he writes. "She is sick of the over the top jewelry ads and blatant price gouging on flowers, and frankly, so am I."
6. SPLASHING CASH ON SHALLOW OBJECTS WILL LEAVE YOU SOAKED
The key to a really great Valentine's gift is to pick something that really matters. Something that says, "I'm paying attention to you!" Surprise them at work in your finery and give them a jar full of their favorite candy. Take one of their favorite pictures they've shot and get it blown up and framed. And sometimes, the most romantic gift of all is a sandwich...
7. OUR LOVE WILL NEVER DIE, SO LET'S DIY!
Handmade gifts are individual to the recepient and show that you put time in instead of just picking up something from the stand at the mall. Make your best attempt at a miniature clay model of their head. Decoupage a light switch. No time to get art supplies? No problem. Here's how you can make an origami heart with wings. For an added touch, reuse old wrapping paper. If there's still a lot of snow around you right now, you could prepare a secret lover's igloo and hide your gifts in there and bring your special someone there for a romantic rendezvous.
8. STAY IN AND WATCH A MOVIE
Snuggle up with some home-made popcorn and watch a fun flick. Redbox will let you send an electronic Valentine's with a coupon for a free movie rental on 2/14. Details are at their Facebook page, coupon code "BEMINE."
9. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
There's nothing more romantic than trying something new together, and it doesn't have to be pricey. Check out a free local music show at a cool bar or cafe. Enroll in a one-day poetry workshop and present the flyer for it on Feb 14. Have you guys ever tried snowshoeing or cross-country skiing?
If the two of you are both into video games, getting two copies of a new one for each of you and learning it and playing it together can be a bonding experience. Reader Lori's college boyfriend in 1992 chipped in with friends to buy her a copy of the massively multiplayer online game Everquest. "Creating an account to play with each other was something special," she writes. "I still have fond memories of staying in, installing the game and learning the ropes with the happy BF by my side."
"He graduated that summer and had it not been for that silly game, it wasn't likely our new relationship would have survived the long distance relationship we endured the few subsequent years," writes Lori. "Today, we're married and Everquest has fallen by the wayside, but we still remember those time affectionately."
10. KISSES AND HUGS ARE CHEAP, BUT DEAR
There is a no more cost-effective expression of love than a heartfelt kiss and a hug. So have at it!
MY THOUGHTS
there you go - it's the giver not the gift. it's the effort not the price. it's spending time together (face-to-face or online). it's being happy that there's a valentine's day to make each other feel 'more' special.
Showing posts with label cheap gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheap gifts. Show all posts
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
5 Ways to Stay Sane Over the Holidays
5 Ways to Stay Sane Over the Holidays
By Lesley Dormen
O, The Oprah Magazine | December 03, 2010
You know that woman who glides through the holidays effortlessly turning out fruitcakes, entertaining fractious family members, and thinking up unbelievably perfect gifts without being a wreck inside? We don't, either. Holiday stress is now part of the human condition. As the familiar tension digs its heels in, consider a dose of calm from Alice Domar, PhD, author of Self Nuture and one of our LLuminari experts.
1. Reassess. Create a list of everything you do for the holidays and notice which activities make you queasy even thinking about them. In each case, ask, "Who am I doing this for?" Your husband? Your children? Your mother? If you're going through the motions only to meet your own expectations, perhaps you could cross off that activity this year. If you're doing it for others, suggest something different. Instead of cooking up a huge family Christmas dinner, for example, propose making reservations at a special restaurant. Anxious about the usual New Year's Eve party? Your husband might be more than happy to ditch it and escape with you to a romantic hotel.
2. Check your perfectionism at the door. Are you a working woman who is comparing her baking and tree-trimming efforts with those of someone who doesn't have a full-time job—or with the way your stay-at-home mother handled the holidays? Are you envisioning your Christmas party right out of a movie? "We put so much of this pressure on ourselves," says Domar.
3. Put yourself on the receiving end. Come up with gifts that will benefit you as well as the other person. Instead of getting your friend a $50 sweater, use the money to take both of you for a manicure/pedicure. Buy two tickets to a play or concert. Convince your family to pool what everyone would have spent on presents and hire a massage therapist to give half-hour shoulder rubs as you all sit around at your holiday gathering.
4. Break the routine. If you're losing sleep over where the family should spend the holidays, "start a new tradition," says Domar. If a large get-together is too complicated or torturous, suggest seeing relatives separately. Or arrange for everyone to put their family gift money toward going on a cruise together. If logistics are suffocating, celebrate a month later when travel is easier and fares are cheaper.
5. Buy a few extras. It's everyone's worst nightmare: the beaming acquaintance who shows up unexpectedly with a gift. You can sometimes get away with, "Oh, I haven't wrapped yet," but Domar suggests protecting yourself by having a few extra generic gifts ready—a pretty little vase, a blank journal on nice paper, a lottery ticket. And if the reverse happens—you buy someone a thoughtful, one-of-a-kind treasure and she has nothing for you, or pulls out some $2 trinket? "It's very hard to gauge what other people will spend," says Domar. "They may have a different gift-giving style. They may be having financial difficulty. Don't let it ruin your holiday."
MY THOUGHTS
somehow, we've managed our family christmas celebration in such a way that it won't put too much stress on just one or two persons who would play host. for years, we've been going out of town - to some resort or private pool. no rushing to clean the house, buy groceries and then slave over the stove. no cleaning after wards and putting away china and silver. now we have all the time to just laze around. more time to just bond together. of course, it can be expensive. so we start saving for christmas at the start of the year.
By Lesley Dormen
O, The Oprah Magazine | December 03, 2010
You know that woman who glides through the holidays effortlessly turning out fruitcakes, entertaining fractious family members, and thinking up unbelievably perfect gifts without being a wreck inside? We don't, either. Holiday stress is now part of the human condition. As the familiar tension digs its heels in, consider a dose of calm from Alice Domar, PhD, author of Self Nuture and one of our LLuminari experts.
1. Reassess. Create a list of everything you do for the holidays and notice which activities make you queasy even thinking about them. In each case, ask, "Who am I doing this for?" Your husband? Your children? Your mother? If you're going through the motions only to meet your own expectations, perhaps you could cross off that activity this year. If you're doing it for others, suggest something different. Instead of cooking up a huge family Christmas dinner, for example, propose making reservations at a special restaurant. Anxious about the usual New Year's Eve party? Your husband might be more than happy to ditch it and escape with you to a romantic hotel.
2. Check your perfectionism at the door. Are you a working woman who is comparing her baking and tree-trimming efforts with those of someone who doesn't have a full-time job—or with the way your stay-at-home mother handled the holidays? Are you envisioning your Christmas party right out of a movie? "We put so much of this pressure on ourselves," says Domar.
3. Put yourself on the receiving end. Come up with gifts that will benefit you as well as the other person. Instead of getting your friend a $50 sweater, use the money to take both of you for a manicure/pedicure. Buy two tickets to a play or concert. Convince your family to pool what everyone would have spent on presents and hire a massage therapist to give half-hour shoulder rubs as you all sit around at your holiday gathering.
4. Break the routine. If you're losing sleep over where the family should spend the holidays, "start a new tradition," says Domar. If a large get-together is too complicated or torturous, suggest seeing relatives separately. Or arrange for everyone to put their family gift money toward going on a cruise together. If logistics are suffocating, celebrate a month later when travel is easier and fares are cheaper.
5. Buy a few extras. It's everyone's worst nightmare: the beaming acquaintance who shows up unexpectedly with a gift. You can sometimes get away with, "Oh, I haven't wrapped yet," but Domar suggests protecting yourself by having a few extra generic gifts ready—a pretty little vase, a blank journal on nice paper, a lottery ticket. And if the reverse happens—you buy someone a thoughtful, one-of-a-kind treasure and she has nothing for you, or pulls out some $2 trinket? "It's very hard to gauge what other people will spend," says Domar. "They may have a different gift-giving style. They may be having financial difficulty. Don't let it ruin your holiday."
MY THOUGHTS
somehow, we've managed our family christmas celebration in such a way that it won't put too much stress on just one or two persons who would play host. for years, we've been going out of town - to some resort or private pool. no rushing to clean the house, buy groceries and then slave over the stove. no cleaning after wards and putting away china and silver. now we have all the time to just laze around. more time to just bond together. of course, it can be expensive. so we start saving for christmas at the start of the year.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Make Christmas Holiday Work: Budget Gift Ideas
Giving Christmas Gifts on the Cheap
Cheap Christmas Gifts: Why Not Start a New Tradition?
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide
Updated November 19, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
According to a Consumer Reports poll, Americans are scaling back their holiday spending in droves. (This may be due to the fact that so many people are hurting from the financial crisis right now, plus more than 12 million consumers are still carrying debt from last winter's holiday season!) If you’re happy with your holiday spending level, you may simply want some holiday gift ideas. However, if you would like to cut down on spending in attempts to avoid the stress of holiday debt, here’s a creative list of cheap Christmas gift giving ideas. Perhaps you can start a new family gift-exchanging tradition, allowing you and your entire family to save more each and every year.
Draw Names
Many families, especially extended families who are spread out in different cities, adopt the name-drawing tradition for gifts. Basically, each family member only buys one gift. Whom you give to, and who buys for you, is determined by drawing names from a hat. This is known around many office circles as "Secret Santa."
This strategy can really save you money in terms of buying for and shipping gifts to several individuals. Not only does it save you the stress and expense of shopping for multiple people, but it can also ensure that everyone gets one nice gift. The drawback is that you may end up paired with someone who you aren’t close to, or you may find it difficult to not buy a special gift for the relatives to whom you feel closest.
Just Give Gifts to the Kids
Another strategy for large extended families is to have each relative only buy gifts for family members under 18. This greatly cuts down costs and ensures that those who might appreciate the gifts most -- kids -- are the ones who get them. It then becomes a sort of rite of passage when the kids grow older and switch to the gift-giving role.
Place a $15 Limit
Another strategy people employ is putting a spending limit on each gift. While you and your family can choose whatever number you want, keeping the dollar amount low can sometimes spark people to become more creative with the money that they do spend, taking advantage of sales or putting a lot of thought into the best way to make the most of the allotted budget. While this may cut down on the number of expensive gifts exchanged, it also takes a lot of the pressure off of the situation. There’s no more feeling like you need to spend a lot to show people how much you love them, worrying about spending more or less than they spent on you, or looking "cheap" if you shop the sales.
Books Only
Agreeing to give books only can be an excellent way to keep costs down. Buying loved ones just the right book is a way to show that you know them well and understand their taste. Books also provide hours of fun reading in addition to some interesting topics of conversation. Giving paperbacks can ensure a pretty low cost, and including a gift receipt can basically make any book a "coupon" for any other book the recipient wants (if it turns out you didn’t quite capture his or her tastes). This may not work as well for a non-reading crowd, but this is a great way to go for a group of avid readers.
Homemade Gifts
Gifts that you make need not be comprised of pipe cleaner, tissue paper, or painted macaroni. Most of us have some sort of creative side, and you’d be surprised by what you can create if you put that creative side to work. Some of my favorite gifts to make and receive have been family photo albums, quilts, custom-made place mats, crocheted blankets, custom-made CDs, hand-painted pottery, and cookies. Some gifts do take considerable time to create (especially en masse), but those who enjoy creating often find it a worthy trade-off. Here’s a list of more gifts you can make, with instructions.
Thoughtful Cards
Because “it’s the thought that counts,” if your group is really on-board with saving money, you may want to consider just exchanging thoughtful cards. The key is for the card itself to be blank -- you create the meaningful message. For those who want to try their hand at poetry, even an average quality poem goes over really well with most recipients -- how many of us get poetry written especially for us? For those who can’t even force a crude limerick, writing about fond shared memories or the qualities you love most in your recipients tends to work just as well.
Coupon Books
Creating a book-o'-favors for your loved ones, including good deeds especially for them, can be an incredibly thoughtful money saver. Coupons offering free babysitting to busy parents, airport trips to the frequent traveler, or a hand-delivered homemade meal to just about anyone can be a welcome and thoughtful gesture. (The possibilities are wide open when you create a coupon book for a spouse or child!) The key to making this one successful is to be sure to follow up and push people to actually use the coupons, or include a specific date on which they should be used, if possible.
Yummy Gifts
While cookies, brownies and bars tend to be gone within days, few faces fail to light up when presented with tasty treats. I love About.com Southern Food Guide's fabulous holiday cookie recipes. If the sugary stuff would be an unwelcome diet saboteur, you can always assemble a healthy fruit basket, wine and cheese basket, or come up with your own cheap-and-tasty basket idea.
After-Christmas Shopping Spree
Recently, "Super Human Radio" host Carl Lenore shared this one with me: Why not buy the gifts right after Christmas, when everything is drastically reduced? While this one may not be for everyone, it does have some bonuses: Fewer returns and exchanges of not-quite-right gifts, obvious savings, and the "fun" of doing something slightly different than everyone else. You can still exchange beautifully-wrapped “IOUs,” give a picture of the gift you intend to buy, or provide small "token" gifts (like candy) on the actual holiday.
MY THOUGHTS
i wish i have the talent and the creativity for homemade gifts. i think i'll opt for the kids only this year. well, at least the kidsget a gift each. for the rest, i needto think of gifts for the family or for the couple. i used to do the after-christmas shopping. i'm not recommending it if you have a small space at home. remember you will have to keep that for a year. of course, you can use them for birthdays. still, storage is an issue.
Cheap Christmas Gifts: Why Not Start a New Tradition?
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide
Updated November 19, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
According to a Consumer Reports poll, Americans are scaling back their holiday spending in droves. (This may be due to the fact that so many people are hurting from the financial crisis right now, plus more than 12 million consumers are still carrying debt from last winter's holiday season!) If you’re happy with your holiday spending level, you may simply want some holiday gift ideas. However, if you would like to cut down on spending in attempts to avoid the stress of holiday debt, here’s a creative list of cheap Christmas gift giving ideas. Perhaps you can start a new family gift-exchanging tradition, allowing you and your entire family to save more each and every year.
Draw Names
Many families, especially extended families who are spread out in different cities, adopt the name-drawing tradition for gifts. Basically, each family member only buys one gift. Whom you give to, and who buys for you, is determined by drawing names from a hat. This is known around many office circles as "Secret Santa."
This strategy can really save you money in terms of buying for and shipping gifts to several individuals. Not only does it save you the stress and expense of shopping for multiple people, but it can also ensure that everyone gets one nice gift. The drawback is that you may end up paired with someone who you aren’t close to, or you may find it difficult to not buy a special gift for the relatives to whom you feel closest.
Just Give Gifts to the Kids
Another strategy for large extended families is to have each relative only buy gifts for family members under 18. This greatly cuts down costs and ensures that those who might appreciate the gifts most -- kids -- are the ones who get them. It then becomes a sort of rite of passage when the kids grow older and switch to the gift-giving role.
Place a $15 Limit
Another strategy people employ is putting a spending limit on each gift. While you and your family can choose whatever number you want, keeping the dollar amount low can sometimes spark people to become more creative with the money that they do spend, taking advantage of sales or putting a lot of thought into the best way to make the most of the allotted budget. While this may cut down on the number of expensive gifts exchanged, it also takes a lot of the pressure off of the situation. There’s no more feeling like you need to spend a lot to show people how much you love them, worrying about spending more or less than they spent on you, or looking "cheap" if you shop the sales.
Books Only
Agreeing to give books only can be an excellent way to keep costs down. Buying loved ones just the right book is a way to show that you know them well and understand their taste. Books also provide hours of fun reading in addition to some interesting topics of conversation. Giving paperbacks can ensure a pretty low cost, and including a gift receipt can basically make any book a "coupon" for any other book the recipient wants (if it turns out you didn’t quite capture his or her tastes). This may not work as well for a non-reading crowd, but this is a great way to go for a group of avid readers.
Homemade Gifts
Gifts that you make need not be comprised of pipe cleaner, tissue paper, or painted macaroni. Most of us have some sort of creative side, and you’d be surprised by what you can create if you put that creative side to work. Some of my favorite gifts to make and receive have been family photo albums, quilts, custom-made place mats, crocheted blankets, custom-made CDs, hand-painted pottery, and cookies. Some gifts do take considerable time to create (especially en masse), but those who enjoy creating often find it a worthy trade-off. Here’s a list of more gifts you can make, with instructions.
Thoughtful Cards
Because “it’s the thought that counts,” if your group is really on-board with saving money, you may want to consider just exchanging thoughtful cards. The key is for the card itself to be blank -- you create the meaningful message. For those who want to try their hand at poetry, even an average quality poem goes over really well with most recipients -- how many of us get poetry written especially for us? For those who can’t even force a crude limerick, writing about fond shared memories or the qualities you love most in your recipients tends to work just as well.
Coupon Books
Creating a book-o'-favors for your loved ones, including good deeds especially for them, can be an incredibly thoughtful money saver. Coupons offering free babysitting to busy parents, airport trips to the frequent traveler, or a hand-delivered homemade meal to just about anyone can be a welcome and thoughtful gesture. (The possibilities are wide open when you create a coupon book for a spouse or child!) The key to making this one successful is to be sure to follow up and push people to actually use the coupons, or include a specific date on which they should be used, if possible.
Yummy Gifts
While cookies, brownies and bars tend to be gone within days, few faces fail to light up when presented with tasty treats. I love About.com Southern Food Guide's fabulous holiday cookie recipes. If the sugary stuff would be an unwelcome diet saboteur, you can always assemble a healthy fruit basket, wine and cheese basket, or come up with your own cheap-and-tasty basket idea.
After-Christmas Shopping Spree
Recently, "Super Human Radio" host Carl Lenore shared this one with me: Why not buy the gifts right after Christmas, when everything is drastically reduced? While this one may not be for everyone, it does have some bonuses: Fewer returns and exchanges of not-quite-right gifts, obvious savings, and the "fun" of doing something slightly different than everyone else. You can still exchange beautifully-wrapped “IOUs,” give a picture of the gift you intend to buy, or provide small "token" gifts (like candy) on the actual holiday.
MY THOUGHTS
i wish i have the talent and the creativity for homemade gifts. i think i'll opt for the kids only this year. well, at least the kidsget a gift each. for the rest, i needto think of gifts for the family or for the couple. i used to do the after-christmas shopping. i'm not recommending it if you have a small space at home. remember you will have to keep that for a year. of course, you can use them for birthdays. still, storage is an issue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)