Combining Gift Purchases to Save Your Wallet

Rather than each person giving gifts to every other member of your family, draw names so each person has fewer gifts to give - but with the potential of spending more effort on the particular gift they are responsible for. This is particularly helpful if you have a large family.

Or, instead of individual gifts, you could give a family gift. Within your own family, each individual could receive a larger gift (or gifts up to an agreed value) organised collectively by the other members. When giving to another family, your family can give one item that would suit the entire family.

You could also use this concept at work and with other friends and neighbours to whom you may be planning on giving a gift. Perhaps you can buy a family of movie lovers a book of certificates for a free movie every month at their favourite movie store.

Does someone on your list like going to museums? You can buy family memberships at museums for much less than you would spend on individual gifts. In many cases, a family membership will also allow you to use your ticket for reciprocating museums within a certain driving distance. This would give them free or reduced entry into other museums that are part of the program.

Another family-type gift you could give would be a membership to the local pool or recreation centre. Try to think of what it is that the people on your list enjoy and find something that could be for the whole family. It’s quite possible that a combined gift like these would reduce your gift spending dramatically.

PLR