Gift Giving 101

The holiday season comes with not only joy, but also stress surrounding gifts: where to buy them, when, for who, and figuring out what the appropriate amount is to spend? Here are a few of my tips when gift shopping this holiday season!

1.) Where you will purchase gifts from will depend on who you are shopping for. For example, a safe bet when shopping for my mom is TJMaxx, same as a good online store to look into for my dad is PearlJam.com. I base this off of their interests and things I know they like as gifts! However, the outlets are a great one-stop shop for everyone in your life.

2.) Always start early! The earlier the better. The best deals can sometimes come weeks before Black Friday, especially when concerning clothes and shoes. My advice is to keep an eye out starting in September for things your loved ones may want or need! Black Friday and pre-Christmas deals are typically also great and will be well-publicized a few days prior. Don’t forget the day after Christmas deals for those people you won’t see until after the holiday!

3.) Shop for people most important to you. I typically cover my immediate family, closest relatives, best friends, and significant other. Sometimes I do more than I have to for others I care about. Note: don’t buy to receive! My personal philosophy is that gift-giving isn’t to receive something back—it’s to show someone that you care about them.

4.) Budgets are key. Figure out what is feasible for you to spend in total, and then divide the money how you see fit. I always spend more money on my parents than I do my brothers, but more on my brothers than I do my cousins, and so on. Keep in mind that everyone is different! Splurge on your loved ones if you wish, but don’t put yourself into an unnecessary financial hole.

Happy shopping!