Last Minute Gift Shopping on a Budget
You’ve left it until the last moment, again, and now you have a birthday, graduation, or holiday coming up, and you just know you’re going to wind up spending more than you mean to, and you’re definitely going to get gouged on shipping. Here are five ways to be thrifty and still be on time.
1. Get Amazon Prime
If this happens to you often, or if you have a lot of gifts to buy, consider buying Amazon Prime. For just $80 a year, you get free second day shipping on almost everything in Amazon’s inventory, along with other upsides. Even for just a half a dozen items, Prime quickly pays for itself, especially if standard shipping just isn’t fast enough.
It is important to do the math on this one, though, as it doesn’t extend off Amazon. If you don’t often shop on Amazon, or are buying most of the items off Amazon, it may not be worth it. It is, however, a powerful option for shopaholics if the numbers work out. It’s also free for students!
2. Know Where to Shop
For electronics and computers, big-box stores like Best Buy and Radioshack often mark up items two or three times! Try buying straight from the source on websites like TigerDirect and Newegg.com. If you’re shopping for a videogame, try Steam (store.steampowered.com), especially near holidays, to take advantage of aggressive sales on older games. And, of course, if it’s an item that won’t suffer for being used, never underestimate the power of Ebay and Craigslist.
By making sure you shop in the right places, you can cut down on 90% of the work of bargain hunting, without sacrificing savings. It’s not hard to avoid being taken advantage of, but you will be if you don’t.
3. Get Quirky
A gift doesn’t have to be a big thing. A handmade item, or a clever craft from Etsy, or even a used book or dress can all make memorable gifts that will last a lifetime, without needing to spend much money. Ask yourself what will make them smile most when they open the box — it might not be as expensive as you think. Often, it’s the small things that surprise us a little that bring us the most joy.
If you have a used bookstore near you, consider shopping there. You’d be amazed the gems you can turn up, often for very minimal prices. Not only can you save money, you can also introduce someone to a powerful story that they’ll remember forever.
4. Buy an Experience, not an Object
Instead of buying someone a thing that will inevitably find itself on a shelf gathering dust, do something with them instead. Buy tickets to a play, or take them ice-skating, or buy them dinner at a place they would never, ever go on their own. Not only is this usually cheaper (and less time sensitive), it also helps bring you together and build a relationship in a way that few wrapped gifts do. When you’re old and looking back on your life, a really, surprisingly good day counts for a lot more than a new gadget that’s long since landfill.
Category: Budget, Saving Money, Shopping
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