Spend Less on Gifts in 2010 (Image courtesy of MarcinMoga)

Let’s face it — we can’t all be like Oprah, handing out hundreds of cashmere sweaters, diamond bracelets or spa getaways to our friends. While it would be fun to give extravagantly and not be forced to think about our credit card debt or how we’re going to pay for our child’s college tuition, it’s just not realistic for most of us. And if you’ve resolved to save money in 2010, your gift giving budget can be a good place to do it. Here are some tips for spending less on gifts.

Plan Ahead

There’s no quicker way to mess up your gift giving budget than to wait until the last minute. In an attempt to find the perfect gift you’ll likely end up spending way more than you intended. Pick up a handy birthday book like this one from Barnes and Noble that will help you remember important dates year-after-year. Take a moment to review it before the start of each month. Make a list of the gifts you need to pick up so you have plenty of time to shop for the best item at the best price.

Set a Budget

Do you always make a budget when buying gifts? If your answer is no, then you should be. Consider factors like the relationship you have with the recipient and the occasion you’re celebrating. Once you set your budget stick to it!

Research

If you’ve got a gift in mind, start researching it in order to find the best price. Use sites like PriceGrabber.com or DealTime.com to search for specific products and find out which retailer is offering the lowest price. You’ll also want to check out the shopping portal Ebates.com to see if you can earn any cash back on you purchase. It’s free to join and easy to use.

Enter Giveaways

Bloggers are always giving away great gifts. Throw your name into the hat and you could win items that would make great gifts throughout the year without spending any money. Be sure to check out the Giveaways page right here at 1HappyCorner.com.

Save on the Card

Another way to spend less on gifts is by spending less on the greeting card. Invest in a variety pack of assorted greeting cards like this one at PaperCards.com. Rather than forking over three or four dollars on a card, you’ll spend just $.62 a card. In all that’s a savings of at least $57 on cards alone! With savings like that you’ll be well on your way to achieving your resolution of spending less on gifts in 2010.

My husband and I have been busy. We decided that in order to save money this year we would give a list of 24 friends and family members a homemade gift. It’s neatly packaged muffin mix for one of our favorite recipes complete with the instructions. To be honest, I got the idea from another post here on 1HappyCorner. I just adapted it to make it more personal and threw in some low-cost packaging. Here’s how you can make a Christmas gift for under $2.

1. Make a list of the people you want to make gifts for. This will tell you how much of each ingredient you need to buy.

2. Select a recipe. Choose one that you like and that includes a majority of dry ingredients that can be included in a mix. We picked one of our favorite muffin recipes and adapted it to make it easier to package.

3. Buy baggies and measure dry ingredients into each one. We had to use a separate baggie for coconut and chocolate chips that are folded into the muffin batter at the end of the process.

4. Put the baggies into a cute brown paper craft bag like these from CoffeeBags.com. They should cost less than $.50 a piece.

5. Afix each bag with a label. Just pick up shipping labels from a local office supply store and design them on your computer.

6. Include a note about why you chose this recipe along with the ingredient list and recipe instructions. We explained that we make these muffins on Saturday mornings and enjoy them warm out of the oven with a homemade latte.

7. Try hand-delivering them to friends to save on shipping costs.

8. Celebrate because you just saved a lot of money and still managed to give friends a thoughtful, personal gift for less than $2 a piece!

Photo courtesy of Alice J-T

Sure, Christmas is still more than two months away, but since budgets are tight this year planning is even more important. Gift giving can get extremely expensive. However, with some preparation you’ll know exactly how much you have to spend on each person on your list.

Make a List

No, this is not a list of what you want for Christmas. It’s a list of who you plan to buy gifts for. Include everybody– whether the gift is small or large.

Get Ideas

Generate a few ideas for each person on your list. Would they like an iPod? A sweater? A magazine subscription? Come up with some gift possibilities for each person.

Estimate Cost

Now that you’ve got an idea of what a good gift might be, estimate how much that will cost. Do a little online research to find out what you could be spending to buy that gift.

Make a Budget

Add up those estimated costs for all of the gifts you want to buy. Does the number scare you? Then try brainstorming lower cost gifts. Come up with homemade ideas for some of the people on your list. Get that number down to something you can afford.

Save, Save, Save

You’ve got a budget so now is the time to start saving. Planning ahead means you won’t face unexpected gift expenses. The important part is setting aside some extra money each week or month so that you’ll be able to Christmas shop without the stress.

Start Shopping

Carry that gift list with you from now until Christmas. Keep an eye out for sales or bargains that include the items you’re looking for. Since you’re not waiting until the last minute you can keep your eye out for the best deal possible.

You want to give your family and friends the best, but the best can often come with a hefty price tag. There are ways to save money while being your thoughtful, sweet, creative self. Here are a few ideas.

Plan Ahead

One of my best friends is getting married in a couple of months. I knew she would be having a bridal shower so back in February ago I got to work. I bought a Sharebook like this one on sale at Hobby Lobby. It’s a great product because it takes a lot of work out of putting the scrapbook together. It comes with envelopes and pre-made pages so you just have to send them out to friends and family members and wait for them to return to you. I included about ten of her closest family members and friends, assembled the book and shipped it to her so she could open it at her shower. The entire thing probably cost me under $30, but she told everyone it was her second favorite gift. (Her favorite was a handmade cookbook complete with family recipes that her aunt had compiled.)

Shop Smart

There are several sites that will pay you to shop with them. One to check out is Ebates.com. Just for signing up for an account they’ll give you a $10 gift card to a store like Target or Sephora. Then, you just shop online like normal. You’ll get cash back (usually 1-4%) from the sites you already probably shop at. It’s a cool way to get a little something back when you’re buying gifts for others.

Buy in Bulk

Come across the perfect gift that just about everyone will love? Why not buy it in bulk? Maybe a case of wine? Or a box of jam made by a local farmer? That way it’s ready to go when the need for a gift comes up. Plus you’ll save money by purchasing a large quantity.

Photo courtesy of scrapbookexpress.com