The Secret Guide to Buying Perfect Presents on a Budget.

 

It can be really challenging to give the perfect gift when you‘ve got a very limited budget. But, we have some really great ideas to help you with that.

The key to successfully finding or making a great gift on a budget is all about preparation.

Make a list of the people you are giving gifts to, do it in plenty of time, so if you’ve forgotten anyone, you stand a chance of remembering before Christmas Eve, just as the shops are shutting. It also gives you time to find the right gift at the right price, leaing it too late means you can miss good deals or have to pay extra for super-fast postage.

 

Work out how much you have to spend on each person and stick to your budget, don’t forget to include the cost of wrapping paper and other accessories, batteries etc...

 

Make sure you’ve the wrapping and tagging sorted, a well wrapped gift always makes a good impression.  A lovely way to wrap is to use Brown parcel paper, it’s really inexpensive from the market, or Post Office and usually much cheaper than Christmas wrapping paper per meter, if you’re wrapping a few gifts you’ll need quite a bit. You can get the children employed customising the wrapping paper with felt tips or glitter if you’re feeling brave! If you want something a little less home spun and chicer then tie your Brown Paper parcels with thin Satin ribbon, again buy it cheap by the meter from a haberdashers (I DO love that word!) or from the market, again it will be cheaper per meter than Christmas ribbon.

 

You’ll also need labels, you can make your own lovely ones, from last year’s Christmas cards, just cut out cute features from the cards make a hole with a hole punch and thread on to your parcel ribbon. Alternatively Brown parcel labels look lovely or even draw on your own on to the parcel with a Black felt tip.

 

Once you have sorted the wrapping, list and budget, then the next step is research, you can think about the recipients. Do any of them have specific interests that might give inspiration for a gift or can you think of anything they really like or dislike. You can then add the things to look for and to avoid to the list.

 

Take a good nosey online to compare prices, can you bulk buy the sweeties, chocolates or other items to save a little, check out special offers and make sure you factor in the postage costs too - we do free UK postage so don’t worry about this if you’re shopping with us!

Decide what you are going to buy and place your orders or go and get it, allowing plenty of time for delivery and wrapping when you get it.

 

A really easy way to give an inexpensive and appreciated gift is to do a little gift pack, with a few small items. This is where vintage gifts really come into their own, they offer so much more for you money than a standard shop bought present and their uniqueness makes them something really special.

 

For girls of all ages think: vintage jewellery, sweeties or chocolate, a pretty Christmas bauble, nail polish, a pretty pot of lip salve, vintage gloves, skittles, note cards, pocket mirror, a purse, a pretty vintage scarf, or yummy hand-made soap.

For boys big and small, think vintage books, sweeties or chocs, gliders, badges, vintage maps, spinning tops, vintage camera, scarf.

 

Once you have the gifts for each recipient wrap each in Brown Paper and stack them, tying the stack with ribbon and add a tag.

Please note that present wrapping is best done in from of It’s a Wonderful Life or Muppets Christmas Carol, with mince pies and a small tipple or a good cuppa to hand.

Finally, place under the tree and heave sigh of contented relief.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas.

 

Love Sarah x

 

P.S. My top tip is to order an extra gift or two in case you wake on Christmas morning with that sinking feeling and the realisation that you forgot someone or you get an extra visitor!