With the stress of work, final exams, and papers, who has time to do holiday shopping? For all of you busy bees who forgot to place your orders online or who have not yet had time to get to the store, do not stress! Savvy Student is here to help! We have compiled a list of tips and information to help you last minute shoppers finish up your holiday shopping in style.
Buy a gift card!
Gift cards make great last minute gifts when you're not sure what to get. Although this idea may not seem personalized or creative, you can always add some personal touches to the presentation of your gift! Be creative and make a personalized card in which you can attach your gift card. Or buy a holiday-themed stuffed animal and secure the gift card around the arm or the neck of the animal with a piece of string or ribbon. You can find many gift cards for major retailers in your local grocery stores or department stores.
Buy a magazine subscription!
If you have a friend who loves to cook, he or she would probably enjoy a subscription to "Cook's Illustrated," or any other enjoyable cooking magazine. If you have a friend who loves to travel, maybe they would enjoy a subscription to "National Geographic." A magazine subscription can be a great gift for certain people. For gift presentation, you can buy the current issue of the magazine, wrap it up, and let the recipient know that there will be twelve more magazines coming to them with his or her new subscription. It is the gift that keeps on giving all year long!
Make a gift basket!
If you don't have time to place an online order or you can't think of a gift to buy, try making a personalized gift basket. All you will need is a basket, some creativity and a few inexpensive items. If you have a tight budget, visit the dollar store. You can easily make a bath and body gift basket by purchasing travel toiletries from CVS, Walgreens, or other retail stores such as TJ Maxx or Target. You can even fill one with pens, notebooks, and stationary for your friend who enjoys writing. Think outside the box! Instead of filling a basket, use a planter for the person in your life with a "green thumb" or a bowl filled with candy and popcorn for the "movie lover." The ideas and possibilities are endless!
You can still order online from many major retailers!
Buy a gift card!
Gift cards make great last minute gifts when you're not sure what to get. Although this idea may not seem personalized or creative, you can always add some personal touches to the presentation of your gift! Be creative and make a personalized card in which you can attach your gift card. Or buy a holiday-themed stuffed animal and secure the gift card around the arm or the neck of the animal with a piece of string or ribbon. You can find many gift cards for major retailers in your local grocery stores or department stores.
Buy a magazine subscription!
If you have a friend who loves to cook, he or she would probably enjoy a subscription to "Cook's Illustrated," or any other enjoyable cooking magazine. If you have a friend who loves to travel, maybe they would enjoy a subscription to "National Geographic." A magazine subscription can be a great gift for certain people. For gift presentation, you can buy the current issue of the magazine, wrap it up, and let the recipient know that there will be twelve more magazines coming to them with his or her new subscription. It is the gift that keeps on giving all year long!
Make a gift basket!
If you don't have time to place an online order or you can't think of a gift to buy, try making a personalized gift basket. All you will need is a basket, some creativity and a few inexpensive items. If you have a tight budget, visit the dollar store. You can easily make a bath and body gift basket by purchasing travel toiletries from CVS, Walgreens, or other retail stores such as TJ Maxx or Target. You can even fill one with pens, notebooks, and stationary for your friend who enjoys writing. Think outside the box! Instead of filling a basket, use a planter for the person in your life with a "green thumb" or a bowl filled with candy and popcorn for the "movie lover." The ideas and possibilities are endless!
You can still order online from many major retailers!
Financial Tips
In addition to the ideas above, Savvy Student also has some tips to make sure that your last minute shopping is not a financial burden...
- Try to avoid using credit cards during your spending spree. However, if you need to use a credit card, stick to the credit card with the lowest interest rate. Using only one credit card will help you keep track of all of your spending and it will help you save on interest.
- Before you head to the stores, do some research online to compare prices and find the best bargains. Check out some of the great websites available for comparing shopping prices, such as Shopping.com, PriceGrabber.com, and NexTag.com.
- For all of you iPhone users, there are some great apps for price comparison, such as "Save Benjis," "RedLaser," and "ShopSavvy."
- Take advantage of free gift wrapping in stores and malls. This saves you time and money while doing your last minute shopping.
- Create a budget for yourself and stick to it! The holiday season is not an excuse to spend more money than you can afford to spend. Be aware of how much you can spend and keep track of your receipts.
With all of these tips, we are certain that you will be able to have a stress-free and financially responsible holiday season.
Happy Holidays!
Savvy Student
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