5 Ways to Save Money on Gifts

When it comes to buying gifts, I always want to choose something really special that will be truly appreciated. I’m sure I put far too much pressure on myself to find the perfect gift! As well as wanting something amazing, I also like to be careful with my money, so it can be a tricky balance at times. I’ve learnt a few tricks over the years to help me still treat the people I care about without getting stressed out and over-spending.

1. Budget throughout the year

One of the biggest issues when it comes to present buying is finding the cash in the first place. If you budget for gifts throughout the year then you’re far more likely to spend wisely and not end up with your finances in a mess.

There are a number of ways you can do this. You could put a set amount away into a separate account each month. This could be £10 or more, depending on how much you can afford, how many gifts you expect to buy throughout the year, and how much money you would like to have for each gift.

I tend to keep my general gift money separate from my Christmas money. So, I have one savings account for Christmas and another for birthday presents. It’s entirely up to you how you do this. I use my Chip account which allows me to split my savings into specific goals and tells me whether I’m on track to meet them by a given date. I find this really helps me to stay on target with my saving.

If you have children, think about the presents you might need to buy for any parties they’re invited to throughout the year. This is obviously impossible to predict, but generally speaking if you budget for one party per month then you can’t go too far wrong!

2. Take advantage of online offers

The internet can be a great place to find amazing deals and offers that you might not find in any stores. Many retailers offer new customers extra discounts as they try to attract new business. Sites such as sign up offers are a great way to find these deals without spending hours trawling through the search engines.

Sign up offers may also bring up gift ideas that you probably won’t find on the high street. I found lots of sites and offers on there that I wasn’t familiar with before, so it’s worth heading over to see what they have to offer! Offers are likely to change from time to time too, so it’s always worth heading back for another look each time you’re shopping for gifts.

If you’re buying for a wedding, you can ask the happy couple to sign up to a gift registry. This is a great way to know that you’re buying something that they actually want to receive rather than wasting your money on an unwanted gift.

3. Go through a cashback site

Something I always try to do when I’m shopping online is to use a cashback site. These sites get paid if you click through them and make a purchase, they then pass a percentage of that onto you. For purchases you’d be making anyway, using cashback sites is a great way to make a bit of extra money.

There are a few cashback sites to choose from. I mainly use TopCashBackand Quidco . It’s worth spending a little time finding out exactly how much each site will pay you if you buy through their link.

When you click through, the cashback site will track your purchase and once the retailer has verified it, you’ll get the cash back into your cashback account. You can then withdraw this as cash and do whatever you like with it.

4. Consider a homemade gift

OK, so not all of us are particularly crafty, but you would be amazed at the kinds of things you can make that actually look really good!

Play to your strengths, so if you’re great at baking or cooking, then you could come up with some delicious gifts. If you put a little thought into how you present things, then even the simplest biscuits or jams can become stunning gifts. Carefully placed ribbons or artfully done calligraphy really do make a difference.

If making crafty things is more your skill, then you have a whole host of options! Take a look at websites such as Etsy or even local companies for some inspiration.

5. Experiences make amazing gifts

These days people tend to just buy whatever they want as and when they fancy, so it can be really difficult to buy a gift that’s truly wanted!

You can buy experiences online for all kinds of things, from race track days right through to spa days. But, if you’re trying to be careful with your money, then you could also arrange a special day without spending a fortune.

You could treat a friend to a spa day at home, offer your services as a babysitter so that they can have a rare night out, or you could take them to the seaside for a picnic on the beach. There are absolutely loads of options available to you and they can be as thrifty as you like!

Planning an experience day tailored to a loved ones’ tastes shows that you really care about them and you’ve put a lot of thought into preparing their gift. I know I would love it if somebody went to all of that trouble and effort for me!

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As well as saving money, one of my favourite things to do is to make extra money through side hustles. This means that I don’t have to worry too much if there’s an unexpected expense or an unplanned gift that I need to pay for. I do all kinds of side hustles and they make a big difference to our family finances. One of the best things I did was to start Matched Betting when I was on maternity leave and money was incredibly tight. You can find out more about Matched Betting in my Matched Betting Blog here. If that doesn’t take your fancy, then I also have a huge list of 101 side hustles, there’s bound to be something there that you could do to make some extra money!

*This is a collaborative post.