Thrifty gifts
Wednesday 3 December 2008
Need to buy a present on a low budget? We’ve got some tips to help you out!
Charity and vintage
Forget about department and high street stores, charity and second hand shops are always the best place to start – especially if you’re seriously low on funds. You can find everything from clothes to accessories and books to DVDs. Just because items are second hand, doesn’t mean they’re in bad condition.
If you look long and hard, and this usually involves digging into a pile of clothes, you may even find some designer gear.
Vintage stores, though usually pricier, are good for one of a kind presents that you won’t find anywhere else – save these for someone special.
Make your own presents
Not only is this fun, but it proves that you’ve thought really hard about the present. There are loads of things you could make from scratch:-
- Knit a scarf
- Make a book, photo album or collage
- Create a photo frame
- Make an origami box to use as a jewellery box
Or you could even give a whole gift basket of things you’ve made - give yourself some time for this though.
Visit your local haberdashery for thread, ribbons, coloured paper and other things to help you out – but be careful, the amount you spend could add up.
Recycle old presents
Don’t lie, you know you’ve been given a present you really didn’t like before – whether it was a knitted jumper from your gran, or the wrong video game from your parents.
Well now you can give them away to a friend who might put them to better use. You could also customise them a little bit – a few prints here and there or how about some embroidery? Just be careful you don’t give it away to the person who gave it to you first!
Go online
Visit eBay for absolutely everything – you'll probably find something you can't get in stores too. Amazon is great for DVDs, books and everything digital.
Don’t get ahead of yourself. Make sure you read the details of the item you want to buy – it could be damaged or might not be what you expect. Read the small print before you purchase anything – some items are non-refundable.
Always check the sellers comments from people who have bought from them – this shows whether you can trust the seller or not.
Delivery and custom charges might be a little pricey too, especially if you’re buying something from a different country. Make sure you add up the total cost of the item before purchasing.
