A Great Gift!

It can be nerve-wracking trying to find the perfect gift for the wide range of gift-giving occasions that we are faced with each year. Finding a gift that the person will like, enjoy and use takes a bit of forward thinking and an understanding of their personality and life circumstances.

First, consider the personality and lifestyle of the person you are buying for. Male or female, old or young?  Are they athletic or couch potatoes? Foodies or health nuts? What are their hobbies or interests? Once you’ve got a good analysis of the person you’re getting the gift for, the process will be much easier.

Second, get the inside scoop! Talk to a friend or relative who knows the person well.  Once you have a little information, narrow it down to the hobby or interest you know the most about.

Third, don’t just ‘hear’ but listen. If you spend any time at all talking to this person, tune in for phrases like, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have…” or “Aren’t those…a great idea?” or even “I am so tired of this old…”. With clues like these, it’s often possible to get somebody something they hadn’t yet fully realized they needed.

Fourth, go shopping with the person, take notice to what he or she naturally gravitates toward. This is also a good time to listen for commentary on a person’s likes and dislikes.

Finally, Ask! Find out whether they have a registry or wish list, or simply inquire what they’d like. Your gift won’t be original, or a big surprise, but it will not be the one that gathers dust afterward, either!

Offer to do a specific chore for someone, or better yet, make them a coupon or certificate you can present to them in place of a store-bought gift. Some ideas could be:

* Make a home-cooked meal
* Do a week’s worth of laundry
* Clean their house
* Wash their car
* Do an afternoon of yard work
* Baby-sit their kids

You can tailor the offer to the gift recipients needs and if you know them well, you should have a pretty good idea of what offer would be most appreciated. Have fun with it!

• Do I genuinely care enough about this person to spend money for a gift—no matter the amount?

• Are my intentions authentic, well-intentioned and with love?

• Can I afford this gift now, or would lending a helping hand of their choice be the ‘perfect’ gift?

• Due to a rift with this person am I willing to ‘lovingly’ give a gift or do I need to resolve the rift first?

When you give from your heart, your gifts will be authentic, well intentioned and filled with love.

Know who you’re dealing with. Anyone can set up shop online. Confirm an online seller’s physical address and phone number in case you need to get in touch with them, or deal only with established sites and retailers.

Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates. Can you return the item you bought online for a full refund? If you return it, who pays the shipping costs or re-stocking fees? Check on when you can expect to receive your order. Can the recipient return your gift? If so, ask that a gift receipt be included in the package.

Never e-mail your financial information. Legitimate companies never ask for this information via email or pop-ups. If you are providing your credit card information through an organization’s website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”).

Keep a paper trail. Print and save records of your online shopping transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt, and copies of any email you exchange with the seller. Read your credit card statements as you receive them to be on the lookout for unauthorized charges.

For more tips about online shopping, consult the Federal Trade Commission’s website for e-consumers: http://www.ftc.gov/onlineshopping

Even if you want to purchase the item in-store, many retailers have websites with most of their product line and prices listed. This is the easiest way to determine the best deal ahead of time.  In doing so, you’ll save yourself precious hours and gas by making one focused trip instead of a few!

Animals are not toys. They require love and attention and a lifetime of proper care, and it is unfair to both the animal and the gift recipient if that responsibility is suddenly imposed on them.  If you have already discussed the idea with the prospective recipient at length, and you know that they have the time, willingness, ability, and resources to properly care for an animal and make such a serious commitment, you should consider giving them a gift certificate from the local animal shelter and going with them to adopt their new companion.

It is always best for the potential new pet owner to choose their companion themselves.

• Begin early -  Start brainstorming as soon as you can and then once you have the perfect gift idea, go get it!  Waiting until the last minute can leave you with little to choose from and more stress than you expected.
• Decide on a Budget Ahead of Time – This will help you determine what to get and will also keep your wallet in check!
• Don’t Put a Price Tag on It – Remember, the best gifts are the ones that come from the heart.  It is true, it’s not the gift as much as it is the thought or meaning behind the gift.

From the latest trends to ideas on the best handmade gifts – it’s all here!