Buying frugal gifts for snobs can be a tricky situation. If you're proud of your thriftiness, shopping for someone who covets high-end goods is often a stressful task.
Gift Giving Challenges
Whether it's for a birthday, Christmas, or a wedding anniversary, buying gifts requires thinking about what the recipient would be pleased to unwrap. Sometimes the perfect idea comes to you instantly; other times, it's more of a challenge.
You may be looking for frugal gifts for snobs when:
- The person seems to already have everything they could possibly need or want.
- The person loves specific items that are out of your price range.
- The person earns substantially more than you, so you feel like your gifts need to be more expensive than what you can honestly afford.
Buying Frugal Gifts for Snobs
Buying frugal gifts for people who don't share your thrifty ways requires changing your normal approach to gift giving. Generally, you'll want to stay away from gifts purchased at dollar stores, discount stores, or thrift shops. While these spots are typically gold mines for frugal shoppers, people who don't share your enthusiasm for saving money are likely to look down on presents purchased from these places.
Small, Yet High Quality Gifts
When you're on a budget, the key to buying frugal gifts for snobs is to think of small yet high-quality items. For example:
- A designer wallet or coin purse for the friend who covets high end handbags
- A purse-size bottle of your sister's favorite fancy perfume
- A small box of gourmet chocolate for your grandma with a sweet tooth
- An assortment of quality spices for your cousin who loves to cook
- A quality leather journal for the coworker who is also an aspiring writer
One-of-a-Kind Gifts
Another idea when looking for frugal gifts is to choose items that are one-of-a-kind. A unique, personal item is sure to please someone with discriminating tastes. For example:
- Handmade pottery from a local artisan
- A favorite poem written in calligraphy
- A nicely-framed photo of a special vacation spot
- A gift basket with locally-made treats if the recipient isn't from your area
Gifts that Give Back
Gift that donate a portion of the proceeds to charity make a good choice when you're looking for presents for hard-to-shop-for people. For example, items purchased from The Literacy Site help to fund the purchase of books for children in low-income homes. During the holiday months, many department stores sell items to raise funds for AIDS awareness or breast cancer research. Making a small donation directly to a charity in honor of the gift recipient is an alternative to traditional gift giving practices that is becoming more popular each year. However, you will want to avoid this tactic unless you're confident you can pick a charity that the recipient supports. Everyone has their own favorite causes and you don't want your gift to be inadvertently offensive.
More Bang for Your Buck
Group gifts aren't appropriate for every occasion, but this can be often the best option when buying frugal gifts for hard to shop for people. If you can't afford any of the items on your cousin's baby shower registry on your own, see if you can find another relative who wants to get together to give a gift that is from the both of you. By pooling your resources, it will be easier to afford a suitable present.
Appearances Count
Appearances count, especially when it comes to gift giving. Even a small gift can seem very impressive when it's beautifully wrapped. Splurge on some quality wrapping paper and ribbons. If you're all thumbs with the tape and scissors, check out the tutorial on the Real Simple Web site for some easy present wrapping tips.
