Comments
PostsWe just celebrated my niece, Alicia’s, 7th birthday. My children decided to make their own gifts for her this year instead of buying her a gift. Alicia loved her gifts!
Xanthe made Alicia a homemade colouring book with pretty illustrations of all the things that she thought Alicia would love. Xanthe loves to draw, and Alicia loves to colour in! What a great combination. The gift was a hit!
Quinn made Alicia some fun homemade ‘gloop’. He had Whiz Kidz camp last week and has learned how to make a really cool gloop that was hard when you hit it but would run like water when you let it slip on your hands. He knew that Alicia would have fun with it too and that her favourite colour was pink, so he made her, some pink gloop for her birthday. (Corn Starch, Water and foodcolouring are all you need to make it) It’s really cool and Alicia loved Quinn’s gift to her too!
So when I received a kind request from Barbara Jolie to do a special post on more fun ways to give gifts and teach money lessons to your child at the same time, I was thrilled to accept. I think Barbara has put together a wonderful post for us. Enjoy! ;o)
Cheers…Amanda van der Gulik…Excited Life Enthusiast!
==========================================================
Three Ways to Save Money Giving Gifts This Summer – by Barbara Jolie
As the warmer months roll by we have more and more occasions where gifts are expected. With children’s birthday parties seeming to pop up every other weekend, giving a new Barbie doll or new race car every time can really add up. Rather than spending a hunk of change at the local toy store each time your child’s friends have a birthday, use this as an opportunity to teach your kids about the value of spending wisely. Work with your youngster or youngsters to find less expensive options for awesome gifts. All too often, kids think that they have to run to the nearest toy store to get their friends new, fun, exciting, and expensive gifts. Instead of breaking your bank account on gifts, try these three techniques to be more prepared for pricy gifting giving and to save a significant amount of cash.
Be Creative
One of the best ways to save money on buying gifts is by getting a little creative. Some of the best gifts are those that are well thought out and personalized. Save money and have a craft day with your kids while making gifts by hand. You and your kids can decorate personalized toy boxes or jewelry boxes for their friends or can personalize picture frames with special pictures in them. This gift can last much longer than the latest toy trend or new clothes. Go with your kids to the craft store or a local thrift store and try to find something that they can personalize for their friends to make it extra special. Of course, if you aren’t conscious about it, this can end up costing just as much or more than going to the toy store. Be sure to make a thorough plan beforehand about what you are going to get and make.
Stock Up
Another great trick to saving money on gifts is stocking up on some great gifts and keeping them around for when a birthday or party catches you off guard. While these gifts will likely be less personalized than making gifts for friends, stocking up is a great way to save money in the long run. Go with your kids to pick out several staple gifts they could give their friends and then keep them in a closet in your house for when the right occasion comes. The easiest way to waste money on buying gifts is by having to buy something last minute and overpaying for it. Buy gifts throughout the year so that you can find the best price for them. Use this as an opportunity to talk with your kids about buying wisely and not impulse purchasing things. Furthermore, you can use this as an exercise for planning ahead and being prepared. Stockpiling is a great way to find gifts at their cheapest prices and to be sure you have something when the occasion comes.
Buy Smart
The key to spending money is doing so wisely. This is an important lesson to learn young and master quickly. Very often, people fall into the habit of impulse buying or not buying items that are truly useful. The best gifts that an individual can give are those that are smart and useful. Take your kids shopping and try to get a little creative with your ideas for gifts for their friends. Buy a shower set as a gift for your child’s friend. You can have your child help you pick out some special and exciting soaps, towels, sponges, and more. Because this gift is useful, you will know that your money is being well spent. Though this may sound like a “lame” gift idea for a child, many kids will appreciate that they can actually use the present they got. Moreover, as we all know, the last thing most kids need is another toy or video game (chances are there will be plenty other gifts like that in the mix).
By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Barbara Jolie, who writes for online classes. She welcomes your comments.
=============================================================
Here are some other great gift ideas that your kids can make for their friends:
(click on the photos to see more about them)
  |
  |
  |
