How to Organize Gift-Giving in Advance

Birthdays, holidays, graduations, anniversaries, Mother's Day, Father's Day--so many reasons to spoil your friends and family, and somebody's got to do it. The beauty of planning ahead is that you don't rush into buying any old thing and you're not stuck without the perfect gift on someone's big day.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Get out your calendar and datebook at the beginning of the year, and enter all birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. Or program your personal digital assistant (PDA) with these dates. See 3 Write an Effective To-Do List and 266 Coordinate a Family Calendar.
2. Create a separate list for all your people for each of these occasions. Next to each name, write gift ideas (if you have any) and a monetary limit.
3. Take advantage of sales throughout the year. Keep your gift list in your wallet and check off items as you spy just the right thing.
4. Go in on a fabulous, overpriced gift with other siblings or friends to stay within your budget.
5. Buy birthday, sympathy, anniversary and graduation cards in bulk. Often stationery stores offer two-for-one specials and other deals. Buy boxes of blank cards to have on hand.
6. Designate a closet or space in your home for the gifts that you buy during the year so you can remember where they are months down the road.

Tips & Warnings

• Collect souvenir gifts when traveling throughout the year.
• Recycle gifts that you received and either don't want or won't be able to use. Designate a storage place for unused presents that you can pass on to others for birthdays or other occasions. Note who gave you the gift so you don't give it back to that person.
• See 356 Plan the Perfect Holiday Gift Exchange and 351 Stay Within a Budget This Christmas.
• You and your kids can create homemade cards with craft kits or software programs.

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