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Step 1
BUY BONDS. United States government "Series EE" savings bonds make very thoughtful and affordable wedding gifts. Not only will you be giving a gift everyone can use, but you'll also be getting an amazing deal. That's because Series EE bonds can be purchased for half their value. In other words, a $100 Series EE savings bond will cost you only $50! Just make sure you purchase a Series EE PAPER bond. The same deal doesn't apply to bonds purchased electronically. See the link under "Resources" below for more information.
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Step 2
MAKE IT. If you're an artist, potter, furniture maker, weaver, quilter, glassblower or other creative type, you can make wedding gifts instead of buying them. Not only will the gift cost less, it will mean much more to the recipients.
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Step 3
PROVIDE A SERVICE. Do you have a home with a sweeping staircase? Can you play the piano or other musical instrument? Are you a good photographer? Instead of giving store-bought wedding gifts, why not provide a special service, such as catering, hosting or taking the wedding photos? It's a win-win-win solution. You'll save money by not having to buy a gift. The wedding couple will save money by not having to pay for the service. And by participating in the wedding, you'll be adding the kind of personal touch hired help simply can't provide.
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Step 4
CASH OUT GIFT CARDS. If you have gift cards you don't want, now's the time to swap them out for hard cash. See the link under "Resources" below for some websites where you can sell those unwanted gift cards and use the proceeds to buy wedding gifts.
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Step 5
RE-GIFT. I'd be remiss if I didn't suggest re-gifting as away to save money on wedding gifts. After all, what's cheaper than free? But if you do decide to go this route, you need to be very, VERY careful that the wedding couple not find out that they are receiving a recycled gift. Make sure any name tags, gift cards, inscriptions or other identifying information that could give you away are removed before wrapping the gift. Make sure the gift is in absolute perfect condition. If it looks even a little shopworn, forget it. And finally, be sure there is no way the person who gave the gift to you will know you passed it on to someone else.
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Step 6
CHECK THE INTERNET. There are several sites on the net that specialize in affordable gifts. Some links are provided under "Resources" below.
Comments
voliegurl said
on 10/12/2009 Great tips on gift giving....5*!
donata said
on 9/28/2009 Thanks for the excellent tips. Although, I don't think I'd recycle. This is far to risky. I know an actual case where someone inadvertently gave a recycled gift to the same family that gave it to them. How embarrassing! Also, what if someone wanted to return the gift in exchange for something else! Nevertheless, the others are great tips. 5*
kossmore said
on 6/17/2009 Good ideas for gift giving on a budget.
jamiekucharski said
on 6/12/2009 This is great! I will keep your tips in mind when I go shopping for summer wedding presents. :)
Merriment said
on 6/8/2009 Good suggestions for getting cheap wedding gifts. I seem to always lack a good amount of money and seek out any bargains I can for gifts. I'll look at their register list and shop elsewhere for them, even if it's picking up a few things from the dollar store.