Plan your Christmas gift list this year by drawing inspiration from the following thrifty list and you could find yourself saving money without compromising on smiles.
1) Quality coffee or coffee pods
Good quality coffee is expensive, so we tend to purchase the brands that are lower down on the cost (and quality) scale. Why not treat a friend or family member to the brands they really want this Christmas? For R200 or even less, you could buy something really special – beans imported from some exotic country – that’s guaranteed to make the coffee-lover happy.
2) Book voucher
With constant deals and promotions on even the world’s best-selling authors, R200 can go very far at online retailers. A R200 gift voucher would make any bookworm and kindle owner exceptionally happy.
3) Bottle of bubbly, wine or liquor
Buying a friend or family member their favourite tipple or wine not only shows generosity for the gift, but also that you pay attention to them. Even R100 could buy an exceptional wine and there is a spectacular variety of liquors available for under R200.
40 Movie voucher for two
This is a great gift for absolutely anyone of any age, from children to grandparents. Two standard tickets to a 2D movie costs in the region of R170. Since movie theatres don’t seem to sell vouchers, you could either purchase tickets to a movie you know the recipient wants to see or buy a gift voucher from the movie theatre’s shopping mall. Alternatively, you could opt for a Netflix gift card which offers you a wider range or movies and series.
5) 1000-piece puzzle
This is a more specialised gift; after all, not everybody likes puzzles but those who do, LOVE them. For a decent challenge, make sure it has 1000 pieces and personalise your choice with one that features something your friend or family member likes, such as animals or their favourite holiday destination.
6) Stainless steel travel mug
For friends who spend their life on the go, a good quality travel mug that keeps hot beverages hot and cold drinks cold, is a fantastic gift. Some stationery and gift shops stock great travel mugs with some fun designs.
7) Music CD or voucher
If you know your friend’s or family member’s favourite artists, you could always gift them a CD (provided they don’t already have it). If they happen to own a record player a new record could be a great gift too. Alternatively, you could buy an Apple Music or Spotify voucher, which allows the recipient to purchase his or her favourite songs.
8) Uno card game
Uno has been in circulation for decades and for good reason. This card game is a guaranteed good time for friends of all ages and - get this - can even be enjoyed during load shedding!
9) Socks
Socks may be a cliché Christmas gift, but they’ve become cliché for a reason. Couple that with the fact that people rarely treat themselves to decent quality socks and you’ve got an affordable gift the recipient will love and appreciate. You can also have a little fun with this one with the variety of funky designs out there.
Remember, the best gifts aren’t those that cost more; it’s those that are personalized to the recipient. So, spare a little thought this Christmas and save some cash on gifts!
10) Experience
Some people prefer experiences to receiving physical gifts. Some inexpensive experiences could be going on a wine/beer tasting, ice skating, watching the sunrise/sunset at a picturesque destination, or even a hike followed by a picnic.
Some African National Parks offer free entrance on certain days which might be worth taking a further look at. All the necessary information regarding free entrance will be on the SAN Parks website.
