I’m kicking off December with reflections on the value, or lack thereof, of collecting bargain-priced gifts. This topic was spurred by a recent clean-out of my “gift closet” to make room for baby linens, and a great Frugal Hacks post by Meredith about being too frugal in gift giving.
My gift closet was where I had been storing new items that I found great deals on, and picked up with the intention of giving away when the occasion arose. Justifying it to myself, I figured someone else should benefit from the bargains even if I couldn’t, and it would allow me to give more expensive presents than I would otherwise be able to. (Items also included gifts I had received and couldn’t use, stored for re-gifting). The bulk of my collection was kitchen items, toys, frames, and quite a few spa products and candles.
The problem is that not enough “gift closet” occasions seem to arise - I’m too picky about presents I give. I want them to be both useful and suited to the recipients. So for weddings and baby showers, I don’t raid the closet. Instead, I generally select an item from their registry that I like, and include an additional product that I personally find valuable. There just aren’t enough situations where the recipients and the gifts on hand are a good match.
And when I think about the gifts I like to receive, candles and body washes don’t make the list. Our candles are usually the Yankee variety, and we have particular scents and brands of bath products that we use. Other styles end up in the closet to be re-gifted. If those aren’t things I would use if I received them, why would I give them to others?
The net result is my inventory builds up, and I run out of room while forgetting exactly what I have stored. I don’t want all these things cluttering my house, and my husband certainly doesn’t.
Therefore, in what constitutes the demise of the gift closet, I have donated a number of items to Goodwill, and a bunch more toys that I picked up from Kmart clearance are going to support an inner-city ministry that lets moms buy presents at reduced cost. This way, the gifts aren’t collecting dust indefinitely and are hopefully helping someone who wants them. Remaining items have been consolidated into drawers of a “gift dresser.”
The past year of bargain hunting has taught me a lot of lessons, and going forward, I’ll do my best to limit my bargain gift purchases to items with pre-determined destinations - ie: a particular person’s birthday, within a one-year timeframe. Repeat to self: “Just because it’s ridiculously cheap doesn’t mean I should buy it!”
Overall, I’m concluding that gift giving is an area where I’m better off living in the moment and letting the bargain hunting go by the wayside. I strongly identify with Meredith’s comment:
“So what if I have to remind myself that it’s the recipient, not the bargain, that matters? Our tight personal budget makes generous giving possible.”
Given my naturally cheap tendencies, it’s too easy for generous intentions to get derailed over the cost of the gift, instead focusing on the joy of giving something worthwhile to someone I love. (Of course, I’ll still “soft” bargain hunt when I know what I’m looking for, by using coupons and shopping around for the best price.) Eschewing bargain hunting in favor of a targeted gift still doesn’t guarantee I’ll find the perfect present, but at least I’m focusing on serving the person instead of attempting to manipulate a present to fit the recipient.
Notes: *This doesn’t mean I’m abandoning a gift shopping budget!
*Also, I’m definitely not saying all presents need to be bought. In fact, I should look into more homemade gifts.
*I’ll still probably keep a couple of small generic gifts on hand for last-minute hostess presents, etc.
