Five Ways To Be A Smart Consumer During a Holiday Recession
December 13, 2009 by Alicia Roberts
To some, shopping is the bane of their existence. This disliking is exacerbated by things like “Holiday Sales!” and Black Friday tales of being stomped to death at a Walmart at 4am. Did you ever consider alternatives to mall crowds, shopping cart collisions, and unfriendly faces beating you to the last toaster?
1. Do-It-Yourself
It all sounds very elementary, right? Scratch the pre-conceived notions of glittery clumped snowmen and popsicle stick birdhouses. Think about making a hand-made card with a real letter. Sitting down and putting genuine thoughts to paper about your loved ones surely means more than a mass produced hallmark cliché. Imagine grandma’s smile over your cute little handwriting.
If you’ve got a chicken scratch excuse for handwriting, how about the thoughtful gift of a new friend? Start planting seeds in a biodegradable egg carton now and in a few weeks you’ll have a dozen new little pals to pass on. Seeds cost next to nothing and small planters in bulk won’t set you back much. Plants liven up any setting and give you the occasional opportunity to check up on your friend’s horticulture skills.
If you truly are a gifted creative, you could print appropriate pictures and decorate a picture frame, paint a picture, write a poem, or make a fun piece of jewelry.
2. Second-hand and Thrift Shopping
Especially around the holidays, thrift stores get discontinued items from commercial stores which means brand new items for frugal prices. Most thrift shops run additional specials like 50% off certain items everyday. Beyond that, there is always the fun of scanning the aisles for the most hilarious outfits of our former generations. Here you can also find funky jewelry such as pendants, broaches, or earrings of antique quality. Fun hats, scarves, or old tee shirts are suitable gifts for anyone on your shopping list and give a personal flair to any wardrobe. Another fun option is a used book store. All of the readers in your family will appreciate a bookshelf addition. By purchasing second hand you’ll be shopping in an environmentally friendly manner, which in retrospect, is a gift to everyone.
3. Get restaurant gift cards to favorite local restaurants.
If you know a good spot, expose it! Most restaurants operate on a regular-customer basis. You go back to these restaurants because you love the food, atmosphere, and friendly service so why not keep on supporting them with your social circle?
4. Consider an activity as opposed to an item.
Every year there is that person on your list you cannot find anything for. This person will get something lame like mixed nuts, OSU ball caps, or a book they’ll never read. Try to engage with this person by taking them to a concert or a sporting event. Be creative. Maybe try a yoga or dancing class. This way, you’ll be able to spend time together doing something new and fun. It’s much more memorable than a container of mixed popcorn.
5. If you’re going shop, shop small. Hit up locally owned stores.
Supporting non-chain stores supports your neighborhood. Spend your money where it counts and where you’ll get something more unique.