Check out these Ideas for any of your Gift Giving events:

Gift baskets:

These are always a good choice & are one of the least expensive gifts to create. Plus, you can make them unique to the person or event!

• Pick up a basket or container – check out your local dollar store or Wal-Mart. These can usually be purchased for less than $5. Purchase a cheap basket either at a dollar store or some other discount retailer. You can easily find a nice basket for less than five dollars.
• Add some filler (tissue paper, newspaper, popcorn, etc.) – Put just enough in the containter/basket to make it look fuller (the items won’t sink down into the basket).
• Mix in a few larger items to fill the basket – throw in some inexpensive items too such as bath and body products, candles, etc.

Make the gift baskets unique to the person or event – if the person is a golf junkie put together a basket with some balls, tees, a glove, etc. If you need a gift for a pet lover, you can get an inexpensive gift of items for their pet. Purchasing five or six treats, toys and other items can make a very thoughtful gift.

Rainy Day Box:

This cheap unique gift idea is more for the moms on your list or the familes – tailor it to fit your particular need. Pick up a large plastic bin and load it up with some toys 5 to 8, add some bubble bath, candles, candy, crayons, paper, a deck of cards, and maybe a movie or two. Add a card that states “Open in Case of a Rainy Day.” When the fam is stuck inside – bust out the rainy day box – entertainment for everyone!

Coupons:

Another gift idea that doesn’t cost you a dime is coupons, not ordinary coupons, but coupons you create for things such as babysitting, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, painting the shed, etc. These are great gift ideas for parents and also people who might need help around the house (the elderly, etc.). Simply type up the coupons on your computer using a basic word processing program and print them out. Put the coupons in a nice card and present them to the recipient. (Nothing will bring a smile to a parent’s face like a stack full of babysitting coupons – trust me.)

Other cheap unique gift ideas are homemade cookies, cakes and other treats (we do this every year for our neighbors). You can even bake a large amount and then package it so that the recipient can freeze it and enjoy it later. If you do this make sure that you let the recipient know that they can freeze what they don’t eat right away (you don’t want anything to go to waste unnecessarily). Make it unique by putting the treats in a hand painted glass jar or other container.

Just because you don’t put a lot of money into a gift doesn’t mean that it’s not thoughtful. A few minutes of consideration can make any gift special, no matter how much you spend on it. Use these cheap unique gift ideas to help brighten any type of special occasion.

Cash is so yesterday…give a gift that is both convenient and easy-to-use – Prepaid Visa gift cards are for anyone on your gift giving list and are especially attractive to college students! They’re accepted anywhere a debit Visa card is accepted and you can use them to buy items in person or online.

When you’re stuck with the same old “What to get the Person Who Has Everything” - a prepaid Visa gift card is the Answer! You can purchase them at most Big Box retail stores like Wal-Mart or you can purchase them online – Amazon.com offers a great choice in gift cards, they can even be downloaded to your computer & print them out!

Another bonus with prepaid gift cards is the fact that you can go online and see exactly how the funds are being used or you can call an 800 number – 24/7 your balance is available to you! 

Prepaid Visa gift cards make great gifts for teenagers & college students.  They’re safer than cash, but can spent however they want.  Teens also enjoy having the feeling of owning a debit card instead of just cash.  They are great Christmas stocking stuffers.  Another fun idea is taking the Visa gift card, putting it in a small gift card box, and then putting it inside of a larger box.  It will certainly keep them guessing.

Gift cards can be purchased at most major retailers. They can often be found at gas stations, grocery stores, and discount stores. You can get them in a variety of denominations, such as $25, $50, and $100.

Prepaid Visa gift cards are a convenient last minute gift idea and they’re safer than cash..  Visit your local retailer or grocery store or learn more about purchasing a prepaid Visa gift card.

If you’re like me…the Internet has saved my butt many times at the last minute – I am a procrastinator at heart, so it’s not uncommon for me to miss a gift giving opportunity. Thankfully, I can get online just about anywhere and order a gift to have it delivered or as an instant download.

Gift certificates or cards are a great gift idea as you don’t have to make the decision on the gift and wonder whether or not the person will like it – with a gift card or certificate they can “Shop for Themselves!”

Before Buy Gift Certificates Online make sure you do your research – here’s a few tips to keep in mind -

• Only deal with reputable companies: Amazon, Wal-Mart, etc…
• Check on delivery details (is there a cost involved?), instant download, etc.
• Does the certificate have an expiration date?

Caught in a quandry with no gift – then don’t fear – take the easy road and buy a gift card or certificate online and you’ll done in no time!

Never thought of giving fresh cut fruit gift baskets as a gift before? Consider these reasons why giving this kind of gift basket may be for you:

Convenient: You’ve got a couple of options here – go online and place your order (avoid the hassle of going to the store – no crowds, no lines, easily place your order from the warmth of your own home!). The other option is to visit a local store – for instance I can go to the Jewel grocery store and they offer fruit gift baskets, BUT…I need to deliver it.

Cost: These baskets are relatively inexpensive and if you take the time to create your own you can save even more money, but why do that when you can SHOP online? You’ll find a gift basket to fit any budget.

Health: Give everyone’s New Year’s resolution a kick-start with fresh cut fruit gift baskets. Many people choose to start living a healthier lifestyle in the New Year – fresh fruit is a great alternative to candies or other sweets.

There you have it – stuck in a pinch with trying to figure out what to get that special someone or need that last minute gift – consider fresh cut fruit gift baskets and start a new gift giving tradition!

Dog or Cat Lovers: Don’t forget the pets – through together some treats, gourmet cans of food, chew toys, etc.

College Student: Forget about the basket and get your hands on a storage bin or some other handy container. Then load it up with note pads, pens, pencils, gift cards (like Subway), throw in a few packages of Ramen Noodles (good for those tight budget times), coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and anything else a college student would find handy.

Wine Lovers: Get some good wine, crackers, cheese, summer sausage – place them in a nice basket and you’ve got a great gift for the wine lover on your list!

Naughty Night Baskets: These can be really fun to share with that special someone. Be creative, include a coupon to be used at your discreation. Fill the basket or box with sexy underwear or nighties, massage oils, flavored lubricants, candles, chocolate, and more for those nights when you want to be naughty.

Other ideas, movie lovers, popcorn lovers, man basket, kids basket, etc. – the possibilities are unlimited!

As you can see the ideas for last minute gifts are only limited by your imagination & budget – but don’t forget – you don’t have to spend a lot to make a gift memorable – Use these last minute gifts baskets ideas for any occassion!

Thankfully, there’s no need to worry, especially in the technologically advanced society like ours – you can go online, place an order for a gift, get it wrapped, and have it delivered the next day or in some cases the same day!

That’s good to know for procrastinators like me…

Tips for Last Minute Gift Delivery:

Shop locally at a traditional brick & mortar store. Just pick out your gift and deliver it yourself. Or you can take the item to the post office and use their express or priority shipping. There’s also FedEx or UPS. (Get delivery confirmation!)

BTW – one thing to remember!!! Make sure you investigate all charges & fees associated with last minute gift delivery – not all, but some charge extra to meet a specific delivery date.

Shop Online: If you’re shopping online prior to a Holiday or need the gift delivered before a certain date take note of the last day you can order and still get the gift delivered on time. Some online stores have a guaranteed delivery date – Amazon is one of them.

Always read their policies concerning shipping and delivery dates. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to call customer service.

Many stores accommodate holiday gift giving by offering Saturday and/or Sunday delivery (another good reason to read their shipping polices).

Another Hot Tip – check to see if they will GUARANTEE delivery. I once ordered a camera online with next day delivery. It never came. I waited 3-days and still it didn’t get delivered. I called the company’s customer service line and they gladly sent me my camera the next day FREE of charge.

Store-to-Store shipping: Wal-Mart is an example of this. You can place an order at any Wal-Mart and have someone pick it up for you at another Wal-Mart. It’s not the best choice, but it is an alternative.

Final Hot Tip – an excellent choice for Last Minute Gift Delivery is flowers. Shop online for Flowers and you can usually have them delivered the same or next day. Plus, in most cases you can’t go wrong with flowers!

Getting your gift to its recipient doesn’t have to be a headache…don’t wait till the last minute, but if you do – make sure you read the fine print pertaining to delivery dates, times, and costs.

Don’t worry – you’re not alone in your frustration – it happens to all of us at some time or another.

So let’s not wait any longer and get straight to the Ideas:

Digital Photo Frames:

A picture’s worth a thousand words and thanks to technology you can give a gift with a thousand memories…digital photo frames are excellent for family & friends.

Load a collection of pictures onto the memory card, load it into the frame and you’ve got a rotating display of memories, snippets in time, for your loved one.

Food Gifts:

Depending on how long you waited to come up with last minute gift ideas food gifts are another good choice. You can either order them online and have them delivered (check the delivery options) or make some homemade food gifts: cookies, cakes, treats, or mixes (like hot cocoa)!

Homemade gifts work great for making something on the cheap – grab some colored cellophane wrap and a decorative plate and you’re ready to go with a gift that everyone will enjoy.

Gift Cards:

Show you were thinking of them with a gift card! There’s a gift card to satisfy just about every person’s fancy: restaurants, electronics, Wal-Mart, Kohls, Sears, Starbucks, iTunes, and more…

One of the best places to pick out a variety of gift cards is your local Wal-Mart – they sell cards from numerous merchants – a one stop shop for you last minute gift ideas.

Gift Baskets:

These are similar to the food gifts, but offer a much broader variety, plus – gift baskets don’t have to include food. You can order these online or create one yourself. My wife and I love to make these for family at Christmas:

• Inexpensive basket or box
• A good Movie (DVD)
• Microwave Popcorn
• A couple cans of Soda Pop

Bam! A great gift for under $15 dollars.

A coffee mug with hot chocolate packages is a nice one to hand out at winter time.

Hope this gets your imagination going as you ponder those last minute gift ideas – I promise…next time I’ll buy my gifts ahead of time.