Gifts when you don’t have much money

[Merryoldgoat]

If you don’t have much money, what kind of gifts do you like to receive?

I’m not in this position anymore, but when I was, I liked frivolous things that I could enjoy without guilt.

However I have been thinking with COL crisis stuff, some people with less might prefer cash or vouchers so they can choose.

I’m just musing really.

YABU - if I’m broke or tightly stretched I want money

YANBU - luxury please, otherwise life starts to feel a bit joyless.

I appreciate any gift, generally I prefer a voucher to cash as I am then more likely to use it for a treat to myself, rather on day to day spending.

I appreciate many would be different, and there have been times I REALLY needed more money to get by day to day, but having a treat to use for myself was really lovely and broke up the monotony of poverty.

Thankfully I am comfortable now.

Homemade stuff that's to the receivers taste. Because someone had used their time and their knowledge of you to make you something they believe you would enjoy. I'm talking biscuits, flavoured vodka or nice soap, nothing made from a loo roll and a hot glue gun 🤣

I’ve got a glue gun…

Will the recipient feel the obligation to reciprocate though?

When I was really broke (not exactly poor, just cashless with relatively high outgoings) i liked vouchers and bottles of reasonable but not over the top wine, because I could regift them if people invited me round or to a birthday night out or whatever. It meant I could still take part in social life and not feel embarrassed.

I like to be given second-hand history/science books, because that's the sort of present I really enjoy and that a lot of people can afford. But it's not to everyone's taste, I know.

Too vague. A couple of year's ago it would be an electric blanket.

Vouchers Amazon, or just plain money.

Treat food....

@DowntonCrabby

In the particular situation that prompted this I’ve made it very clear no present back is in any way expected. She usually will bring me something pretty like a small candle or a cake she baked.

@PermanentTemporary

If you have a niche interest like that is great.

I like sewing and crochet and there are so many small and inexpensive items you can buy.

I’d probably go with a gift card and that way they can be as practical or frivolous as they choose or need to be. Maybe along with a small treat gift such as nice chocolates/wine?

I think wanting to treat people to something they otherwise couldn’t afford is lovely in theory but if somebody is really struggling financially the luxury gift could go down like a damp squib. A few years back SIL and BIL with 4 dc were really hard up coming up to Christmas when her mum arranged for a very posh hamper to be delivered. It probably cost hundreds and of course it was generous but SIL told me she almost cried when it arrived. Given their situation she felt that if her mum had given her just half of what she’d spent on that present as cash or a gift card, it would have gone a lot further in doing Christmas for her family than a hamper of crazy expensive biscuits, chocs and jams.

I think a voucher for M&S cpuld be nice. There's enough of a range in there that the recipient could buy food, clothes or something for the home.

Its about the thought for me, getting cash is a bit depressing and not in the spirit (for me that is, I appreciate at the moment many people might desperately need it). I am not very crafty but I like to try and come.up with thoughtful, bit cheaper gifts. There is an app called freebooks that let's you make photo books and it's pretty cheap (around a fiver I think). You can add nice backgrounds and captions to all the pages. I've made one for DP of pics of him and his daughter from when she was a baby to now with nice and funny captions on each page. He is a sentimental sod so he will love it

My parents are getting me an oodie. It's freezing and will hopefully really help to keep me warm!!

Little gifts are nice
Like toiletries
Eg lip balm set or hand cream set or bubble bath or a nice bar of soap and a face cloth
Or chocolate
Or a voucher
Or a reasonable jigsaw puzzle
Or socks
Or a book voucher
Or a reed diffuser
Or a calendar
Or a notepad/block and pen
Or some biscuits ( i dont buy biscuits normally unless I have invited friends over for a coffee).