What makes a person easy to buy for?

[Unexpecteddrivinginstructor]

Some people I see things all of the time that I know that they will love, whereas others I find really hard to buy for. One of my dc has a really clear colour preference and hobbies and marketeers really seem to have nailed their likes so that I could almost guarantee to find something they would love. Other dc much harder to find gifts for, it is not that I know them or care for them any less. I guess they perhaps hide disappointment less well. I have a strict list from them of what they would like so it is not as if they will go without. People say I am hard to buy for too.

I am just wondering what makes some people easy to buy for and others harder. Is it to do with the person buying, the person being bought for, the relationship, the products being developed. I am sure it is all of these to an extent but I would love to be the sort of person who it is easy to buy for. Even I don't know what I would like!

I find people with hobbies easier to buy for. My dad likes football, golf, gardening, reading and whiskey. I never have an issue buying for him. My mum I never know what to get. I usually end up asking or buying something I think she might like but it’s much harder as she is someone who can be a bit fussy and doesn’t like a lot of stuff or clutter.

Same as above, people who have a range of hobbies and interests are really easy to buy for.

People who like /want things available in places I know how to shop in. Also if they like things that are in budget. One of my DC's loves computers and everything he wants is really expensive! That's hard for aunties etc

Agree with the hobbies and interests, favourite colours. Also people who have a distinctive style I find easier to buy for. And I need to know the person well enough to be aware of what those things are.

I think I am the easiest person in the country to buy for.

I love flowers/plants inside or out so anything for the garden.
I love perfume and smellies.
Anything for the kitchen. I love to bake so anything to do with that.
I love nightwear, slippers, anything to keep me warm.
I love accessories, gloves, scarves etc both for going out or dog walking.

My list is endless, I could keep going. I'm just easy to please I guess 😁

@poorpaws you sound amazing to buy for! Do you just update your accessories, gloves etc? I just use the same ones until someone steals them I lose them.

I don't have time for many hobbies and the hobbies I have don't cost much. I enjoy drawing but have little time for it and there are only so many 8B pencils a person can use! I think I have fairly distinctive colour preferences, so winning on that one! New years resolution needs to be more expensive hobbies!

Yes expense is an issue and the rise of streaming/ subscription services mean that you can't just pick up an x-box game/ latest DVD and they will love it because they can probably access it anyway. I do like the reduction in clutter though because of it. No scrabbling through DVD cases to see where someone has put something.

I think knowing someone really well and taking interest in their passion, hobbies or values. If they have particular brands they like it makes it quite simple.

I think I'm easy to buy for, really good coffee and cantucci/biscotti, expensive but very few chocolates - quality above quantity, a lovely potted plant that's a little more exotic than the norm. I have favourite brands of makeup, perfume and clothes. A good book, I have a few on my wishlist. I don't receive these things though, I've never been asked.

I find people I don't know well hard to buy for, like siblings partners which seem to change quite often.

I'm easy to buy for- I have hobbies which lend themselves well to presents. I also just like everything- things that people slag off on here as being thoughtless or generic are things I'd always happily receive and use (candles, smellies, mug etc). I'm also pretty pollyannaish about the whole thing.

My brother is hard to buy for- no hobbies, doesn't read and has very precise but non-obvious requirements and a habit of slagging off things other people have given him in a way that makes me nervous about getting it wrong (eg "Can't believe X gave me a bottle of pinot noir, what kind of person does that? Who even drinks pinot noir any more? Is she making some sort of point??" )

Hobbies makes people easier, lots of ideas, and sports kit wears out.

Children are easi-ish they grow need new books, clothes, sports stuff and toys to suit stage of development.

Things that make people really hard are those who have a little bit of money who'd buy themselves what they want, ie getting a book or CD the second it's released.

Different reasons for different people.

I find my Mum hard to buy for because my parents are pretty well off and if there's something she wants or needs, she buys it. I also find her tastes quite expensive, so if she asks for something like body lotion for example, the stuff within my budget hand would not be the high end stuff she would buy herself so what's the point?! She will always do a convincing performance of being delighted with anything you buy her but I can tell whether it's genuine!

I used to find my Dad difficult too because I would put pressure on myself to do something different each year. Now I realise he only wants a bottle of whisky so he's now easy!

In terms of the kids, I find my DS (14) easy, even when people say it's a 'difficult age to buy for'. He has his hobbies and interests and is very straightforward in terms of what he wants and needs for these.

My DD (10) I don't find so easy. There is always a very long list of things she'd like and most of them will be little bits and pieces. I'll ask her to prioritise the things because there's no way we can get it all so I like to make sure she gets the things that are most important to her. But I always sense a slight air of disappointment that there isn't more! Or she'll realise that something she really wanted wasn't high up enough on the list, or that there wasn't really a 'big' present because all the things she asked for were quite small, or that she'd asked for something a bit too generic and the one I chose wasn't quite what she had it mind!

DH I don't like buying for either. He has lots of hobbies that he wants stuff for but because they are niche they are either completely dull and not what I would call a 'a present' (he asked for rope one year...) or he just needs to buy them himself and say they're from me which frankly is no fun for me!!

People who like virtually everything and anything.

My brother has loves film merch, loads of tv show merch, has very specific style but likes ANYTHING in that style, loves anything vintage, is totally into electronics, loves jewellery... hes just so easy to buy for, possibly the easiest person on earth.

I have other family members that are impossible though like FIL who has no hobbies, doesnt drink, doesn't go out etc... only think he likes is watching sports and he already has the sports channels but he does NOT like sports memorabilia, playing sports, going to sport in person etc...

Or an elderly family member that is bed bound, severly arthritic and has dietry issues, he can't really do or even use virtually anything so circumstance makes it impossible, theres only so many different types of blankets, pillows and mugs you can buy a person before that get bored of getting the same things everytime but litrally anything else you can think up they either already have or can't use.

People who have strong interests, passions, hobbies etc. My mum was very hard to buy for. She didn't like perfume, makeup, jewellery etc. She loved sentimental gifts though, so I had to try and think of something every occasion which got more difficult over the years.

My sister is very difficult. She doesn't have any hobbies or interests, she doesn't read or watch films etc. She usually gets perfume and clothes from her partner and I usually try to think of something different/personal or buy her perfume as well.

I'm very easy to buy for, everyone says this 😂 I love music, art, tech, gaming. I collect Disney mugs, vinyl and funko pops. I love lego and books, obsessed with Harry Potter, LOTR etc. I also like makeup, weird jewellery, chocolates. I love throw blankets and stationery. My dh is also quite easy, he loves rugby, music, cars, whiskey, comics, lego etc.

So I think if someone likes a lot of different things it makes it quite easy to buy a gift for them, but some people are more restricted in their interests. Sometimes the best thing in these situations is something personal (if you know what they'd like) or a gift card and some chocolates.

My 4 yo ds is quite hard to buy for. He goes through stages of being obsessed with different things, sometimes a different Disney princess or film. He loved Spiderman for ages but is now growing out of it. I worry about buying stuff in advance for him as he could change his mind very easily and he has asd so if there's something he doesn't like he will go on and on saying "why did you buy me that". I dread him being older as it will probably become more difficult!

My 6 yo dd however is very easy. Anything pink and girly or unicorn related. Any surprise type toys, blind bags, LOL etc. Any arts and crafts, Nintendo games and so on and she will love it.

One issue for kids is they'll bung tat on their list then they are disappointed with the tat and disappointed they didn't get the tat.

Mr Frostie being a prime example. There are those who were disappointed with it and those who are disappointed they never got it.

It depends how well you know someone. The people who know me would consider me easy to buy for but I suspect most people wouldn’t as I am vegan & teetotal and arthritic (so a lot of craft stuff is out).

In general I suppose if people have no allergies, aren’t veggie or vegan or teetotal and drive and have pets (who are not fussy) and love smellies and cheap chocolate or will at least pretend they do are easy to buy for but for it to be personal you have to know someone a bit better. Otherwise it’s just generic and imho a bit pointless.

@Unexpecteddrivinginstructor I wear dark jackets, coats so like bright accessories and I love to coordinate them and I love having loads of them, all different colours.

Not all gifts for me have to be expensive either. Atm I'd be delighted with a new shower cap 😀. Mine was very cheap and it's tatty and torn so a new one would be fantastic and I'd be genuinely delighted (my daughter knows this so 🤞🏻 for Christmas).

@poorpaws and there lies another daft issue, if my mum was to say 'i just want a shower cap' I'd think OK but I can't just give that so what else do I get?

I'm SO easy to buy for.

I love reading.
I love relaxing (taking baths, having nice PJs).
I love snacks and hot chocolate and things like that.

My dad is very hard to buy for. For example, I know he TAKES baths, but I genuinely ENJOY it, whereas he does it as a way to have a wash.. so buying me bubble bath sets would be great, him not so much.

I have simple pleasures, therefore something like some nice smelling shower gel or bath bombs would bring me a huge amount of joy.

@Dinoteeth I'd go with something to go with the shower cap so shower gel, nice soap, a crunchy etc. but I'd honestly be happy just with a nice shower cap especially as money is so tight atm. And if it matched the colour of my bathroom that would show thought and I'd be sooo thrilled.

For adults - having no spare cash. Then so long as you know them well enough you can easily find something they'll appreciate & is a bit of a treat. Eg coffee shop vouchers for student dc, a bottle of whisky for someone who likes it but would never buy for themselves, etc etc.
IME it's only well off people who are hard to buy for! It's why so many people struggle with elderly parents who are probably much better off than they are (obviously lots of people's elderly parents won't be well off, but thinking of threads on here).

I'm easy to buy for. I like anything I'm given because I'm just happy someone has thought to get me something and I don't mind what it is.

I think it's a combination of things mentioned above, hobbies etc can make it easier but people who can afford what they want are so hard to buy, looking at you Dad.

I’m easy to buy for because I have a wish list on Amazon

I think people who are positive and grateful are the easiest to buy for - you know they look for the best in everything and will always find something to like in what you get them.

My mum and sister find me really hard to buy for as we are v different.

I think I'm easy to buy for, im quite nerdy and would love anything related to films, series and games I like, I love certain disney characters, have a favourite animal, have a favourite anime character who I would adore anything with him on, I read alot, listen to alot of music and especially love live music, I really enjoy days out or experiences and I love food!

But as I'm not into stereotypical girly gifts they find it hard! (I don't wear much make up, don't wear perfume, candles and flowers make me sneeze, I'm very particular on shower gels etc, hate baths, I dont follow fashion so buy all my clothes online except basics)