Getting Gift Without Burning a Hole in Your Pocket

Holiday season is here and it's time for gifting season. When you have so many people to give, it's not an easy thing to do. And your budget may burst into huge balloon too.

Here are some ideas to get your stocking stuffers without spending extra money from your pocket. You can get them all year around and keep them until you need to give someone a gift.

1. Welcome gifts, Birthday gifts
Some memberships here in Singapore offer free membership fee, welcome gifts and birthday gifts. Isn't it good? Try to explore around and see which membership is beneficial for you. You get discounts or reward points over your purchases, and free products.

2. Freebies from goodie bags
Participate in some sport events. Most of the sport events give a lot of freebies you can use for your stocking stuffer.

3. Bulk Purchase
You will definitely save a lot when you do bulk purchase. Find a product bundle with good value that you can split the goods to be given to few different people.

4. Sale
Keep eyeing on your favorite company or brand for sale event. Like their facebook page so you get first hand news immediately.

5. Re-gifting
You have gifts that you don't like or you don't use? Give it to somebody else that may like or need it. Nowadays, re-gifting is considered as socially acceptable. It's better to give it to someone rather than collecting dust, right?

6. Membership or credit card reward point
If your credit card or membership offer you reward point that you can redeem, go ahead and use it.

7. DIY

Save money and create unique gifts at the same time. Great :)

New Marketplace: Carousell

Recently, I just found new marketplace app for iPhone, called Carousell. I have been using this app for over 1 month now and getting familiar with it. So, I decided to share something to you about this app.

Appearance and Layout

Good thing about this app is the menu and layout are in simple design. Navigating through the app is easy. The products are categorized into some categories so it makes product searching for buyers/viewers easy.

Selling Products

When you click on the "Sell" menu it will bring you to your iPhone camera functionality and you can snap your product's picture immediately. Convenient! You can also upload the pictures if you already have them taken from your picture library. Ah, don't forget, you can edit your pictures and add some effects.

Product Page

Another good thing is you don't need to fill so many fields before submitting your product. You just need to choose category where it falls into, type the item name and short description, and finally the price. While filling the item's title and description, you can also specify the location where you can make the deal with buyer.

I personally think it'll be better if there's a way seller can see how many view they get for each item.

Interaction with buyers and viewers

Buyers or viewers can make comment and make offer on each product page. Buyer and seller can extend their closed conversation after buyer makes an offer.

Notification

Carousell will consolidate all your activities summary into 1 page, called Activity. Too bad, each record is not clickable. I think it'll be better if it brings you to at least related product page every time you click on the activity record. 

Overall, it's a handy app to help you sell your things just from your phone. You can download the app from App Store and it's free. No harm to put your things to sell there and who knows you can find good bargain for yourself. You can download the app here http://bit.ly/get-carousell

Unusual Gifts To Get

Looking something unusual to give special someone? Check this out:

1. Magazine Subscription

SPH Magazine is having Christmas promotion where you get 30% off for 1-year subscription. Sign up here.

2. Beauty box Subscription

Bellabox has few types of boxes you can choose to give to your loved ones. You can choose to give 12, 6 or 3 months subscription. The fee is $19.95/month. Check out here.

Image credit to Bellabox Singapore

3. Learning Gift
Buy something that helps someone keep learning and improving. You may want to check for options online or from deal sites.

4. Vacation
Spending some quality time with loved ones is the best gift. Why not get a vacation package to somewhere new and feel the experience together? It will make bond between you and them stronger.

Get The Gift They Really Want

The end of the year is coming fast. That means I need to quickly get the gifts for everyone I need to give.

Sometimes, getting gifts is not an easy thing. Most of the time when I browse (either online or offline) for the gifts, I end up choosing the things I would buy for myself rather than getting things that person likes or needs. It's good if that person actually likes or needs the thing but it sucks when the otherwise happen.

So, I'm consolidating some of tips that I personally use to pick a good gift for everyone:

1. Find for their wishlist on social media
Today, social media has become a common place for people to share their thoughts. You can use this to figure out what actually that person likes and doesn't like. Investigate all social media accounts they have.

2. Observe what they like to wear/use/have/do
Maybe from their belongings you get some hints what to get. It could be something to complement what they have already, something to replace the worn-out favorite things, or something from the same category.

3. Pay attention to all words they say during conversation, it may give you hint what they want this festive season as a gift.

4. Ask close person
It could be family members, friends, colleagues, etc. Ask for their cooperation not to say anything to that person.

Top Unwanted Holiday Gifts

I collected data from colleagues and friend, also based on few years observation and experiences.

Here are top unwanted gifts for holiday season. Try to avoid them when gifting unless you know that the person you're going to give likes or needs it.

(They are not in order)
1. Candles
2. Photo Frames
3. Aromatherapy Set
4. Mugs
5. Calendars
6. Novelty Gifts
7. Toiletries and Perfumes
8. Towels
9. Food (chocolate or biscuits)