{"id":3089,"date":"2024-11-12T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/wellness\/?p=3089"},"modified":"2024-11-06T12:23:17","modified_gmt":"2024-11-06T18:23:17","slug":"broke-but-thoughtful-navigating-finances-while-gifting-meaningfully","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/wellness\/broke-but-thoughtful-navigating-finances-while-gifting-meaningfully\/","title":{"rendered":"Broke but Thoughtful: Navigating Finances while Gifting Meaningfully\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For college students, the end of the year is a stressful time between studying for finals and preparing for the holidays. For me, stress comes with finding a way back home, staying on top of bills, and studying for finals. The last thing on my mind is buying presents. I live on a very tight budget, so I try to be creative and stretch each dollar as far as I can when buying gifts for loved ones.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few budget-friendly gift-giving strategies I use:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. For older kids: I gift an \u201cIOU.\u201d I make a homemade gift card and put a dollar amount to use on a future shopping trip.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. For younger kids: I like to buy an art kit or toy pack with multiple pieces and wrap each item separately. I also jump on opportunities where a freebie comes with a purchase, such as a book and a free stuffed animal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. For adults: Give them a coupon for \u201cfree night,\u201d such as a free babysitting night. It gives the option to have a night out, or a night in, with people and gives you time to save up (or wait for a tax refund).\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Plan ahead: Make a list of people to get gifts for and set a budget. I shop throughout the year and store their gifts. That way spending is spread throughout the year, and I can sometimes give a bigger gift.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Homemade gifts: My favorite strategy is to make crafts for people. I usually attend craft events on campus and save the craft as a gift. Or, I find inexpensive craft ideas on social media to recreate at home with materials I already have.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Heartfelt gifts: I also like to write a poem or letter, saying how much I care for that person. People love a gift from the heart!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Promotions: Look at your current accounts (credit or debit cards, banks, subscriptions, etc.) and see if they have any promotions or cash-back offers going on. Spending strategically might help you save money overall.\u00a0 For example, if you are a college student, some streaming services have cheaper rates than what is offered to non-college students. This will save you money that could be spent on gifts, so check your subscriptions for a \u201ccollege student\u201d plan, to see if you can save money.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Balancing college and finances is stressful. I hope these strategies help you focus more on finals and less on spending this holiday season.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    ~Mitch (She\/They) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Peer Health Educator  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    For college students, the end of the year is a stressful time between studying for finals and preparing for the holidays. 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