Getting Personal

                Tips On How To Buy A Gift With Thrift In Mind | Birthday Gifts from GettingPersonal.co.uk
            
                For months now we have constantly been warned about the financially tough times ahead of us. For those unfortunate people who have lost their jobs through companies collapsing the effects of the economic recession must have hit hardest. In addition, those of us who rely on the interest earned from savings in the bank will also see a reduction in income, and by now, even though most of us were sceptical about just how severe this difficult time would be at first, we are all realising that it may be some time before the economy strengthens. So, even if the recession has not affected you yet, it is always best to be safe than sorry, and making cut backs on non essentials is a sensible move. 

Many industries have already felt the strain as sales in new cars have fallen, and holidays abroad, particularly in Europe, are not being booked as the rate of exchange between sterling and euro is so bad. But there are some things that you cannot cut back on. You still have to do that weekly family food shop, traipsing morosely around the supermarket, only nowadays you carry a shopping list with you, hunt out the bargains and do not buy those little luxuries like you used to. And so it goes when it comes to buying birthday gifts these days.

We all want to present the lucky birthday boy or girl with a lovely gift, but we do not want to pay the earth for it, even though we definitely hope that the birthday gifts that we choose will still impress the recipient. So, when looking for a suitable birthday gift it is important to remember a few golden rules:

Firstly, keep an open mind as to what you intend to purchase as a birthday gift. You may have a rough idea or a precise one for that matter, but be prepared to change your mind, just in case your intended birthday gift is more costly than you had anticipated.

Secondly, give yourself a maximum amount that you are prepared to pay, and stick to it. Do not go over that amount, even by just a couple of pounds. 

Thirdly, do not plump for a birthday gift just because it is extremely inexpensive, as it may not be suitable for the recipient, and therefore will not achieve what you want, which is to impress and please. 

With these simple rules in place, you can easily find a birthday gift well within your budget, and there will be no nasty phone calls and letters from your bank manager, no bickering with your spouse, and definitely no guilty conscience or tears before bedtime. 

A fun and quirky birthday gift is bound to please, so let's begin with a gorgeous and original birthday gift for her. A Kiss Kiss Rubber Stamp Kit is great for all those girls who write love letters. With a red ink pad and fabulous stamp featuring a pair of luscious lips, this lovely birthday gift will be so useful in winning hearts over. 

To give her a little inspiration in her letter writing and to give her something to dream about, a Personalised Birthday Hunk Print will knock her socks off with a photo of a shapely male bod holding a suitably place board with her own name on it. Lucky girl! 

A great and original birthday gifts for him is a Star Wars Strormtrooper Mobile Phone gadget. This little gizmo interacts when the mobile phone that it is attached to begins to ring. The stunning stormtrooper nods his head and gets into his own little groove with a dance, and friends are going to be so envious of this unusual contraption.

Birthday gifts for Mum are always difficult to buy, but a Purple Ronnie's Little Book for a Lovely Mum will not break the bank. She will be tickled purple to receive this amusing collection of poems and anecdotes. A wonderfully inexpensive birthday gift for Dad that will make him laugh and reminisce at the same time is a My Dad Had One of Those Top Gear Gift Book. This birthday gift book contains some of the UK's favourite cars over the years, from the 1950s to 1980s and chances are your Dad probably did own a few.

For your workmates or friends there is one great birthday gift that everyone will love. The Egglings Italian Parsley kit is a fabulous birthday gift for any office desk or windowsill. Once cracked this fake egg will reveal that within its shell is a parsley patch waiting to sprout. This birthday gift will entertain everyone in the office, and they will all want to pinch some parsley to spice up their lunchtime sandwiches.

A cheap but entertaining birthday gift for kids of all ages, from 2 to 200, is a hilarious Moving Model of Pirate Jack. Once you have constructed him following the simple instructions, he awaits your turning of the winding handle. Off he goes, rowing for dear life in search of someone else's treasure. So do not let him find yours. Keep your choice of birthday gifts cheap, fun and quirky and you cannot go wrong.

Related article: Celebrate And Commemorate - How to Make Their Birthday More Memorable (Birthday Gifts)