When you are looking for a birthday present, anniversary gift, or something special just because, it can be difficult to know what you should give to someone. You might find yourself mindlessly scrolling on gift guides or running through the mall last minute. If this sounds all too familiar to you, here are a few gift-giving hacks.

Plan Ahead of Time

Anything done at the last minute instantly becomes more stressful. For this reason, you should plan what gift you want to give far in advance. It can never be too early to know what gift you want to give, but it can be too late. You can do this by slowly collecting ideas of what you can buy in the note app on your phone. By doing this, you can also look for sales or promotions that might help you afford a gift you would not have been able to purchase otherwise. Depending on how far in advance you start planning, you might be able to benefit from the element of surprise and get something they would have never expected.

Know the Person

The best tip for giving a great gift is that you need to know the person you are buying for. This may seem like common sense but understanding who is getting the gift helps you personalize the present. For example, if the person receiving the gift loves to golf, you should give them an item that relates to the sport. You could get them a new golf club set or new sunglasses to wear when golfing. It is these small touches that will tell the gift receiver that you care about them. You want to get them a gift they will continue to use because they loved it so much. To do this, you must listen to their needs and wants and then base your gift off of that.

Think Outside of the Box

Not every gift you give needs to be something physical that can be bought at the store. Sometimes the most memorable gifts are experiences. It is like when kids find out they are going to a theme park for the holidays. Going back to the previous example of a friend who loves golfing, you could get them tickets to a golf tournament or pay for part of their golf club membership. You can either find an activity they can do with you or on their own.

You can express how much you care about someone with a meaningful gift. Opportunities to celebrate others do not come often enough. By planning you can make this next gift memorable for your loved one.

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