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GIFT WRAPPED
The exact Christmas shopping list you need to get presents for ‘difficult’ people – & you won’t have to leave the house
Scroll down for more tips from Gemma on how to save cash in the lead up to Christmas
WITH Christmas just days away, if you’ve still got a huge list of people to buy gifts for, fear not, we’ve got you covered.
Particularly if you’ve got a friend who already has the best of the best, or a ‘difficult’ family member that is never pleased with presents, you've come to the right place.
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We spoke to Gemma Bird, also known as the Money Saving Mum, to get her advice on what gifts to buy for ‘difficult’ people this year.
And according to this savvy mum, who lives in Billericay, Essex, vouchers are the way forward.
Gemma, who has 465,000 Instagram followers and counts Stacey Solomon as a fan, explained that with her foolproof Christmas list, you don’t even have to leave the house - as you can order everything online in barely any time at all.
Gemma tells Fabulous: “Feeling really overwhelmed and worried about buying Christmas presents is normal, pretty much everybody feels the same.
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“We're all really worried that we’re not doing enough and haven’t bought enough gifts.
“But keep a budget in mind - it's about sticking to it and not going over it.”
The gift of a gift card
Gemma explained that you should say goodbye to spending hours scrolling the internet, desperately searching for gifts for someone who has it all.
Instead, she advised that gift cards are the answer.
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She recommended: “If you don’t know the person well and don’t see them much, get a voucher rather than wasting money on presents.
“Vouchers are the way to go. If somebody's got everything already, or you don't particularly know that person, vouchers are a fantastic gift, because they can then go and pick something they actually really, really love.
Gemma Bird's money-saving hacks
“And if you know that they're struggling financially, a voucher is a good way to take pressure off something that they've got to buy in the New Year.”
When it comes to those who are difficult to buy for and already have everything, Gemma added: “Get something like a Costa Coffee voucher, something they can actually use. If people love coffee, that's always a nice one, I think it's a really good idea.
“But it doesn’t have to be a specific shop - something like an Amazon voucher is good, or you can get shopping centre vouchers for their local shopping centre.
Money-Saving Tips from Gemma Bird: Save £2k Before Christmas
IF youre' looking to save cash, you've come to the right place, as here, Gemma Bird has shared her top tips that'll save you £2k before Christmas.
- Set a budget: Track your spending and create a realistic budget.
- Cut unnecessary costs: Cancel unused subscriptions and avoid impulse buys.
- Meal planning: Plan meals to reduce grocery bills and avoid takeaways.
- Sell unwanted items: Declutter and sell items online for extra cash.
- Cashback and discounts: Use cashback sites and hunt for discount codes.
- DIY gifts: Make personalised gifts to save money and add a personal touch.
- Pick up a seasonal shift: A really easy way to pick up a bit of extra cash in the winter is to find yourself some seasonal work.
Follow these practical tips from Gemma Bird to boost your savings before the festive season!
“If somebody likes reading, you can get them a book voucher. Or have they got a Kindle? Maybe vouchers for that? Amazon vouchers are always good.”
But if you don’t have a clue on which shop might be right for a voucher, Gemma added: “If they’ve got everything, what can you arrange? Maybe a voucher for a movie night, so you can actually go out and spend time together.
“Or maybe a voucher for a restaurant - maybe they love Italian food, or they like Sunday brunch - you could buy a voucher for that for two, and they can either go with a friend or partner, or you could go with them.”
Lighten the load with supermarket vouchers
In addition to a restaurant or cinema voucher, Gemma explained why buying someone a supermarket voucher is one of the most thoughtful gifts out there.
She stressed: “You could pay for someone's food shop. We all have to eat, it's something you can't get away with. It's not a luxury in life, it's a need.
“After Christmas, people will sometimes go five weeks before they get paid in January, because they get paid before Christmas, so if you can cover a lot of their food bill, I think that's just such an amazing gift to give somebody.
“It takes the pressure off them for that month.”
Get personal with gift cards
Gemma explained that getting personal with vouchers is sure to light up someone’s Christmas Day, as she stressed: “For people that like being outdoors, garden centers do vouchers. That's a really nice thing to do.
If somebody's got everything already, or you don't particularly know that person, vouchers are a fantastic gift
Gemma Bird
“Or maybe they're into their fitness - is there a local fitness centre near them that does vouchers where you can pay for them to go to a yoga class or something like that?
“If they’re into beauty, get them a voucher to get their nails done.”
Shop second-hand
But if you don’t want to get a gift card, Gemma shared her advice, as she suggested: “Think outside the box.
“Look for secondhand things - things on Vinted, things on Facebook Marketplace, charity shops, car boots.
“People will sell their unwanted Christmas presents on Vinted - they'll be brand new in the box. Definitely look at secondhand things.”
Give your services
And if you don’t want to buy something second-hand, Gemma stressed the importance of offering up your services.
She shared: “Can you give your time? Is there something you can do? Are you a hairdresser? Are you somebody that's good around the house?
“You could give your gift as your time, so if there’s something that they might want done, and you could write a lovely card out.
What might seem boring to you will take the pressure off of someone else
Gemma Bird
“If you’re a hairdresser, you could give someone a blow dry, or if you're a nail technician, you could do someone’s nails.
“If you’re a gardener, you could cut your friend’s grass, or put a light up as an electrician.
“Or even if you haven't got a craft, cook someone a meal or babysit someone’s children for the night.
“People appreciate that so much, it doesn't cost any money, but sometimes that’s better than gifts.”
Memories make great gifts
If you haven't got any services to offer, Gemma explained that getting a photobook made, which you can do online, is also a good bet.
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents - buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you're not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead - if you've got the stamina and budget, it's worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you're not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales - some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores - you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
She explained: “If the person is hard to buy for, or if you’ve got a friend that's really wealthy and they've got absolutely everything, maybe you've got lots of photos of them over the years - you could make them a photobook.
“Memories are really lovely to give to people. I think if they've got everything that's a good one to buy.”
They'll drive away happy
Not only are memories a great gift, but Gemma also shared the slightly more pricey gift, which she claims might be boring to some, but can be incredibly handy to those on a budget.
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She explained why paying for someone’s car tax should be on your list, as she recommended: “It's a slightly more expensive gift, but if you've got older children, you could pay for their car tax for the year.
“What might seem boring to you will take the pressure off of someone else.”
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