It’s Christmas Eve, and for last-minute shoppers and chronic procrastinators, you know what that means: it’s time to scramble around looking for gifts for your friends and loved ones!
But in such economically trying times, how do you maximise your budget to buy meaningful gifts? Here are some tips and tricks that can help you stretch your ringgit during the holidays.
1. Site-wide deals and promo codes
Most e-commerce sites and online stores run sales campaigns on crucial dates in the year, with the majority of such promotions revolving around festive seasons. These are opportune times for you to purchase store credit or prepaid vouchers that offer more value.
If, for example, you dream of chilling at a certain hotel or resort but baulk at the eye-gouging price for a night’s stay, then a prepaid voucher just might make a staycation more palatable.
Here’s a quick tip if you are too lazy to keep track of prices: add the items you want into your shopping cart and leave them there. When the prices have dropped to a range you are comfortable with, go ahead and check out.
This beats scrolling through different stores each time to search for goods that fit your budget, and saves you time and effort if you are playing the role of a generous Santa this year.
Many websites and mobile applications also provide promo codes that offer an even higher discount on your purchases. Do note that some of these codes are available for a limited time only, depending on the terms and conditions.
Some apps have a daily check-in mechanism, where you amass credits that can be used for later purchases. Checking in for an entire week usually yields a higher-than-normal benefit. A lot of these are app-dependent, so look around and see what suits your fancy.
2. Gift cards
Forget cold, hard cash! If you know a gamer, why not get him or her a PlayStation Plus, Steam, or Google Play gift card? If your friend loves to binge-watch movies and stream music, a Netflix or Spotify Premium gift card will likely be highly appreciated.
As a bonus, it fits nicely into a greeting card, too!
3. Sweet, sweet giveaways
Contests abound throughout the year, and even more so when the year draws to a close. This is where following the social media accounts of companies and influencers makes sense.
Do a quick search on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook with hashtags such as #giveaway, #contest, and #promos, and you might just stumble upon a treasure trove of contests to participate in.
Most of the time, you would be tasked with commenting on a post and tagging somebody else while waiting for fortune to smile on you to be randomly selected as the winner.
Not trying would automatically result in zero chances of winning anything, but sparing a minute might see you celebrate the holidays with a pleasant win and a tale to regale your friends with!
4. Start a Christmas fund
A Christmas fund works for long-term planners. It might be too late to save up for an extravagant gift this year, but you can still embark on a fund for next Christmas.
Set aside a small sum of money each month so you will not be knackered when shopping for gifts in December 2023. This might sound boring, but it’s effective and prudent financial planning.
5. Acts of love
Buying gifts is not the only way to show your care and concern for others – there’s also that great intangible known as time.
NGOs that feed the poor, tend to the sick, and rehabilitate the less fortunate often operate in a thankless environment. So, why not get in touch with your favourite organisation and volunteer to give their full-time staff a well-deserved break?
Such giving may be immaterial but can carry the most value as you spend time with those on the fringes of society.
You also have the option of donating food, clothing, money, or other essential goods to the charity of your choice. And, by doing so, you just might find yourself fully experiencing the adage “it is more blessed to give than to receive”.
Edwin Kee dreamt of being a pro-gamer only to have circumstances mould him into a programmer in a past life. He has since moved on to write about consumer electronics and other topics. Check out his blog at manatau.com.