Money: The Present Box

One thing that works well at our house is something called the Present Box. At the beginning of the year I make a list of the amount of people we need to buy for anticipated birthday’s, children’s birthday parties, weddings, babies and Christmas. Next, I scan the sale isles whenever I am at the store for bargains. Generally I look for items 70-90% off.  If I find a good deal, I usually buy several. For example I found footballs that retailed $5 on sale for $1 so I bought eight in anticipation for boys’ birthday parties this year. I found Barbie dolls originally priced at $10 on sale for $2, so I bought six or seven. I do this with different types of toys throughout the year. Finally, I put them all in a box that is stored in our basement. When it is time for a special occasion, I simply take out the box and let my children choose a toy or other gift for the recipient instead of running to the store. It is fun for the kids to pick out a present that is within your budget. This also works great for parties with a late notice. Remember, no one knows what you paid for it. It saves money, time and stress. Be careful not to overbuy just because an item is on sale. The point is to save time and money in purchasing presents.