Are you at a loss about what to give as gifts this holiday season? It’s no secret to you that I’m really into personal finance. In fact, I’m known among my friends as being the “financial guru” in our bunch. It’s only reasonable, then, that I would choose to give personal finance-themed gifts to many of our friends and family.
You might ask how many different personal finance gifts can there be. Well, let me tell you that there are tons. Don’t just take my word for it; check out this list. You will find gifts here that fit every recipient and every price point.
Personal Finance Books – There are personal finance books for almost anyone on your list. One of my personal favorites is Smart Women Finish Rich. There is also a “couples” version of this book. If kids are on your list, you can even check out some of Dave Ramsey’s Life Lessons with Junior books.
Coupon Organizer – Give your friend or family member the gift of organization and encourage them to stretch their dollars with coupons. You might even slip one or two into the organizer to get them started.
Personal Shredder – Show your friends and family that you’re worried about their welfare by protecting their identity. A small personal shredder is great for anyone who needs help disposing of their confidential papers.
Personal Finance Software – Help a friend make his personal finances more efficient by giving him a personal finance software package. Volunteering to give him a tutorial on running the program is a nice touch, too.
Wallet – Everyone needs something safe to keep his cash and credit cards in. Look for one that reflects the recipient’s personality to really evoke a smile from the lucky recipient.
Board Games – There are tons of different games that you can give that relate to money. Look for Payday, the Game of Life, or Monopoly at your local discount store.
Change Counter – You can encourage others to save their spare change by giving them one of those electronic change counters. Another alternative might be those tools you use to roll coins.
Stocks – Although you probably don’t want to make a huge investment for anyone on your Christmas list, you can still give a stock gift. Oneshare.com allows buyers to purchase one share in name brand companies like Disney or Harley-Davidson. You can even purchase cool frames to go along with it.
Play Money – Do you remember playing “store” when you were a kid? Well, kids still do that. At the dollar store, you can buy an inexpensive set of play money and let your kids practice handling their own cash.
Finance Magazine Subscription – Give a gift that lasts all year long: a subscription to a personal finance magazine. Money or Kiplinger’s are both good ones, but don’t be afraid to look at more specialized ones, too. Entrepreneur is a very interesting magazine directed at small business owners while Money Advisor gives great advice for consumers.
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Creative Blog Post. If it were me, I’d want those board games. I have some many great memories of playing monopoly for like three days stright.
Great list. I would add one other thing – a gift certificate to a Fee-Only Financial Advisor!
I particularly like the stock one. Actually, I like the book one better since I just wrote a book on personal finance!!
I like the stocks one because my grandparents bought gov’t. bonds for their grandchildren for many years. These bonds are now starting to mature with some pretty hefty increases.
What seemed like a “boring” gift when I was 10 is really turning out to be a good one.
Plus, it brings back great memories of my grandparents.
I personally would prefer the magazine subscription. I probably would not have a use for the cash counter as I don’t have a lot of money