Here's a piece from Yahoo titled 15 ways to live more cheaply. One of their suggestions I particularly like is as follows:
Give creatively. You can "express love twice with one gift" by giving a donation to a favorite charity in the names of friends or family members instead of buying them something for birthdays and holidays, Robin suggested. You and the recipient have the satisfaction of knowing the money is being used for a good cause, and you get to take a tax deduction if you itemize.
This works for me. I like giving and I like "expressing love," so what's not to like? My advice based on past experience is to be sure the charity you select is one the recipient will like as well. You don't want to give a donation to the NRA if the recipient is in favor of stronger gun control. It kind of ruins the joy of the gift. ;-)
I usually go with an organization like Samaritan's Purse that everyone can support. Who doesn't like helping the poor, needy, and those affected by natural disasters?
For a few other ideas on how to save on gifts, see these posts:
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