This weeks question comes from Guy in Cleveland, Ohio.
Dear Bren:
Christmas is almost here and I don’t have any of my shopping done yet. I don’t have a lot of cash cause of the apartment I have. Any ideas on cheep, but good stuff for my girlfriend, mom, dad and little sister but not look cheap or cheesy? Thanks.
-Guy
Well Guy, like a lot of men, shopping is always done last minute. It’s great to have your own place, but when it comes down to having extra cash for the holidays, its rough. (BTW, I hope you checked out last weeks article on how to pimp your pad, here.) I have some great tips on how to buy those last minute gifts and make it look like you spent a lot.
First off, let’s start with your mom. She gave birth to you man, you gotta make mom feel special. HomeGoods has a lot of great stuff that you can buy her. Trust me, you won’t look like a cheese ball standing on-line in this store. It may smell fruity, but it doesn’t mean people will think you are in there. Check out these really nice Christmas decorations that she will love that are no more than $20.
Now, onto dad. What do you get for the man who has everything? Good question. If you dad is into the tech gadgets, then Brookstone has great gifts you can buy for under $25.
They have an awesome Propane Gauge that you can buy him so he knows when his tank is almost empty during grilling season.
They also have this really handy Motorized Grill Cleaning Brush. You also have the option to buy the replacement plan for an extra $3.00.
And lastly, they have a great Mini Charging Valet Station so wires aren’t hanging around everywhere. (NOTE TO SELF: BUY ME ONE!)
For your sister, depending on her age, I’d go with a DVD or CD. Find our from your parents what her favorite movie is. Or, go to Toys ‘R Us and get her something to do with High School Musical, The Jonas Brothers, or Hannah Montana.
Last but not least, your girlfriend. You really don’t have anyway around spending a little more money on her because let’s face it, all chicks do is shop. They know exactly how much stuff is, and if they don’t, they will figure out a way to find out how much you spent. The way to get around this is to buy her something flashy to distract her from thinking about the price. For example, go into Swarovski and get her something there. My girlfriend loves their charm bracelet. They come out with charms for every holiday and season so you will always have something to buy her. The bracelet costs $45 and the charms range from $50 to $60 depending on the size.
Or, they have nice jewerly she’ll love. If she is a Disney freak, they have a Tinker Bell necklace.
Another way is to trick her with something hard or takes a while to set up. How about buying her an iPod shuffle? The 2G is $59. She’ll be so excited that you got her the pink one to match her pocketbook, she won’t even care how much it was!
I hope this helps you Guy, and to all my other male readers. Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot to look like you did.
Anything you want to know about and are afraid to ask anyone else? Emails are welcome! Feel free to send any and all questions to me at brendan.lyons@dogandponyshowwebsite.com.
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