Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas – Centsable Momma

Hopefully, you don’t have many gifts left to purchase…but if you do, here are a few ideas:

• Magazine Subscriptions – you could always purchase a magazine subscription and create a cute gift card letting the recipient know to expect their subscription in several weeks.  Use coupon code CENTSMOMMA to get 20% off your subscription through DiscountMags. DiscountMags has a low price guarantee, so they’ll match competitor prices.

• Gift Cards – rather than search all over town for the “perfect” gift, think about giving the person a gift card to a store you know they enjoy.  If you send an Amazon gift card, you can choose a design and either print it or send it via e-mail or Facebook.

• eGift an idea – choose an item you’d like to egift and send them a gift card with the idea.  The recipient can choose to actually purchase that item or get something else.  But, if you hate giving a straight gift card, you can feel like you actually picked something out for the person.

• Give the Gift of Amazon Prime – Amazon Prime is no longer just FREE 2-day shipping.  When you give the gift of Prime, you’re giving a year of Amazon Prime Instant Video, FREE Music Streaming, Photo Storage in the Amazon Cloud, and more.  The gift membership does not automatically renew, and if your recipient already has Amazon Prime, they can exchange it for an Amazon gift card.  You can even gift a 3-month membership for only $39.

• MP3’s from Amazon – Your gift recipient will receive an e-mail letting them know that a gift is waiting for them.

• Kindle Books from Amazon – Your gift recipient will receive an e-mail letting them know they can download the Kindle book to their library.

• Groupon Voucher  – give a Groupon voucher for a massage, dinner out or more.  Groupon will send an e-mail letting the recipient know they have a Groupon voucher to claim.

• Annual Membership to the recipient’s local Zoo, Science Center, or Children’s Museum – this is a great gift they can use all year (and doesn’t cause any clutter!).  If you are a member of Costco, you can check there for discounted membership passes.  I’ve bought a discounted Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum Pass there one year.

• CD’s or Savings Bonds (or contributions to a 529 plan) – you could include a note that acknowledges the project that the recipient is saving for, such as a trip to Hawaii.

• Donation in the Person’s Name – choose a charity that you know the person would enjoy and make a donation in their name.

• Check your Gift Closet – do you have any gifts already purchased that might work for the recipient?

• Food Gift – Have any goodies already made?  Put together a goodie basket with baked goods or quickly purchase some items at the store with a nice plate.