The Season of Being Broke and Creative!

Between family, friends, my own child, MYSELF and my husband, buying gifts is seeming more like a burden than a reward. So often I hear, “It’s better to give than to receive...” But anytime I step into a store to buy gifts all I feel is regret and emptiness mainly coming from my wallet. My charge card seems to groan with every swipe, or maybe it’s me groaning? No wonder the cashier looks at me with a puzzled look! 

Since losing my job in November, my extravagant lifestyle with the yachts, champagne, giant flat screen televisions and Chanel purses … Wait, that was just a J. Lo video. Darn. I was never rich but at least before I didn’t avoid friends hoping that by avoiding them meant that I didn't have to buy them a gift. Or have to casually throw out, "I'm soooo broke this year..." in a conversation having to do absolutely nothing about money in hopes that they get the hint and know immediately there will be no gift exchange between the two of us.

"So I was working out the other day and I think I pulled something in my back," Lovely friend mentions as we have a nice lunch.

"I'm so broke right now, dude. Like super broke! But the thing about your back... Sucks, bro!" I say as I stuff my mouth full of lettuce and water.

Suddenly I snap out of my daydream and put my thinking cap on (it's a real cap with the words "Thinking Cap" across the front) and scour the Interwebs for ideas! I look for things that say, “I worked hard on this present, almost like a real elf, so you better enjoy it!” But the truth is that any gift is usually always received with a smile and it is only when you are gone that the receiver re-wraps it and re-gifts it! We must avoid that and secure the gifts we give against re-gifting!

Below are my top three items that popped up on my "Christmas gifts on the cheap" Google search:

A bird juicer for the juicer in your family, steriod users not excluded. It could be a subtle hint that you know the truth behind their enormous forearms.

Or for the french toast lover in the family:Ooohlala! Because you couldn't afford a packet of actual postage stamps, this is the perfect gift!

But if you really wanted to say “Elf toy maker” then this would be the one gift to make for all your friends and family: Elf Super Project! I mean, how could anyone even think of tossing that cute homemade pig in the trash? Especially in the loving argyle pattern! I’m sure they wouldn’t re-gift this either, it would be far too embarrassing to re-gift this number. You're not only ensuring your gift remain in your friends possession but nobody would throw it away then have to go through the trouble of giving you some outlandish tale of what happened to your gift.

But if all else fails, or you're not entirely crafty and up for a sewing project, adamantly suggest everyone do a gift exchange and set the the limit at something YOU can afford. Besides we all know that you’re I’m really only trying to save money in order to have more for my own gifts.

The season of giving is such a delight! Merry Christmas and have a great New Year!

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