Money Saving Tip…Group Gifts
Yesterday I attended the wedding reception. I organized a group gift among one set of friends and received a phone call asking if I wanted to participate in a group gift for the same couple that was being put together by friends at church. I realized that this was a really great idea, one I have believed in for a long time, but especially now. As times become more difficult, with job losses increasing, thus income decreasing, and taxes and expenses increasing, group gifts become a great opportunity to support important events while not blowing the budget. I have always believed it was important to help young couples as they establish a home or have a baby. People helped me when our finances were meager and now it is my turn. However, most of us just can’t afford to do all we would like.
As I purchased all the bathroom nessecities yesterday I realized we were providing a complete room, one that would look and feel complete and even well designed. That room would feel great each time they entered. I could never have accomplished that on my own. My friend, who purchased the other group gift bought all the bedding, comforter and throw pillows. Again, this could never have been accomplished by one person.
How often are we invited to an occasion, wedding, bridal shower, baby shower or birthday party when we could do this same thing. What about Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas? The concept is wonderful. The recipient gets a gift they could not afford to purchase and the giver can participate at whatever level they can afford. I once did a group gift for a wedding shower and a friend told me she could not afford much. Most contributed $15-$20. This friend handed me a one dollar bill. She was able to attend the shower and give a gift and no one except me knew how much she had contributed. She gave all she could, and who can ever ask for more than that.
All of us have family and friends who are struggling financially. Next time we are invited to an occasion which “requires” a gift why not think group gift. My children have done this on ocassion for my Christmas and birthday gifts, they can all contribute at a level that is comfortable for them, and I recieve a nice gift. It’s a win, win. It doesn’t matter the cost of the gift, I love the idea that they all worked together and I received something I really needed or wanted.
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One thing we have done as parents has been to give each of our children their portion of the years supply of food as they have married. If all parents did that then newly married couples would enter marriage with a whole year’s supply of food between them.
I have been gathering money for neighborhood or family wedding gifts for years (as my mother did before me). If the couple isn’t registered, I talk to the mother of the bride to see what is needed most. These gifts have been gratefully received since we are able to give more costly items that a single giver would not be able to afford.
My in-laws have 14 children between them and don’t really need “things.” For the past several years each of the children purchases a gift card or gift certificate of their choosing, spending whatever they can afford, and we put them all together in a book, a gift box, or hang them on a tree. My in-laws are then able to enjoy them all year long … shopping, eating out, going to movies and the theater. They love it and it saves so much worry for the family in finding meaningful gifts.
Kids can also help out in these times and learn finances, work ethics, and practical experiences.
My son asked that his expenses to scout camp be his birthday present. So a few of the relatives will be paying for his way to the cheaper camp week. The second week of camp he is raising the funds by collecting returnable bottles. He’s one third of the way there.
He has paid for his sports since last summer so he feels better about both tennis and swimming knowing it was HIS money to pay them.
Laurie
I love group gifts!! Here is another thought. When my parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, the last thing they needed was something more to dust. So my husband, daughter and myself, gave them a certificate for the labor to clean out and put shelves in a room in their basement. We then took our Christmas break and spent it at their house cleaning and building. Granted, it would have been much easier to simply buy them a crystal plate, but I believe this gift of time meant much more to them and to us.
Love it, love it! I was just searching on-line for gifts for a brother graduating from college and my Mother-in-law for Mother’s Day! Your post came at the perfect time. I am going to call my sister-in-laws now!
Here’s another good reason to work on the “FLU” portion of our OUR GENERAL STORE.
It turns out there’s a Swine Flu oubreak in Mexico and some cases reported in Texas and California just being reported today. Here’s my DIGEST VERSION of the story from msnbc:
An outbreak of flu deaths in Mexico in recent days was caused by swine flu, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said on Friday.
“It is a virus that mutated from pigs and then at some point was transmitted to humans,” he told the Televisa network.
Mexico City has suspended classes at schools and universities to contain the new and puzzling strain of flu, which the Mexican government now says is related to the unique flu reported in Texas and California.
At least 20 people have died in Mexico from the flu in the last three weeks, 13 of them in Mexico City. The total number of cases is estimated to be more than 800.
The United States has not confirmed a connection between the flu cases in the U.S. and Mexico.
But U.S. health experts said Thursday they expect to find more cases of the swine flu as they check people who had contact with seven California and Texas residents diagnosed with the illness.
All of the seven U.S. victims recovered from the flu that combines pig, bird and human viruses in a way that researchers have not seen before, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The cases are a growing medical mystery because it’s unclear how they caught the virus.
Still, health officials said it’s not a cause for public alarm: The five in California and two in Texas all recovered, only one person was hospitalized and testing indicates some mainstream antiviral medications seem to work against the virus.
Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC said officials believe it can spread human-to-human, which is unusual for a swine flu virus.
Health officials have seen mixes of bird, pig and human virus before, but never such an intercontinental combination with more than one pig virus in the mix.
The swine flu’s symptoms are like those of the regular flu, mostly involving fever, cough and sore throat, though some of the seven also experienced vomiting and diarrhea.
CDC are not calling it an outbreak, a term that suggests ongoing illnesses. It’s not known if anyone is getting sick from the virus right now, CDC officials said.
It’s also not known if the seasonal flu vaccine that Americans got last fall and early this year protects against this type of virus. People should wash their hands and take other customary precautions, CDC officials said.
Read the whole story here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30386163/
Thank you so much Cindy, I’m also going to post this comment on my pandemic post today so everyone is sure to see it. The part about officials being puzzled as to how it is spreading is a real concern. I’m glad we are already preparing.
Great post. I blogged about it at http://giveLDSgifts.com. Thanks again for all the great information you share!