Tips for Choosing Gifts

By Tony Connor

Even though the pleasure is in the giving, we really like to get gifts when it comes right down to it. But it order to receive, you must give. Here are some tips on choosing the right gift for that special person.

A List

It might be obvious but you should keep a list of the more important birthdays, anniversaries etc., plus what you gave last time. This means you'll have more time to get the right gift, and won't get them the same as last year!

The Receiver

Always keep the recipient in mind. It's fairly obvious, but some people give what they like, rather than what the recipient likes. Think about their hobbies, interests, life experiences etc. Oh, and any hints they gave you too!

Size

If buying clothes and such things it's important to get the right size. If you don't know their size, think about accessories instead such as scarves, bags, ties etc.

Reviews

Every large retail website has reviews by their customers on individual products. When you choose a gift it's worth scanning these reviews to see if there are any problems with it. Don't pass something by because it's got one lousy review, try and take them all into account. The best sites that I have found for this are amazon.com, bestbuy.com and buy.com.

Compare prices

The wonderful thing about the internet is being able to get the cheapest deal easily. Use comparison sites such as shopping.com and pricegrabber.com to find it. Don't forget to factor in shipping and sales tax when comparing prices though.

Don't forget, you can give a gift anytime. If you spot something someone would like, get it for them! If you're really organized, you can put it away until their birthday or Christmas, but don't forget where you put it!

Tony Connor has been a forgetful last-minuter for many, many years. That didn't stop him starting a website, Bright Gift Ideas, with gift suggestions for everyone. If shopping were a sport, his wife would certainly be on the US Olympic team with a good chance of a gold medal, and an automatic spot on "Dancing With The Stars".