Christmas present ideas that won’t break the budget!

In these times of financial hardship, many of us still feel compelled to go out and buy the most costly presents we can find. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be this way. There are some great Christmas present ideas that every member of the family will love, without breaking the bank.

Try and get Christmas lists together long before Christmas in order to get an idea of who wants what and how much it is going to cost. You may want to consider limiting children to one large present and a series of smaller presents as costs can spiral out of control quickly. If they have one big request such as a bike or a games console, try looking online to compare prices before purchase.

Kids will often appreciate surprisingly cheap presents such as torches or keyrings, so it is worth looking around for clever stocking fillers that don’t cost the earth but will be cherished by your child. Even little notebooks and a set of crayons can provide hours of fun and while there are some great gadgets out there, sometimes a book or a puzzle can be just as enticing for children.

Older children may want a CD or downloads of their favourite music. A great choice for teenagers would be a dock for their mp3 player that also doubles as an alarm clock for their room to get them up in the morning (just be prepared to have to tell them to turn the volume down now and again).

If money is tight, when it comes to your partner you could always buy them a few small presents as well as a book of homemade coupons that entitles them to something such as a night out while you babysit or a relaxing bath/massage. This can be a fun and cheap present that is sure to put a smile on your partner’s face.

Many supermarkets and high street shops have offers of 2 for 1 or 3 for 2 on their gifts, so it is worth taking advantage of these offers. Mugs, socks, small gadgets, chocolates and personalised gifts can make for lovely Christmas presents or stocking fillers.

Again, check online for prices on clothes, perfume, jewellery and electrical goods to compare prices – you may be surprised by the savings and with that extra cash you could buy something for all the family or simply use it to pamper yourself! There are so many great gift ideas for your family to bring a smile to their faces without causing financial hardship, so make sure you do the research before you shop. Have a very Merry Christmas! 

This is a guest post brought to you in conjunction with Sainsbury's.

The Day That...My Son Was Born

A Unique Personalised Gift To Commemorate A Special Day

"Imagine a high-quality, framed photograph of dawn on the day you would like to commemorate.  Evoking all the emotion and significance of that special day."

The Day That... is an online company specialising in creating one of the most unique gifts on the market.  Every morning since 2005, before day break, photographers have headed out to capture the drama of the dawn skies, so that images can be crafted into beautiful works of art.  These unique, authentic photographs become a treasured reminder of a memorable day, evoking the mood and magic of those special moments.

Ideal as a birth, christening, wedding or anniversary gift or for celebrating any special date, these mounted, framed and hand inscribed pictures are simply breathtaking and so symbolic, capturing the start of each momentous day for all time. They are timeless pieces of art to mark The Day That...you got married, gave birth or celebrated a special anniversary.

I was given the chance to experience The Day That... for myself so I could create my own special framed photograph to commemorate a special day in my life.  The website is really easy to use and is a visual treat as you search through the beautiful dawn images.  It takes just a few simple steps to create your own bespoke and original piece of wall art.

Firstly you find the special date that you want to commemorate using the handy calendar tool.  Each dawn shoot provides a selection of photographs in both landscape and portrait to choose from, so you can pick the one that best encapsulates the feeling of what that day means to you.  I found the dawn photographs from the day my youngest son was born and had nine images to choose from.  One of the seascapes looked so still, so tranquil and so calm.  It was just perfect.

The next step is to pick a size for the finished piece.  They range from Small 28cm x 35cm to Exhibition size 66.5cm x 84cm.  Next you choose the frame type from either Birch, Palisander, Silver or Black.  You can see exactly how the finished picture will look when you click on each option.  When you are happy with how it looks, you can write a personalised message that will be hand inscribed on the mount.  It really is that simple!  (An unframed mounted version is also available for framing yourself.)

The Day That...My Son Was Born

My finished picture arrived well packaged in a box with bubble wrap and cardboard corners ensuring its safe arrival in perfect condition.  The photo above does not give justice to just how gorgeous the finished piece is.  The colours are rich and the image itself is so poignant, knowing that this was the actual dawn of the day when my son came into the world.  It is simply beautiful with the inscription "Freddy's First Day" with his date of birth hand inscribed onto the mount.

Anyone would be thrilled to receive such a thoughtful, original and unique gift.  Prices start from just £55 for the unframed service.

Just take at look at www.thedaythat.co.uk to see the photographs taken on the special days in your family's life (since 2005).

Special Offer For My Readers

If you would like to get your very own personalised photo, The Day That have a fantastic offer just for you, where you can get a mounted, unframed print absolutely free with every framed print you order. To claim your free print, or just to find out more about them, phone The Day That directly on 01736 758109 and tell them I sent you. Their personal customer service is second to none, and they'll be absolutely delighted to take your call!

Experience More with Wish.co.uk

What do you buy for the person who has everything?  This has been an age old problem for present buyers...but never fear, Wish.co.uk is here to help!

Wish.co.uk aims to make anyone's wishes come true by offering a wide range of gifts and experience ideas that are sure to thrill and delight any recipient, whatever the occasion.

Wish deals in fun, adding humour, charm and personality to the gift giving experience.  They aim to give you the best experience as painlessly as possible, so you'll keep coming back for more.  They are a small company with a big heart taking on the big boys to provide the best service they can.

So what is so special about Wish?

Wish guarantees the best price guaranteed or double the difference back! 

They also offer:

• No Fuss Exchanges and Guarantees.
• Free Fast Delivery.
• VIP Support.
• Gift Box as Standard.

The experiences on offer include exciting driving experiences, luxurious pamper days, indulgent cream teas, adrenaline inducing activities and relaxing hotel breaks. Truly something for everyone!  You can tailor the perfect gift by knowing what hobbies someone enjoys.  There is  a whole section dedicated to the joys of golf, comedy, singing, animals, gardening, dancing, cooking or eating.  You can find the ideal experience for your music mad daughter to your steam train enthusiast grandad! 

In order for me to review and experience the site, I have been gifted the fabulous Three Month Curry Recipe Kit Subscription.  For just £20 the subscription gives you all the spices and the recipes you need to create an Indian meal for four every month.  A gift box is sent to the recipient containing the Experience Voucher and details of the recommended experience and how to book it.  

It was very simple for me to activate my voucher online and I'm now awaiting my first Curry Kit.  You can be sure that I'll review it and so you can see how I get on.  I'm ensured that even a culinary dunce like me will be able to cook up an Indian storm in the kitchen!  I had a choice of vegetarian recipes which was a really thoughtful element to this experience from wish.co.uk.

I think the Curry Subscription would make a wonderful gift...giving three months of cooking and eating enjoyment!

So if you're stuck for the perfect gift look no further than wish.co.uk.  Even if you use another experience site, check out Wish...remember that best price guarantee!!  Prices for experiences start at under a tenner so whoever you need to buy for, there really are options for everyone.

With Christmas coming, Wish can help you deliver presents that will really thrill your loved ones (they will definitely beat getting yet another Christmas sweater!!)  So pop over to wish.co.uk and take a look at hundreds of experiences they have on offer  Whether you want to feed a lion or bungee jump or take a trip on the Orient Express they can make your wishes come true!