Saving on Baby Shower Gifts

I've noticed this time of year that Target puts a lot of their baby items on clearance. So, it's time to stock up! No, I don't have any kids and am not planning to have them anytime real soon. I'm stocking up my gift closet because I do go to my share of baby showers and know lots of couples who have recently had babies or are expecting.

Gift-giving on a budget can be tough. I see so many things I'd love to buy people, but I could go broke that way pretty quickly! I used to go crazy in the baby department, spending tons of money on people...even people who I wasn't even all that close to. All of that little-bitty pink and blue stuff is so cute! How can you possibly decide what to get?!

A few years ago I was invited to a baby shower for someone I'm not really good friends with. I asked my sister-in-law (who had an infant at the time) what she suggested I get for this person because I had decided I was going to the shower. She said all of the toiletries and other small items are things that people often forget (or don't know they will need). So, I got several items and put them in a basket. It was a nice gift.

Later, when more people I knew were starting to get pregnant, I decided to also give them baskets, bags, or boxes filled with all sorts of necessary (and even some cute) little baby things. They are all things that they will need like rattles, teething rings, wipes, lotion, baby wash, toothbrushes, etc. The good thing is that you can usually find these things on sale and also find coupons for them. I've been able to give much nicer gifts on my budget.

I actually won a contest on BetterBudgeting.com for this tip last spring! I got $25 and a huge stack of coupons they clipped from the newspaper. You can read the full Baby Shower Gift Basket tip which is posted on their website.

Here is a listing of my savings by using this idea:

Value: $100.39...Price Paid: $46.41...Saved: 53.77%
Value: $84.86...Price Paid: $49.57...Saved: 41.59%
Value: $70.74...Price Paid: $29.34...Saved: 58.52%
Value: $19.58...Price Paid: $6.55...Saved: 66.55%
Value: $78.57...Price Paid: $40.78...Saved: 48.10%
Value: $31.67...Price Paid: $13.85...Saved: 56.26%

So, even if you aren't excepting a baby, start planning early and stock pile things to make into a nice gift basket when the little one arrives.

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