I found your 'Black Friday' thoughts and the 'Please Buy Literally Everything' EL essay helpful.
I do much the same thing as #3, keeping a year-long list of things I want to buy new and then monitor the prices for a while. There are some things like supplements, and hobby/excercise gear that I've observed are at their best price during the Black Friday sales, so I'll usually buy these things then. Black Friday is also a great time to buy pricier gifts for Christmas at a great price. My list also tells me what I actually want ot buy so scarcity marketing doesn't influence me quite so much and allows me to spend guilt-free on the things I recognised months ago that I still want and will value.
I don't buy books during Black Friday because I prefer to buy second-hand. As a side note, I only buy books that I've read and enjoyed so much that I would put aside other things I want to read to re-read the book. If it doesn't make that cut, I'll just find it at the library if I ever want to re-read it.
Ditto, I usually buy clothes second-hand so the sales don't affect these purchases, except in cases of staple items like a great pair of jeans.
#4 was facinating, and as I read I could think of times where I've spent more than I intended for that exact reason. This is a principle I'll remember.
I liked #6 and haven't thought of my purchases that way before!
I'm a bit behind on getting to this one, but here goes:
1. I buy a piece of engraved jewellery for a child's 1st birthday, but I don't buy presents after that until they're of an age where they can appreciate gifts or experiences. Usually, if they can appreciate a handwritten message inside a card, then I feel they can appreciate a thoughtful gift. This comes from watching the avananche of gifts bought for the children in my life and both the anxiety that so many gifts create (many parents will spread Christmas and birthday gift unwrappings over a week) and the number of which are thrown out within the next 12 months.
2. I only buy physical gifts or experiences when I find something the person will value and which has meaning to them. My love language is gift giving so I can't stand buying a gift for the sake of a gift. This often means that I might not give gifts at birthdays and Christmas but when I do give gifts, the recipient knows it means something.
3. For weddings, I give cash toward the honeymoon in whatever currency the destination is. I've seen too many cases of the mass post-wedding gift return because a couple has received multiple airfryers, towel sets and plates to think couples need physical things. There's an excitement in shopping for your own things as a couple, so I'd rather fund an experience. Also, couples usually focus the money needed for the wedding that the honeymoon can sometimes get forgotten about so I like to give them an excuse to go for a nice dinner together.
4. I keep a list of potential gift items on my phone for everyone I'd give gifts to so I can keep an eye out for when those things come on special. That often means I'm buying throughout the year, but by their birthday or Christmas, the gift is ready to go.
5. Gifts are always, always accompanied by a card. Again, the card will have something menaingful to the person and I'll handwrite a note inside. If I can't find or afford a gift, sometimes they will only get a card, but they always know I've spent time over the words inside.
I found your 'Black Friday' thoughts and the 'Please Buy Literally Everything' EL essay helpful.
I do much the same thing as #3, keeping a year-long list of things I want to buy new and then monitor the prices for a while. There are some things like supplements, and hobby/excercise gear that I've observed are at their best price during the Black Friday sales, so I'll usually buy these things then. Black Friday is also a great time to buy pricier gifts for Christmas at a great price. My list also tells me what I actually want ot buy so scarcity marketing doesn't influence me quite so much and allows me to spend guilt-free on the things I recognised months ago that I still want and will value.
I don't buy books during Black Friday because I prefer to buy second-hand. As a side note, I only buy books that I've read and enjoyed so much that I would put aside other things I want to read to re-read the book. If it doesn't make that cut, I'll just find it at the library if I ever want to re-read it.
Ditto, I usually buy clothes second-hand so the sales don't affect these purchases, except in cases of staple items like a great pair of jeans.
#4 was facinating, and as I read I could think of times where I've spent more than I intended for that exact reason. This is a principle I'll remember.
I liked #6 and haven't thought of my purchases that way before!
Scarcity marketing is a really key part of this kind of sale "season," isn't it?
I'm a bit behind on getting to this one, but here goes:
1. I buy a piece of engraved jewellery for a child's 1st birthday, but I don't buy presents after that until they're of an age where they can appreciate gifts or experiences. Usually, if they can appreciate a handwritten message inside a card, then I feel they can appreciate a thoughtful gift. This comes from watching the avananche of gifts bought for the children in my life and both the anxiety that so many gifts create (many parents will spread Christmas and birthday gift unwrappings over a week) and the number of which are thrown out within the next 12 months.
2. I only buy physical gifts or experiences when I find something the person will value and which has meaning to them. My love language is gift giving so I can't stand buying a gift for the sake of a gift. This often means that I might not give gifts at birthdays and Christmas but when I do give gifts, the recipient knows it means something.
3. For weddings, I give cash toward the honeymoon in whatever currency the destination is. I've seen too many cases of the mass post-wedding gift return because a couple has received multiple airfryers, towel sets and plates to think couples need physical things. There's an excitement in shopping for your own things as a couple, so I'd rather fund an experience. Also, couples usually focus the money needed for the wedding that the honeymoon can sometimes get forgotten about so I like to give them an excuse to go for a nice dinner together.
4. I keep a list of potential gift items on my phone for everyone I'd give gifts to so I can keep an eye out for when those things come on special. That often means I'm buying throughout the year, but by their birthday or Christmas, the gift is ready to go.
5. Gifts are always, always accompanied by a card. Again, the card will have something menaingful to the person and I'll handwrite a note inside. If I can't find or afford a gift, sometimes they will only get a card, but they always know I've spent time over the words inside.
6. Gifts are always wrapped.
Some great things to remember here; I'm especially going to keep #1 in mind, as a relatively new uncle of three tiny tots :)