Thanks to guest poster, Kathryn Katz, for these great tips on regifting! Have you ever tried regifting yourself?
In the past, holiday re-gifting might have been taboo or considered tacky. In this post-Recession era where many Americans are struggling to pay the bills and keep a roof over their heads, holiday re-gifting isn’t a social crime. If you take a moment to change your perspective, you’ll see that it can be thoughtful, practical and green when done right.
Re-gifting Dos
- Keep a Gift Log – Whenever you receive a gift that doesn’t appeal to you. Put it aside and make a note of who gave you the gift and when you received it. This list will come in handy when you’re selecting items for next year’s holiday.
- Re-gift New, Never Used Items – If you’re going to re-gift, make sure it’s something that’s never been used or opened. The packaging should look new. If the box is slightly damaged but the item inside is fine, consider putting it in a generic gift box.
- Match the Recipient – Make sure the recipient would enjoy the item before re-gifting it. Use the same level of concern for mating the gift as if you were buying it at the store. If it’s a co-worker or Secret Santa recipient, try to choose something generic.
Re-gifting Don’ts
- Don’t Know Who Gave You the Gift – If you’re not certain who gave you the gift, think twice before putting it back into circulation. You might end up re-gifting it to the person that gave it to you or someone in that social circle that remembers who gifted the item to you last year.
- Don’t Gift Damaged, Used, or Slightly Worn Items – Never re-gift an item that you’ve used or worn. Avoid re-gifting the item if the packaging appears dented, soiled, torn, opened or has other flaws that would be obvious to the recipient. If it’s at all damaged, put the item aside for the next garage sale. Don’t use it in the gift giving process.
- Randomly Select the Gift - Someone made the mistake of gifting this item to you. If you re-gift this to the wrong person, it could end up back into circulation next year. Or you could end up insulting the person. Don’t re-gift the item just because you want to get rid of it. Instead, donate it to the local toy drive, sell it on eBay or have a garage sale.
Holiday re-gifting doesn’t have to be a dirty little secret. It’s a great way to save money, and preserve the spirit of the holidays. Just put a little thought and planning behind the process. If you’re against the holiday re-gifting and want to do something useful with these unwanted gifts, consider donating them to a local shelter or charity.
About the Author:
Kathryn Katz is a working mom, Certified Personal Finance Counselor and works for Consolidated Credit Counseling Services. The non-profit credit counseling agency offers the Smart Holiday Shopping Guide to help holiday shoppers.
Photo by sued
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