Gifting on a Student Budget Without Feeling Basic!

Hey friends! It's the gifting season again. We all want to give gifts, show love, and remind our friends and family how much we care about them - spend quality time together, go on outings and family trips. But here's the thing, all of these need money, and for us students, it can feel like a serious financial burden. But does it have to be? Absolutely not. As students, gifting should not be a nightmare. It should make you feel happy and fulfilled, allow you to enjoy the moment while bringing light to it, not make you worried or spiral into overthinking.

So do not pressure yourself because expensive does not mean perfect. Are you prepared, tho? Did you save, or did you spend all your money on shawarma, parfait and chicken peri peri? I mean, we all want to chop life, but we still have to make some sacrifices.

As students living on allowances, we need to plan for moments like this. I always advise my friends to create a savings plan maybe a year, 6 months, or even 3 months, depending on their capability. I know we all say we're going to do it, but do we actually follow through? I'm guilty of this, too. At some point, we fall off. We create the plan but never actually save. So if you didn't plan for this, like me, don't worry, let's look for ways to go about it....together.🤗

First things first - gifts are more appreciated when people see the effort you put into them. There's actually a phenomenon (some call it the "IKEA effect") where people tend to value things more when they know effort went into it. Your gift doesn't have to be purchased from some fancy store. There's a lot of love in the amount of effort you genuinely put into getting or making something for someone. Some people prefer letters, sweet, heartfelt letters on special days that they can keep and read over and over. You could make colorful handmade cards, crochet a small item like a scarf or coaster, bake their favorite treats, create a photo collage of your memories together, or even prepare their favorite meal. 💝 Now, I know not everyone can bake, not everyone can crochet, not everyone is really good at crafting. But of course, there's always places to learn, and as you go on, you'd realize there are options for everyone.

Friend, you can get people items that almost everyone loves. Think chocolate, snacks, candles, skincare products, day-to-day essentials like lip balms, or even a nice notebook. You can also get them small home items like kitchen utensils, a new cooking spoon, a really nice tablecloth, coasters, or storage containers. Getting a universally loved item can be a really great option for you as a student on a budget because they are usually not so expensive and they are also very much appreciated - which is exactly what you want.

Now let's be real. While expensive does not equal perfect, we naturally want to spend more on certain people due to the relationship we share with them, the closeness, and how much they mean to us. In cases like this, as a student on a budget, all you need to do is to look at the list of things they would love to get as a gift, especially from you, and pick out the most affordable one. This is usually effective because when they get something they actually want from you, something they adore, it will be deeply appreciated. And on your end, you get to spend not so much but still make them happy. Although this only works if you are very attentive to them. Of course, they are close to you, they are someone you really care about, so you should know!

You know the popular Nigerian saying "packaging laye gba" (in this life, package yourself well 😂)? We really need to apply it here. When you are gifting somebody and you do not want to look basic, of course you need to present it in a beautiful manner. I could be giving somebody a spoon, and if it's wrapped in a beautiful cover, it would make them happy, and they would grin from ear to ear. The packaging makes it seem more special to them because of the appealing presentation. Imagine I give you chocolate in a plain black nylon versus chocolate in a red box with a bow on top. Definitely, the chocolate with the red box and bow will look and feel better to you because of the presentation. How you package the gift you give to people matters - a lot. Because we don't do tacky. We look put together, classy, and beautiful, which is the whole vibe. So do this well.

But hey, friend. We are about to enter a new year. Yes, I know I've helped you now, but do not come back to me next year. Plan for this moment. I know you love your friends and family enough to stay disciplined with this. Think about this every time you're about to spend on something unnecessary. Save, plan, and execute. Of course, my tips will be ever useful, but do not use them as an excuse to slip up again!! 😒 Thank you!

Written by Oyindamola Amirah