Gifts for the Money-minded on Your List
My 14- year old daughter asked me the other day what she should get me for Christmas. “Hmmm…,” I thought, “It’s hard for me to say because there’s not really anything I need…“
To which she quickly replied, “Don’t ask for something you need, ask for something you want!”
She couldn’t have said it better! The holiday season is a time of indulgences, of wishing for that one thing that may be unnecessary and impractical but would make you totally and utterly happy Christmas morning.
A month of manicures! The latest e-reader/tablet/smart phone that does everything my current one does, only faster! Another pair of boots, because I only have eleven thousand pairs!
I finally came up with a list of totally unnecessary but fun presents she could get me. But in the end, I realize that I am simply hard-wired to be a practical, left-brainer.
So, rather than sharing my “fun” list with you, here’s instead a few money-related gift ideas for anyone on your list who might need/want? something more practical.
For the Book Lover:
Some of my favorite titles related to money and career include both new releases as well as some old classics: The Investment Answer by Daniel C. Goldie & Gordon S. Murray, Geneen Roth’s Lost and Found, Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, Happy Money by Laina Buenostar, Suze Orman’s The Money Class, The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, et. al, Lean In by Sharon Sandburg, and Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success by Rich Shell.
For kids:
I know I have mentioned this item in the past but I love the MoonJar, a bank that teaches kids to save, spend and share. It comes with a register to start introducing the concepts of tracking and budgeting and the web site has good lesson plans. You also can’t go wrong with classics toys like pretend cash registers, ATMs and games like Monopoly/Monopoly Junior, which are both fun for kids and educational.
For Young Adults:
Consider giving a gift that also encourages great money habits or supports young adults as they begin to leave the safety and security of their parents’ home. They may benefit from a new account at a site like SmartyPig (www.smartypig.com) or You Need a Budget (www.ynab.com) to help them begin a system of budgeting and saving. If they have a 529 Plan or other custodial account already established, consider contributing directly to these accounts in lieu of cash. A huge problem for many young adults is that they graduate with tremendous student loans to pay off. There are new services such as Tuition.io that simplify payments on behalf of the borrower and may be a practical, much appreciated gift idea for young adults needing assistance with their school debt.
For the Design-savvy:
Merge the practical and the pretty – gifts like a beautiful wallet, color-coordinated folders and binders, streamlined filing and closet systems like Elfa, etc. can encourage great habits around keeping organized with your finances and paperwork, while still feeling fun and splurge-worthy.
So whether you are practical or impractical, right or left- brained, looking forward to something functional or something totally indulgent, here’s wishing you much luck as you find the perfect gifts– for yourself or for others– this holiday season.
To which she quickly replied, “Don’t ask for something you need, ask for something you want!”
She couldn’t have said it better! The holiday season is a time of indulgences, of wishing for that one thing that may be unnecessary and impractical but would make you totally and utterly happy Christmas morning.
A month of manicures! The latest e-reader/tablet/smart phone that does everything my current one does, only faster! Another pair of boots, because I only have eleven thousand pairs!
I finally came up with a list of totally unnecessary but fun presents she could get me. But in the end, I realize that I am simply hard-wired to be a practical, left-brainer.
So, rather than sharing my “fun” list with you, here’s instead a few money-related gift ideas for anyone on your list who might need/want? something more practical.
For the Book Lover:
Some of my favorite titles related to money and career include both new releases as well as some old classics: The Investment Answer by Daniel C. Goldie & Gordon S. Murray, Geneen Roth’s Lost and Found, Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, Happy Money by Laina Buenostar, Suze Orman’s The Money Class, The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, et. al, Lean In by Sharon Sandburg, and Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success by Rich Shell.
For kids:
I know I have mentioned this item in the past but I love the MoonJar, a bank that teaches kids to save, spend and share. It comes with a register to start introducing the concepts of tracking and budgeting and the web site has good lesson plans. You also can’t go wrong with classics toys like pretend cash registers, ATMs and games like Monopoly/Monopoly Junior, which are both fun for kids and educational.
For Young Adults:
Consider giving a gift that also encourages great money habits or supports young adults as they begin to leave the safety and security of their parents’ home. They may benefit from a new account at a site like SmartyPig (www.smartypig.com) or You Need a Budget (www.ynab.com) to help them begin a system of budgeting and saving. If they have a 529 Plan or other custodial account already established, consider contributing directly to these accounts in lieu of cash. A huge problem for many young adults is that they graduate with tremendous student loans to pay off. There are new services such as Tuition.io that simplify payments on behalf of the borrower and may be a practical, much appreciated gift idea for young adults needing assistance with their school debt.
For the Design-savvy:
Merge the practical and the pretty – gifts like a beautiful wallet, color-coordinated folders and binders, streamlined filing and closet systems like Elfa, etc. can encourage great habits around keeping organized with your finances and paperwork, while still feeling fun and splurge-worthy.
So whether you are practical or impractical, right or left- brained, looking forward to something functional or something totally indulgent, here’s wishing you much luck as you find the perfect gifts– for yourself or for others– this holiday season.