Best holiday gifts – Gift cards and more!

Phew! Today’s post on the best overall gifts brings the Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide to a close. After 10 days, I’m all shopped out! We’ve also suggested electronics gifts, gifts at Sears, toys for kids, mens’ shavers, gifts for teens, unique and quirky gifts, All You mag gifts, restaurant gift certificates, and gifts for men and women.

Gifts cards are a thoughtful gift that is easy for the giver and receiver. No guessing what size or brand; no returns. You can make it a thoughtful gift card by picking a store the recipient loves to shop at, and by wrapping it in a special way. (This video has three great ideas for creative gift card wrapping.)

The most sought-after gift cards,

according to GiftCardGranny, are Target, Walmart, Amazon, Macy’s, Starbucks and Home Depot. Gas and grocery gift cards are also popular. I recommend gift certificates to Mom and Pop shops if you have absolutely no doubt that the recipient shops there.

A great way to buy a gift card for less than the face value is to go through a reseller, like PlasticJungle.com. The site guarantees the value of the cards and has a good selection of retailers for as much as 40% off. I’ve also used GiftCardGranny.com, which isn’t a reseller but aggregates gift card sales listings. It has a larger selection, but includes sellers on eBay, which can be risky. (Incidentally, I recently bought a Home Depot gift card for 9% off through an eBay seller that had a long and outstanding track record.) GiftCards.com sells pre-paid Visa gift cards and regular retailer gift cards at a discount.

The Kindle Fire is high on my list of the best overall gifts. For $200, you get a device about as snazzy and well-equipped as the iPad2, which goes for $500. Unlike the iPad, there is no monthly contract, so you’re not giving a gift that requires more spending. Me thinks the Kindle Fire tablet is going to give the iPad a run for its money.

For sentimental folks, nothing says “I love you” like a memory jar (option No. 4). I gave my Mom one for Mother’s Day more than a year ago and it still sits on top of her dresser. You can customize a memory jar by selecting a special container, ribbon, and making other embellishments. When my Mom opened it, we had a beautiful time reading through the memories.

Electronics gifts — Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 1
Value gifts at Sears — Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 2
Toys for kids – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 3
Mens’ shavers – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 4
Gifts for teens – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 5
Unique and quirky gifts – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 6
All You mag giveaway – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 7
Restaurant gift certificates – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 8
Men’s and women’s gifts – Hot Holiday Gift Guide Day 9

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