What things can you give someone for free? We all love giving gifts, often more than we love receiving them. The pleasure we get from giving isn’t just from watching our loved one open the gift, many of us find the planning, organizing, and anticipating just as exciting. So what can we do when our budget is limited? Giving gifts is how we show people that we appreciate them, love them and care for them. These feelings do not go away when our purse is a little empty or we find our budget low. This makes us all question, what things can I give someone for free? Read below to find some of our top ideas to re-vamp your gift-giving.
5 Great Gifts That Won’t Cost You A Dime
A walk in your favorite spot
During 2020 we were all forced to fall back in love with our local area and explore new places that we had previously ignored. On a sunny day, we all have our go-to places to go for a walk and take in some fresh air. Why not share this place with your loved one? As mundane and everyday as your local area or park may seem to you, it could be an interesting new experience for your gift recipient.
Take the reigns and let your partner, family member, or friend know that you are planning a trip out for them. For many of us, someone else doing the planning and arranging is a gift in itself! Organize a date and time, making sure that you will be able to fully commit your attention to the other person in this time. Share directions, parking instructions, etc ahead of time taking any ‘planning stresses’ away.
As you begin your walk, try to also imagine that you too are new to experiencing this place. What exciting things can you notice that has just become part of the background to you? The benefits of being out and exploring nature are widely known. Research has also shown that we are more willing to talk openly whilst walking. So not only are you giving the gift of a walk, you are providing the opportunity for a chat that they may need.
Want to add a little something extra? Why not check the cupboard to see if you have any of their favorite snacks in for a mid-walk energy boost. Even just packing an additional water bottle for them shows them that you care.
Tackle that un-finished project
Let’s face it – we all have them. Most households are filled with started projects that we were once so enthusiastic about, but now the thought of going back to them seems daunting. Yet we all know that many tasks seem more appealing with someone to help us.
Being able to give this free gift requires some careful research on your part. Take the time to listen carefully to your loved ones as they tell you what they’ve been up to. A moan about a wall left half-painted could be a cry for help. When they tell you that they have ordered some new furniture, this could be your opportunity to be their flat-packed night in shining amour. Could you step up and be the brutally honest sidekick to a much-needed wardrobe clear-out. If you live with the person or it is a close family member, you may have even noticed some half-finished jobs around the home.
You don’t need to be an expert in whatever you are offering to do, just a much-needed extra pair of hands. By fixing a date and time to help with this project, you are already helping by ensuring that time is set aside for this task. If you know it’s one that your loved one is dreading, think about how you could make it fun for them. Why not prepare a playlist beforehand that will keep you motivated (with the odd dance break), or rope in a few other friends that you know would get the job done.
Take on the chores
We are all busy and juggling work, family, household chores and everything in between can take its toll. Most of our household chores are part of our daily routine and we don’t put too much thought into doing them. But imagine the joy and relief you would feel if, when going to carry out the task, it had already been done for you. I’m not talking about the big projects here like before, we’re talking about the small things, which still make a big difference.
This little gift is versatile and can be adapted depending on the recipient. Let’s start by thinking about how this free gift would work for the people you live with. Food is its very own love-language and who doesn’t feel great after being cooked a delicious meal? Make your mid-week dinner extra special by getting out all of the best tableware, lighting a candle, and putting those phones well out of reach. Imagine the look on your loved one’s faces as they walk in from work expecting to make dinner, only to find that it’s already prepped and waiting. Are there any particular jobs that your partner or parent always does? Get in there first and empty the dishwasher, take the bins out, or anything else that would mean they get to sit down and put their feet up a little bit earlier than expected.
What about the people we don’t live with? We sometimes want to show our friends or colleagues that we care, but letting ourselves in their homes to take the bins out might be overstepping the mark! Think carefully about what else you could take off their to-do list to make their day a little easier. What tasks do you know that your favorite co-worker always puts off? Is there some filing that has been sat on their desk that you know you could tackle on their behalf? Or how about just getting in a few minutes earlier one day and having coffee ready and waiting for them. We can’t think of a better way to start the day!
Share your skillset
“But I don’t have any skills”, we hear you cry. We often forget how skilled we are and things that we may do with ease are actually a challenge for others. We can all be too afraid to ask for help, but offering this help for free takes any embarrassment away and could be just the gift they wanted.
Like with all of the ideas above, giving this free gift does take some careful thinking. Once you have identified the skills you have, they are there for you to offer freely. Technology, for example, is very much part of our everyday lives now, yet not everyone is confident when it comes to using the tech they have at home. Could you install or set up someone’s new device, look at a re-occurring laptop error, or just simply give someone a crash course on how to use their latest gadget gift. What about unleashing your creativity? If you have the supplies at home, why not create some art around a fond memory the two of you share or paint a picture of their beloved pet. How about putting pen to paper and sharing a love of words? This could be a poem, funny or serious, or even a love letter letting someone know just how special they are.
Not sure where to start with this one? Think about what your family and friends always turn to you for or a task that often falls to you to complete. You could even ask the people around you what they view your skills to be and get a little confidence boost as you plan your gift!
Your Time
There is one thing that all of the previous free gift ideas have in common. Time. As cliché as it may sound, time is the greatest gift of all. We all know how precious time is and how many pressures are put on our time each day. Therefore, giving up your time to do something for someone else lets others know that they are important to you and valued by you. When you give your time, make sure you fully commit to it. Try to avoid checking your watch or phone and make that person your sole focus for the time that you spend with them.
So there we have it! As much as we may want to buy expensive gifts for those we care about, it really is possible to give meaningful gifts without spending a dime. Get your thinking caps on and consider how you can adapt the gift ideas above to bring a little joy to someone you’ve been meaning to spoil. Why not really go for it and make up some gift vouchers for each of the ideas above that can be used throughout the year. Each of the free activities will bring you closer to your chosen recipient- a free gift that keeps on giving.
