**Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by InComm, Inc but all opinions are completely mine. #SaveMoneyGiveBetter2018 #sponsored**
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I have always loved Christmas but, admittedly, I loved it that much more once I had kids. When they were babies, I bought random things I thought were just the cutest ever. Once they got old enough to pick, I couldn’t wait for the toy books to come out so they could circle all the things they wanted; it was most of the book. When they first became tweens, I felt like nothing was more stressful than trying to figure out what to get them. As they got older, I finally figured out the best gifts for teens.
Gift Cards
I know what you’re thinking … “gift cards are so impersonal” … and I get it, but hear me out. You can spend hours racking your brain trying to figure out the perfect gift or you can give something that will allow them to get what they know they want. Something they know they need.
I know my kids love shoes and getting clothes from certain stores but if we don’t share the same taste, they’re stuck with something they’ll never wear. You end up feeling like you wasted money and they feel obligated to put on a smile when they open the box. Don’t do that to either one of you.
It’s so easy to stop by Wal-Mart and grab a gift card; American Express is my card of choice. The money never expires. The card is replaceable. It’s accepted anywhere American Express is, so it can be used on anything. Clothes, gas, Chick.Fil.A because what teen doesn’t love Chick.Fil.A.
Time
Kids grow up so fast. Like, before you know it. I realized recently I’ve spent a chunk of the kid’s lives waiting for that next thing.
When they were babies, I couldn’t wait for them to crawl. When they crawled, I couldn’t wait for those first steps. When they could walk, I couldn’t wait for talking. Are you noticing the trend yet?
When they became teens I started to realize I only had a few more years with them before they went off to start their own lives. I started missing them already and those things we hadn’t done. It’s crazy how the days are so long, while the years are so short.
With all the craziness in the world, and time slipping away by the second, there’s nothing more important than giving the gift of your time. We switched over to experiences for birthdays several years ago and have been going to Myrtle Beach for Thanksgiving for quite some time now. It just means so much more to save money for an amazing experience together than to use it on material possessions.
If you really must have something tangible, refer back to the gift card, which they can use during those experiences.
