Museum and Zoo memberships Experiences are more memorable than things. Give or ask for family memberships to local attractions. A Wildlife Prairie State Park membership costs $40. A family membership to the zoo is $50. A Lakeview Museum family membership costs $65. For a family of five, a membership to one of these attractions is a bargain for a gift.
Coupon Codes Find coupons to your favorite stores online, before heading out the door. To find coupons, type “coupon code” and “your favorite store” into a search engine like google.com. Also, coupons can be found in your thanksgiving and Sunday newspaper.
Black Friday Items are discounted heavily on the day after Thanksgiving, especially items not usually on sale. The best bargains are the early bird specials with a coupon. Check gottadeal.com, blackfriday.info, or your favorite store’s website for ads.
Services Household services are good idea for giving and asking. Babysitting is a favorite service. Other ideas include baking a dessert for a party, mowing the lawn, dusting the house, or washing/waxing the car. Be creative with this idea!
Clearance Racks This may not apply now, but will after the holidays. So, stock up on Christmas and birthday presents at end of the season clearance sales. End of the season clearance racks at Macy’s, Bergner’s, and Sears are marked down 75% or more off the original prices. Ralph Lauren Polo shirts and pants have been found at $7-10 at these sales for both kids and adults. The summer clearance sales happen August/September and winter clearance sales happen at the end of January/February.
Grocery Store Gift Cards Everyone goes to the grocery store. So, a grocery store gift card will be much appreciated, especially since most are watching their budgets.
Oprah’s Thrifty Holidays Check out Oprah.com for info on Gratitude Boxes and Treasure Boxes. Gratitude boxes are filled with heart-felt notes and letters, and Treasure boxes are filled with keepsakes.
Mom and Pop Stores Locally owned retailers don’t have the same advertising budget as chain stores, and can’t discount heavily like them either. So support our locally owned stores. By supporting them, you’re supporting the Peoria-area’s economy.