Posted by Ryan on November 20th, 2007 in Spending and Saving

The holidays are fast approaching, and retailers are preparing for Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. Great deals and gangbuster offers are plentiful as companies kick off the holiday shopping season. Just like every other year, you’ll struggle once again to decide what to get the ones’ you love. A gift card is too impersonal, the hot new item will inevitably be shoved in the back of a closet when the hype calms, and a gym membership is just insulting.

Do Them a Real Favor

Instead of willingly wasting your money on holiday gifts this year, try giving a gift that truly keeps on giving. A gift that could literally change someone’s life, and 10 years from now they will still be saying “Thank you!”

The Gift of Financial Freedom

This holiday season, give something of real value, something that can even increase in value or possibly generate more money. Give the gift of financial freedom. Here are 9 ideas for a personal finance gift.

1. Money Magazine or The Wall Street Journal Subscription
2. Shares of a Fund or Stock
3. The Wealthy Barber or other Money Books
4. Monrningstar.com Subscription
5. Cashflow 101
6. Fund a TD Ameritrade Account
7. A Personal Finance Course at a Local College
8. Quicken Personal Finance Software
9. A Piggy Bank

Millionaire Money Habit: This year put some thought into your holiday gifts by considering something that will last a lifetime and that can help the ones you love become wealthier and live a better life. Remember to plan out your gifts and stick to a budget. Failing to plan and instead, ‘just go shopping,’ is a sure way to go broke (see Millionaires are Smart Shoppers, Not Just Good Ones). After all, with no plan there will be no restrictions as to how much you spend except - at least not until you reach your credit card limit.

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