Skip to main content

10 Great Gift Ideas (that aren't "stuff")

What do you get your loved one when they don't want "stuff"?

Why do we buy stuff?

It's especially tricky at Christmas. All those Christmas images of big shiny box-shaped presents sitting under an enormous tree. All the ads and all the stores showing us objects that we can buy for each other. Everything points us that way. So much pressure to do the 'Christmassy thing'.

Does it makes us happy?

More people every year find they have enough stuff. Too much stuff. The thought of receiving yet more stuff is the opposite of a Merry Christmas.

"I don't want any more stuff" they'll say.
"But it's Christmas, and I want to give you something", you say.

Here's the answer

You can both enjoy Christmas if you give a gift that isn't "stuff". You can show you care. They get a gift they really appreciate.

But we need ideas from outside the box. Ideas that we won't find in sales catalogues.

That's what my new ebook is for. To start the ball rolling with some innovative ideas that people love - even if they don't want "stuff".

10 Great Gift Ideas for people who don't want "stuff".

These are ideas for gifts that don't clutter up the place, are less wasteful and can be really meaningful without costing a fortune.

This is for you

If you're giving a gift to someone who doesn't want "stuff", this book is for you. Did I mention it's free?

Are you the person?

If you're someone who doesn't want "stuff" you may want to share this page with your loved ones. It might be awkward, but not as awkward as pretending you like stuff you don't want.

See my page about "Gift face", then share this page so people have a better idea what to get you. They really want to give you a gift you like, they just don't know where to start. Also, consider a SoKind registry to give them a really big clue.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Adam ruins work

The TV show Adam Ruins Everything took a look at the workplace - and the 40 hour work week. It confirms my thoughts that the 40-hour work week (or at least it's relevance today) is a figment of our imagination. Very enlightening. Watch it now . The first 7 minutes are the most relevant. There were some astonishing stats coming out of it. For example, we spend only 45% of the work week doing our actual job (not including meetings etc). That's about 18 hours per week. Interestingly, that's what experts predicted. With rises in productivity, the 1950s brought talk of a 4-day work week. By 2030 they reckoned we might work just 15 hours per week. But instead we work longer hours. That results in more mistakes and safety mishaps. It also reduces brain function. We might think that it's being productive but Adam points to countries that have as much prosperity as America while working much shorter hours. A classic case of 'less is more'. PS. for the basis of ...

My mug shot

This is every mug I own. How many did I buy? Zero. They seem to just appear. I don't even drink tea or coffee. In winter I have might have a hot chocolate or cocoa. So 9 mugs seems like a lot. How does this happen? I reckon most mugs are gifts. There are two reasons for this. 1. It's a safe bet. People need to drink. It's kind of like buying your dad socks for father's day. But the difference is that socks wear out and need replacing. Cups don't. One of these mugs i received as a kid in the 90s. It still works fine. Now it has 8 friends. 2. It's often for what's on the mug. It might be a greeting card-style message, or a sports team logo, or something humorous. It's a good thing that something functional can also provide an inspiring message or pleasant memory as you use it. But the problem comes when we have too much. If I use the cup my sister gave me at Christmas, then I'm not using the 'awesome brother' one she already gave m...

Investing Less, Earning More

Could investing $13,000 be better than investing $70,000? In this case, the answer seems to be yes. In Making Money Made Simple , Noel Whittaker compares two hypothetical investors: Person 1: Invests $ 1,000 a year from age 18-30. Person 2: Invests $ 2,000 a year from age 30-65. You might think that person 2 would be better off, but here's how it goes (in chart form): Person 1 stops investing at 30, but their investment keeps growing. At that point, person 1's yearly growth is more than person 2's yearly contribution. That's why person 2 never catches up. Person 1 ends up about $ 150,000 ahead, despite investing about one-fifth of what the person 2 invested. What if growth isn't so good? These calculations assume 10% growth. What if it isn't that high? Fair point. I've run the numbers at lower rates of growth. At 9%, person 1 is still better off. At 8% it's close, and person 2 comes out slightly ahead. But that's not really the poin...