No Limits Ladies.com

This time every year, my mailbox gets crammed with gift basket catalogues. Now, some frugal people will tell me to immediately chuck this temptation before my eyes glaze over and I get sucked into a spending frenzy. They’re just too full of great last minute, overpriced gift ideas for everyone, even that hard to buy for person on my list.

I don’t ditch them.

I savor them. I collect them. I copy them.

Yep, just about every idea in that catalogue can be duplicated for a mere fraction of the cost. Usually at my local grocery or department store or gasp…dollar store.

Want a hot sauce gift set? There’s a big chunk of an aisle at the grocery store devoted to hot sauces. Pick three up, wrap them in cellophane, and top with a ribbon. Done. And I didn’t even have to go to the crazy crowded mall. Only the grocery store where I had to go anyway (the hubby still insists on eating everyday).

Want a movie gift set? Ask our friends at KFC for an extra bucket (clean, of course), wrap it with gift wrap to cover up the colonel, pop some popcorn for filler (no butter…that makes a mess), add some microwave popcorn, some movie sized candy (Target has these), a couple glass bottles of Coke (again, Target has) and a gift certificate for a free rental (or a DVD). Wrap in cellophane and done!

Want a cooking gift set? Pick up a mixing bowl and tea towel from the dollar store. Add the self stable ingredients for your favorite recipe (nothing that has to be refrigerated or frozen), the recipe itself, maybe a wooden spoon or two, cover with cellophane and voila, a very personalized gift set filled with family memories.

So yes, peer through those gift basket catalogues. They’re a great source of inspiration!