Between birthdays, babies, weddings, and anniversaries (and not to mention all of the holidays), giving gifts can get pretty expensive. Of course you want to celebrate the occasion and recognize someone you care about, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to do so. Here are a few tips to help you save money on gifts.

Re-gifting:
This is a very controversial topic, but you may be able to “get away” with re-gifting if 1) You have NEVER used the item, 2) It is still in its original packaging and/or has tags on it, and most importantly 3) You know the person would like the gift. Definitely save cute gift boxes, bags, and ribbons to reuse (no controversy there).

Hand-made:
Baked items and crafts are always great gifts and have a personal touch. Also, if you know someone who is a crafter, you can have them make something cheaper than buying at the store. Keep in mind that sometimes by the time you buy everyone to hand-make an item, it’s just as expensive, so be careful.

Give time:
Sometimes the best gift you can give is to spend time with someone like planning a romantic picnic or fun get-together. You can also do things like babysitting so your friend can go out for their birthday or anniversary. Offering to cook or clean for a friend who just had a baby is a great idea too (and much appreciated).

Online deals:
When you sign up to receive coupons or deals online, you may only be thinking of using them for yourself, but you can use them for gifts as well. Online deal sites usually have a buy as a gift feature. So, next time you see a great deal, don’t just think of whether you could use it or not but think about gifts you need to buy.