By: Jenny Zhang, Quizzle.com
With the holidays around the corner, you're probably looking for gift ideas. And while we all have a good idea of what to get some people, there's always that certain few that are hard to shop for. To help with that mental block, here are some unique ideas that might just make for the perfect gift:
1. For the Eco-Friendly
For your friend or family member who drives a Prius, recycles everything and buys Energy Star-qualified products, how about some trees? The Arbor Day Foundation gives 10 free baby trees to anyone who signs up for a membership. Memberships cost just $10 for six months. Help your loved ones help the Earth - and bring a little green to their homes - by giving trees to plant.
Another great site for green gifts is Guffly.com. They offer green, renewable, recycled and environmentally friendly products from jewelry to dog pillows.
2. For the Artsy Type
If you have a contemporary, artsy friend, the Skase Teacup Set not only looks cool, but also holds deeper meaning based on the idea of symbiosis. Whether your pal drinks tea or coffee, loves web design or painting, this teacup set makes the perfect gift.
3. For Teens and the Difficult-to-Buy-for
Check out findgift.com where you can search by category. Here you can find all sorts of unique gifts, like a jeweled fortune cookie or banned books bracelet.
4. For the Cook
Give a Sous-Vide cooking package complete with lessons and the equipment. Not sure what that is? The new trend in many gourmet restaurants is cooking food in a tightly sealed bag placed in water well below boiling point. The result is tender and concentrated flavor in a variety of foods, including watermelon. Yes - even fruit can be cooked this way, which creates an intense flavor without losing any juices.
But beware: This is a costly investment, so be prepared to either open a restaurant to support this habit or spend thousands perfecting the art of sous-vide.
5. For the Techy
Smashing Magazine just came out with a book for web developers and designers. This isn't for your usual PC-loving, IE8-using, gadget guy. This is geared towards the people who love web design and want to learn new technical tips on coding, usability and optimization.
Looking for more tips on how to make the most of the holidays and winter? Check out:
-
A Unique Gift Idea that Will Save Giver and Receiver Money
- 5 Tips to Take Advantage of Holiday Sales
- Go Green and Save Green: How to Save Money and Energy this Winter
- Great Tips on Removing Snow and Ice
- Save like Scrooge: Money Saving Ideas for the Holidays
And don't forget to swing by Quizzle.com for your free credit report and free credit score, plus other tools and information to help you make the most of your home, money and credit.
Jenny Zhang is an experienced personal finance writer with a knack for taking complex money issues and making them clear and simple. By day, she's a home loan expert at Quicken Loans, America's #1 online lender, where she specializes in writing about home buying, refinancing and money saving tips.
