SAN ANTONIO — ‘Tis the season to search for that perfect gift.
There are plenty of problems with presents this year including supply chain and shipping delays, but the biggest issue for many of us might be money.
Electronics are always popular presents. Yet, many of us cannot get our hands on a new must have tech gift or pay the hefty price tag. Instead, consider buying refurbished.
“You can actually buy some of the latest and greatest tech items for less than if you were to purchase them new,” said Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with Dealnews.com.
Below are some tips to help you save:
- Do buy them from a well-known store.
- Purchase the warranty.
“eBay has a certified refurbished store and they’re suppose to be refurbished to like new quality,” Ramhold said.
“Best Buy also sells refurbished and open box items, and so as long as you shop from somewhere that is reputable like that, then it’s a much smaller gamble than it might sound. You can find really good tech with few, if any cosmetic issues for less than then you would be paying for a new, brand new model. It’s worth checking out,” he says.
Have a loved one with designer taste but you have an off-brand budget? Try peer-to-peer sales websites like eBay or Poshmark.
“If you have someone in your life that wants a high-ticket item that might be a little bit out of your budget, you might be able to find that exact item new or barely used or in some format that’s going to be acceptable to the recipient and get it for a significant amount less than if you paid for it at a retailer,” said Robin Frankel with Forbes Advisor.
Be sure to use the search function to look for items that are new with tags (NWT) or new without tag (NWOT).
Here are some ideas if you're clueless on what to buy:
- Gifts cards - do not pay face value.
- Fun activities
Try GiftCardGranny.com to purchase gift cards for a discount.
“That’s a great place to get a gift card for less than you might pay out of pocket,” Frankel said.
Sometimes the best present don't come wrapped. You can find a variety of local adventures to give the gift of an experience.
“Everything from a city tour that’s going to be around $30 per person all the way up to maybe a more bucket list experience like driving an actual war tank, which is going to be a little bit higher of a price ticket, but definitely a memorable and unique experience. Whether you’re spending $30 or a $1000, the experience is going to memorable and unique,” said Melanie White with Virgin Experiences Gifts.
Experiences include craft brewery tours, guided city tours, tours of the Missions, or an indoor skydiving experience at iFLY. Your recipient can exchange the experience if another adventure appeals more to them.
“Even if you give someone the gift of indoor skydiving, but they’re really looking to get out on a craft brewery tour or something like that, your recipient can exchange their experience, no questions asked,” said White.
“I know we all like to think we know our loved ones and what they might want, but the recipients are able to choose whatever they would like to do with their voucher,” she says.
Those memories will last longer than just the holiday.
If you have a question for Eyewitness Wants To Know, email us at EWTK@KENS5.com or call us as 210-377-8647.