Category "Father’s Day"

The Gift of Happy Feet

When I traveled for a work conference to Las Vegas, I knew I would do miles of walking, and I didn’t want my feet to blister and ache.

gift-happy-feet-comfort-shoesSince wearing tennis shoes wasn’t an option, I decided it was time to invest in some high quality shoes with built-in arch support.

Giving myself the gift of happy feet made the biggest difference in the world!

Not once did my feet hurt during my four-day trip even though I walked long distances each day traveling from my hotel to the convention center and back multiple times and walking to various hotels in the evenings to go to shows and restaurants.

I’ve been to Las Vegas several times before, but this is the first trip where I made the comfort of my feet a priority. At least I’m getting wiser as I get older! I still shudder at the memories of the excruciating pain I put my feet through during my 20s.

I’ve learned that when my feet are happy, I’m happy! And that it’s worth the extra money to pay for high quality shoes that provide remarkably better comfort, materials and design.

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Billfold With a Little Extra $$$

My husband likes to receive a new billfold every couple of years either for his birthday or Christmas. It’s always on his list because he doesn’t like his billfold to look tattered and worn.

billfold-with-a-little-extra-$$$-thoughtful-gift-ideaRandy specifically prefers trifold wallets.

Over the years, my mother took over the billfold gift giving. She liked giving him what he wanted, but she didn’t like him knowing what the gift was going to be.

She was all about the surprise. So she would place different amounts of cash in the billfold. Her favorite type of billfold contained hidden compartments or zippers where she could hide the money.  

Sometimes she would find a billfold with an insignia related to his favorite hobby or his profession. Continue Reading

Beer Money Koozie Gift

Sometimes, the best way to celebrate is to buy someone a drink… or two or three.

beer-money-koozie-gift-cashIf you can’t be there in person to do it, the second best thing is to give them a Beer Money Koozie Gift.

Pick out a koozie (or coozy) for the lucky gift recipient, and place some cash inside. Then write a note with one of the following messages or one of your choosing.

  • Thought you could use some beer money!
  • Let me buy you some drinks for your 21st birthday!
  • A round of drinks on me!
  • Beer is happiness. This will buy you a lot of happiness!
  • Use this money to make happy hour last well into the night!

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Play it Safe Money & Candy Gift

Princess Diana has written a post about the importance of a fire and waterproof safe. My gift idea includes giving a fire and waterproof safe with money and candy inside! Surprise!

play-it-safe-money-fire-waterproof-safe-thoughtful-gift-ideaMany people usually stash a little cash somewhere in their homes for emergencies. And no…under the mattress isn’t a good idea.

So why not play it safe and give someone a fire and waterproof safe as a gift? For a thoughtful twist include money and candy to give it that WOW factor!

I’ve used this gift idea many times for my sons and nephews. I even gave one to my father-in-law so he could keep his candy under lock and key. (Seriously! In his house, he needed it.) Continue Reading

Open When… Envelopes

There’s a reason “___ of the Month” clubs are so popular. People love opening surprise gifts on a regular basis!

Most gifts you can open only once. But not Open When… Envelopes.

Gift recipients will receive multiple envelopes containing gifts they’ll be able to open over a period of months!

open-when-envelopes-money-gift-cards

For this gift idea, you simply need envelopes, cash and/or gift cards, and a printer. On each envelope, print a different “Open When…” scenario on the front. Here are some examples.

  • OPEN WHEN
  • … you need retail therapy.
  • … you don’t feel like cooking.
  • … you want to see a movie.
  • … you need pampering.
  • … you need gas.
  • … you’re craving ___. (Ex. Thai food, ice cream, fried chicken, etc.)
  • … you need a haircut. 
  • … you run out of booze.
  • … you’re hungry.
  • … you’re thirsty.

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Money Robe | A Silver Lining

In our family, we always give money of the age of the birthday gal or guy.

money-robe-dollar-bills-silver-lining-thoughtful-gift-idea

No one will ever guess that their new house robe comes lined with cash!

When my brother turned 59, I was stumped to come up with a creative way to surprise him with his birthday money of $59.

I recently visited him and noticed his house robe needed to be replaced. So I purchased a green (and blue) robe to go with the money theme.

At first, I thought I would place the money in a pocket. Boring! Then it came to me, why not line the inside of the robe with 59 one dollar bills? Now that’s fun!

I laid out the open robe, spread out the dollar bills in even rows, and taped them in place. (Even though the tape worked, I would suggest using safety pins to make sure the bills stay put.)

I folded up the robe and tied the belt. A money robe! You could not see any of the bills since I had placed them below the waistline. Continue Reading

Frame the Perfect Quote for the Occasion

When someone else’s words say it all or say it better than you ever could, you’ve found the perfect quote to use for this gift idea.

frame-perfect-quote-occasion-thoughtful-gift

This powerful quote says so much about my mentor and her accomplishment.

When my mentor, Valerie, achieved a major milestone in her business by officially franchising it, I wanted to give her a thoughtful gift to say, “Congratulations!

I was so impressed by her vision and her tenacity to see her vision through until it became reality. And she did it despite the naysayers. She inspires me with her actions.

I didn’t know quite what to give her as a gift until I came across this quote, “She believed she could, so she did.”

It summarized her accomplishment so well – the perfect quote!

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Money Tie – Creative Gift for Him

Normally, I would say to stay away from giving neck ties as gifts. Nine times out of 10, it shows lack of effort and creativity on your part. Unless… it’s a money tie!

creative-money-tie-cash-giftA money tie makes a memorable and creative gift for him on birthdays, graduation, Christmas and Father’s Day. You can give it by itself or pair it with a button down shirt.

Don’t worry. They’re easy peasy to make. If you can fold and tape, you can make a DIY money tie gift in just minutes!

HOW TO MAKE A MONEY TIE

Items you will need:

  • cash (new bills looks the best; iron older bills to make them crisp)
  • printed tie template (download letter size or download legal size; print on cardstock)
  • tape

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More Free Time | Gift Certificate for Personal Assistant Service

Life is filled with many tasks that need to get done but bring us no joy in doing them. We look at our to-do list and groan.

personal-assistant-service-thoughtful-giftLaundry. Dry cleaning. Yard work. Grocery shopping. House cleaning. Getting an oil change. Going to the post office. Organizing a room or closet. Running errands. The list goes on. There are a million other things we’d rather do.

We work hard all week and instead of using our free time to relax or to spend quality time with friends and family, we’re stressed out trying to complete these mundane but necessary tasks because if we didn’t… we would be stressed out they didn’t get done.

No clean clothes or no food in the fridge? No thank you. But how can we break the cycle of stress and feeling overwhelmed for ourselves or for someone we care about? The answer is a personal assistant.

Give someone more free time and peace of mind by giving them a gift certificate for a personal assistant service. They can delegate the tasks they don’t have time for or don’t enjoy.

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1928 Ford Model A Car Ride | Wedding Anniversary

Here’s a gift idea for a wedding anniversary. Rent a car made in the same year the couple got married for a fun trip down memory lane!

1928-model-A-car-ride-60th-wedding-anniversary-thoughtful-gift-idea

Click to enlarge

My deaf grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary August 12, 1985. Our family wanted to do something visual, unexpected and certainly memorable. But what?

We celebrated their 50th anniversary at church with wedding cake and punch. On their 55th anniversary, we invited family and friends to their home for the celebration. Nice, but very typical and expected.

One day, I just happened to drive by 20 antique cars that were parked at a local A&W Root Beer drive-in. Light bulb moment!

I pulled in, got out of my car, and asked the owners the year of their cars and would they consider taking my grandparents on a car ride on their anniversary.

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