Giving Gifts That Save You Money

Want to give a great gift, but also want to save some money?  This gift will do the trick.

Gift Card Hunt
Normally I don't like giving a gift card because it shows that you didn't put much thought into it.  This idea for a gift however, is not like that at all.  It is the gift that keeps on giving as long as you share expenses (i.e. your spouse).  This gift is especially for:

• Someone who likes food or eating out
• Someone you eat out with anyway
• Someone that doesn't mind scavenger hunts

Here's what you need to do:

1. Search online at Yelp, Urban Spoon, etc, to find the best places to eat in your area.  Take note of the cost of the menu, you don't want to be eating at  a place serving $100 plates.
2. Go out and purchase $25 gift cards from about 10 or so restaurants.
3. Think of places you can leave the gift cards. (with friends, hidden around the house, at a restaurant where you know the owner).
4. Make a scavenger hunt.  Write out little notes describing where to get the next hint.  At each point leave one of the gift cards.
5. It would be good to have something special at the end, but it's not necessary.

So basically it's 10 or so $25 gift cards and a scavenger hunt.  Yes, you just spent $250 on a gift, but think of it this way;  If you usually go out to eat with this person and you pay for the bill, you're actually using the money you spent on the gift card to pay for the meal.  So a $50 meal for two at Ruby Tuesday's is only $25 after the gift card.  Kind of get the picture?  Your gift is actually a scavenger hunt and 10 nights out with the person you enjoy dining with.  The $25 gift cards are just coupons saying, "lets go out eat sometime".