Cut costs on nuptial presents

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jun 23, 2004 | by Valerie Phillips Deseret Morning News

With the summer wedding season comes the gift-giving challenge -- finding something that's useful, meaningful and appreciated within your time and money constraints.

Consider that if you attend five or six wedding receptions throughout the summer, each $20 or $30 gift adds up.

Many couples eliminate the hassle by registering their wish list at a store. Then it's just a matter of finding things within your price range. If you're looking for more creative/inexpensive ideas, here are some of the gifts I've heard about, given or received at one time or another.

Collect top-quality items when they're on sale and stash them in a big gift box or drawer. Good knives, pots and pans and all-purpose cookbooks are welcome in any kitchen. Store rolls of gift wrap nearby in a (clean) trash can. Use a couple of stacking bins to sort out gift bags, boxes, ribbons, cards and tags. Ribbon, bags and boxes can be recycled. (Hey, you're not being cheap, you're saving the environment!) Stock up when you see a bargain, and you'll never have to scramble for a last-minute gift.

If the couple is heading off to college, they may not have space for china and small appliances, but they still need to eat. Give a basket of pantry items, such as pasta, jarred sauces, canned soup, ramen noodles, cake or brownie mixes. Throw in the bride or groom's favorite snack foods. Don't include anything perishable, because the newlyweds may not get around to opening it until after the honeymoon.

Tie a big bow around a picnic basket filled with napkins, plates, cups, utensils, salt and pepper shakers, paper towels and a plastic tablecloth. For romantic al fresco dining, the happy couple just needs to throw in the food.

Compile a file or book of your favorite recipes, especially if they're some that the bride or groom has complimented or requested. You might also want to add ingredients, such as chocolate chunks for your fabulous chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Give a tree ornament that says, "Our First Christmas Together," and the year. (You may have to wait until the holiday season, unless you're near a year-round Christmas store.)

Take impromptu photos at the wedding shower or reception and make a scrapbook.

Save money by buying sets of mixing bowls, pots and pans, etc. Then split them into several gifts.

Make kits from household items. Package a "cleaning kit" by filling a wastebasket with sprays, scrubbers and sponges. Or team a home-repair manual with tools and duct tape.

People often get spice racks of seasonings they'll never use. But you can combine several into your seasoning mixes-- Southwest, Italian, barbecue rub, curry and so on. Give directions for use on the bottle.

Buy or burn a CD of the couple's favorite songs. (Don't download them.)

Give a magazine subscription for the couple's hobby, such as tennis or cycling, or a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant. Or give movie tickets or a video-rental coupon with a box of microwave popcorn. Just make sure all certificates are easy to redeem.

Money can't buy love, but it sure helps. But Dear Abby and Miss Manners say it's bad form to send out invitations saying, "Forget the gift; just give cash." A fun idea that appears less crass is a "money tree," a large houseplant with dollar bills taped on the leaves and branches. This is great when several people are "going in" on a present together; people can just tape on the dollar amount that fits their budget. The cash helps out with all the little costs that come up, and the plant is a nice reminder over the years of everyone's kindness.

The most practical idea came from my hairdresser, who said she and her husband asked for toilet paper. She got rolls and rolls of it, and said it was the most useful gift they received.

E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com