Skip to main content

Christmas Present Tips for Guys

Christmas Shopping Tips for Guys

giftgreen1Most of us guys are useless at Christmas shopping. Here's a few tips I've picked up over the years.

Ladies, you might want to share this with the men in your family to avoid getting an undesirable and badly wrapped present this Christmas.

  1. Buying your Christmas presents at a petrol station or dairy on Christmas morning really isn't the done thing - apparently not everyone wants a funnel, box of biscuits or a car care kit. Don't do it.
  2. Get started early, no not on Christmas Eve, yesterday was already too late.
  3. First thing in the morning is the best time to Christmas shop, and I mean first thing, teenagers are still in bed.
  4. It's not the thought that counts, it's how MUCH thought that counts.
  5. Cash is a GREAT present for teenagers - and me.
  6. If you must give gift vouchers make sure they are from a shop the recipient actually shops in and try and avoid those with an expiry date.
  7. Wrapping and cards are important, you and I know it's just paper but for some reason they are important.
  8. Before you start browsing in a shop check that it does gift wrapping and accept the service - wait if necessary. If the shop doesn't do gift wrapping move on to the next. Unless you are an expert present wrapper - Yeah Right!
  9. Even if every present you buy is gift wrapped, buy plenty of wrapping paper and sellotape. You are going to need it because dairy's and petrol stations don't gift wrap and being a bloke you'll probably ignore number 1.

Guys ignore the above at your peril and have a wonderful Christmas.

Written by Mr Bullbear. Posted in Commentary on the Investment Environment.

Out of our hands

The events overseas still dominate the domestic markets as the reporting season gets under way. So far the reports have been OK. Telecom was more cost cutting than improvements to revenue streams and the XT outage has yet to be fully factored into the next quarters earnings. However with the dividend remaining at 6 cents per quarter the current dividend yield gross is around 10%, this should offer some support to the share price. This week most eyes will be on Freightways seen as a barometer for the Economy.

Elsewhere the main driving force is overseas with the EU coming out and making all the right noises in-regard Greece, but as yet we haven't seen the details as to what the actual compsition of the aide package will be. China is also firmly in focus with speculation that the authorities will allow the currency to strengthen to help cool the economy - forecast to grow around 9% for this year according to the World Bank though Goldman Sachs forecast 11.4% for 2010 according to Bloomberg - NZ is expected to grow around 2.0 - 2.5% for 2010.

Data still supports higher prices for shares and looks like the market wants to trade higher once we get the Greece story out of the way - it will get sorted , interesting to note there are ample buyers (well respected professionals) of Greek debt indicating that the markets don't believe they will default on their Debt. Buy dips and look to ride the market for the first half of 2010.

  • Created on .
  • Last updated on .