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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.

Posted in Financial Planning.

Would you tell your best friend to go to the doctor?

If your best friend was showing some worrying symptoms but hadn’t taken themselves off to see a doctor, what would you do?

Shrug your shoulders and say “oh well, it’s their choice”.

Force them into your car and taken them immediately to see your doctor?

You wouldn’t do either probably.  What we actually do – in fact what our friends expect us to do – is say something, but not push the issue. It is their choice at the end of the day to put up with the pain or take the risk that no treatment could be the worst thing in the world… but it is their choice.

Our obligation as best friends is to raise the issue and gently encourage them to get the symptoms seen to. 

Everyone is pretty much comfortable with that.  Everyone is usually comfortable to also advise their best friends on which phone to buy, which restaurants or shops are worth checking out, or even how to improve their driving skills.

Everyone finds themself in need of a bit of professional advice from time to time – whether that is a dentist, a doctor or a professional financial adviser.

When your best friends are showing any of these worrying symptoms encourage them to get a little professional help.  You should encourage friends to get a little bit of professional help when:

  • They have really poor cash flow and are struggling to pay the bills when it seems like they have good jobs.
  • Credit cards are getting maxed out
  • They are often referring to money issues in conversations
  • They’ve come into an inheritance and are unsure what to do
  • They are going through relationship break-ups
  • They are worried about financial advice they’ve been given previously
  • They have tax payment issues
  • They are selling assets and renting instead

These are typical examples of issues that friends to discuss, and they are classic “symptoms” that some professional advice might be in order.  There might NOT actually be a big problem looming… but there might be too. 

Do your friends a favour if they are showing worrying symptoms: encourage them to have a chat with your professional adviser on a “no obligation” basis, and we’ll check to see if there really are serious problems that need attention.

Budgeting

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