So your brother or your BFF will be moving into a new place this year, and plans to stage a barbecue or house party to kick off the novelty of homeownership.
Of course you’d love to mark the occasion with more than a side dish or a six-pack of craft beer, but:
Money’s been tight lately, or
You have a financial goal you’re trying to reach, or
The homeowner-to-be doesn’t expect anything (and maybe even said, “This is a house party, not a gift grab”).
Want to give something unique and useful without torpedoing your budget or putting anyone on the spot? Read on.
The idea for this post came from a reader named Ashley, who commented on “Ode to the junk drawer.” A friend of hers had no junk drawer, so she created a “junk drawer starter kit”: a batch of stuff like key rings, scissors, paper clips, pencils and the like. Then she added a recipe card: “Put in a dark drawer and feed occasionally with loose change and bits of hardware. Very soon you’ll have a full-grown junk drawer.”
Her recipient loved it. And so did I, especially since it suggested a post topic. Here are nine ideas that will cost you a little time or a little money, but not too much of either one.
Yep, holiday posts two days in a row and it’s not even Black Friday. Before you regard me as part of the problem, let me say that:
