Newspaper Page Text
-r IRISTMAS BLESSINGS 2006
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(MS) - Each year, the holiday season
is loaded with frustrated shoppers who
have little or no idea about what to get
for a loved one. One gift that fits all and
never results in a sad face is money.
Though some feel giving money is inap
propriate around the holidays, most
people would far prefer a few extra
dollars as opposed to another pair of
socks.
But giving money is not as easy as
simply putting cash in a card. Like other
gifts around the holidays, a certain eti
quette comes' with giving green. For
those thinking of giving the gift of cash
for Hanukkah or Christmas, consider
the following guidelines.
• Establishing how much to give. In
general, when giving a gift of SIOO or
less, it's commonplace to give cash as
opposed to a personal check. Checks
can prove to be a nuisance for a per
son who might not have an account
with your bank. Also, if you're sending
money long distance, a check can take
up to several days to clear from a bank
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CHRISTMAS
HOLIDAY GREETINGS
* FROM
1202 Main St,
Perry, Ga
Phone; 478-987-9439
-Coll Thomas or Sholby
734 mmn STREET • PERRY, GR 31069
(478)987-1656
in a different geographical region. In
such cases, you're actually giving a gift
that's a hassle as opposed to a pleasant
surprise.
It's also important to consider how
much you're going to give to each per
son. Typically, the closer a person is, the
more you should give. For instance, it's
appropriate to give a close relative a
gift of at least SSO. In fact, SSO is a good
amount for a close relative. In the case of
distant relatives or friends, a gift of S2O
to $25 is perfectly acceptable.
• Give plastic to save some hassle. For
those wary of sending cash through the
mail, prepaid debit and credit cards can
be a safer method. Oftentimes, cards
such as these are protected, meaning a
prompt reporting of a lost or stolen card
will ensure your money's safe. Further
guaranteeing that safety is the prac
tice of sending the assigned Personal
Identification Number (PIN) separately,
meaning even if someone manages to
get a hold of the card, it will be use
less to them without the PIN. What
makes these cards so convenient ■
is that buyers can typically put I
whatever amount they choose on 1
the card. Should you buy such a I
card directly from your bank, you I
might also avoid extra charges, as |
banks typically will only charge
existing customers for the amount '
put on the card, whereas cards
bought from other sources will
usually incur an additional fee.
• Choose a gift certificate. Almost the
same as giving cash is giving a gift cer
tificate. While a prepaid debit or credit
card can usually be used anywhere
that accepts plastic, gift certificates are
often limited to specific stores (although
malls often offer gift certificates cover
ing most stores in the mall). Though it
may seem like gift certificates would
be limiting, many stores, in particular
national chains, no longer specialize in
specific merchandise, choosing to offer
everything from furniture to electronics
to groceries, all under the same roof. A
gift certificate to such a store can be the
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go, as you won’t be restrict
ing what a person can or can't buy.
• Stocks are not off-limits. While most
people, especially children, won't be
too thrilled about receiving stocks for
Christmas, some people might actually
enjoy such a gift very much. Several
online investment sites even allow cus
tomers to open an account for as little
as $25. Also, such gifts could also prove
to be quite fun for older kids, who
might enjoy seeing how their invest
ments (hopefully) grow over time. For
kids, consider giving them shares of a
company they might be interested in,
such as a toy company.
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