What to Buy When You Have to Buy

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- You've done the fun shopping, but now the real work begins. It's time to buy for the extended family, the Aunt Sallys and Uncle Bobs, who always get you socks or an ugly tie. But you can do better than them and save money at the same time. The folks at Offers.com have a guide that can actually help you find a gift for those distant relatives you barely see.

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"People always say it's the thought that counts," said Offers.com Vice President Howard Schaffer. "That may be true, but you can still find great gifts for low prices. You might 'have' to get a gift for Aunt Sally because she always buys for your family, but there are ways to make her feel special without putting in much effort or emptying your wallet."

Tips from Offers.com Consumer Experts to Find Great Gifts at Great Prices:

1. Celebrate with them locally.
   1. Shop last minute (Yes, we mean Christmas Eve.), and buy pre-wrapped items. You can find great presents like gift baskets and already stuffed stockings for up to 90% off.
   2. Take them to dinner at a local restaurant and use Restaurant.com certificates. You can find gift cards to Uncle Bob's favorite restaurants for up to 90% off.
   3. Look for out-of-season items on clearance racks at big box stores. We recommend going for name brands that emulate value. (Don't forget to "forget" the gift receipt. Oops!)
2. Celebrate online, and ship their gifts.
   1. Visit deal sites like Offers.com that specialize in finding discounts that can save you 75% or more off retail prices.
   2. Just like you'd do in the store, look for out-of-season items in the online clearance departments from sites like Kohls, Sears and Macy's. Only buy when "free shipping" is available, and look for stackable savings that allow you to apply a coupon code to items that are already on sale.
   3. Buy refurbished electronics from name brand stores that sell them through eBay.
   4. Look for buy one get one free sales on items you need, and use the free item as a gift for your Aunt or Uncle.

"Don't forget, there are ways to get around buying gifts for every aunt, uncle and cousin you see maybe two times a year," said Schaffer. "You can always organize activities like Secret Santa where everyone gets one gift from a secret family member. The mystery makes it fun, and everyone will spend a lot less Christmas cash."

Visit these pages to find last-minute gifts, and stay in your budget:

Last-Minute Gifts Savings Center

Gifts Under $10

Gifts Under $25

Gifts for the Aunt Sallys and Uncle Bobs of Your Family

About Offers.com

Offers.com is a leading online destination for consumers to save time and money. Each day we serve up the top coupon codes, product deals and other offers from more than 6,000 stores and brands. Offers.com has about 50,000 of the best offers in 300 categories including clothing, electronics, household goods, credit cards and many more. This includes product deals and technology from sister site DailyDeals.com, which was rolled into Offers.com in 2013. Offers are verified, rated and updated daily by the Offers.com deal experts and community. We even let users customize and share offers they like with a personal Offers Page. The company, founded in 2009, is based in Austin, Texas.

SOURCE Offers.com