Get last-minute gifts— for free

Are you among the 56% of us who haven’t finished your holiday shopping— and you’ve already stretched your budget to its limit? Great news: With these study-backed tips, you can spoil everyone on your list without spending a dime

Go ahead and regift

Received an early present that you can’t return or exchange, or it’s a duplicate of something you already own? Wrap it up and give it to someone else! Only 21% of us ever regift a present because we assume the original giver will be offended if we do. But, surprise! In a series of four experiments done at Harvard University, Stanford University and the U.K.’S London Business School, researchers found that the taboo of regifting is actually somewhat one-sided, and that gift-givers are perfectly fine with recipients giving their present to another person they feel could use it more!

Create it from the heart

Think family and friends would prefer a storebought gift over a meaningful one you make yourself? Think again! In three separate experiments at Carnegie Mellon University, folks who were given the choice of receiving a sentimental present (like a decorated framed photo of the giftee and gift-giver) or a purchased gift (like a pair of gloves) chose the sentimental present by a wide margin. A heartfelt gift you can make: Fill a jar with premeasured dry ingredients to make a loved one’s favorite cookies and attach the recipe as the label.

Reorganize your list

Let’s say you bought your mom a big gift along with a bunch of little gifts—like a Keurig coffee maker plus two coffee mugs. Give the smaller gifts away to other folks you need gifts for, such as a coworker or neighbor. A University of Michigan and Virginia Tech University study found that giving a big gift alone makes it seem more impressive than pairing it with less valuable items. Researchers chalk it up to a brain quirk that makes us automatically average out the value of an entire group of gifts, lessening the impact of the one present we really want the recipient to get excited over.

Gift away half of a BOGO

During the final run-up to Christmas, buy-oneget-one (BOGO) sales abound. If you’ve been meaning to buy something for yourself, and it comes with a BOGO offer, wrap up the freebie and let the recipient know you bought the same item for yourself. The fact that a gift is shared with the giver makes it a better gift in the eyes of the receiver, says a study from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and the University of Toronto. For the latest BOGO offers visit Thekrazycouponlady. com and Freestufffinder.com.

The average American will spend $700 on holiday gifts and goodies this year, totaling more than $465 billion!