• When money doesn't matter hire a personal shopper.shopping spree image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  If money didn't matter you could hire a personal shopper to deal with the many different gift giving situations that pop up every year. Unfortunately, money does matter and you will need to put some effort into finding appropriate gifts for friends, associates and family members. Like filling a recyclable bag with flour, sugar, baking powder, chocolate chips and vanilla extract for the neighbor who bakes cookies for your kids,
  
  

Wedding Presents

• Your friends are finally getting married after living together for years. The wedding date is quickly approaching and you still have no gift ideas, only a projected budget of $100. Consider upgrading their pots and pans, giving them money or gift cards to use at the grocery store or for gas or making a spice basket. To make a spice basket just place tins filled with organic spices in a basket. Include: allspice, anise seed, cardamom, Korintje cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, fennel seed, cumin, ginger, chili pepper and turmeric.
  
  

New Baby

• Your sister is welcoming her second child into the world and was smart enough to keep her first child's crib, changing table, playpen and highchair. You plan to spend $50 on the newest arrival, but want to avoid buying clothes. Give your sister a homemade card expressing how much you love her and to welcome the family's newest member you want to pay for the baby's hospital photographs. Place a prepaid Visa or Mastercard inside the greeting card along with a note that shows how much money is on the card.
  
  

Co-Worker's Christmas

• For Christmas every year your co-worker buys you a gift; this year you want to get her a sophisticated gift she will adore because she has gone out of her way to help you. You don't want to make her uncomfortable by giving her an extravagant gift, but feel you can safely spend $30 on her. Strike up a conversation with her about your favorite author; when you learn her favorite author begin searching for a leather bound, gilded edged volume. If she enjoys plants consider getting her a symbol of strength, an oak tree. The oak tree kit comes with a preconditioned seed, moss, planting soil and a pot.