If you are working to furnish a new home, redecorating, or filling in the gaps by purchasing furnishings, accessories, and equipment here and there, you may find this idea helpful.
When my husband and I married, we didn’t have a lot of money or a lot of stuff (at least not nice stuff). Our home was pretty sparse. As our anniversary approached and we tried to get hints from each other about what the other would like for an anniversary gift, we came to the conclusion that it would be cool to go in on something. That way, we could get something nice for our home that would last a long time, instead of spending a lot of money on a fancy dinner or flowers that would soon be just a memory.
We decided to cook dinner together at home and use our funds to purchase an entertainment center. It might not seem very romantic to some, but furnishing our home together made us happy. Another year for our anniversary, we purchased a new mattress set. We have done this many times and have acquired some nice pieces for our home this way.
Another time we decided on a video camera to capture memories of our growing family, and a couple of years later, we selected a digital camera for the same purpose. Last year we were frivolous and got away for the weekend, which was nice too, but this year we’re planning to choose a combined gift once again.
This idea may not be right for some people, or at least not for an anniversary gift, but you can also apply this idea to combined presents for other occasions. You might want to try it for Christmas or birthdays that fall close together.
It’s a great way to obtain good quality items for your home and family over time, especially if you are on a tight budget. We were able to acquire many items this way that we probably wouldn’t otherwise own.