When the going gets rough, the rough get playful.  I guess that sort of turns a cliche on its head, doesn’t it?  We can’t ignore it; we are in a severe economic downturn, and that’s no fun for anyone.  However, people still have birthdays; and anniversaries and big and small holidays keep popping up, so how can you just ignore the best rituals in life?

When it comes to gift giving, I propose that the time has come to change some of our approaches to what constitutes a good gift.  At the heart of gift giving is the thought, but now the economic conditions give us an extra reason to remember that the cost of a gift isn’t what really matters.  Giving a friend or loved one a token says that you remember them and care about them.  That’s all our message of a gift means, or that is all that it needs to say.

So let me share a recommendation about giving the inexpensive way: Consider jewelry!  I realize that the word “jewelry” doesn’t really bring to mind the notion of frugality, however I suggest Italian charm jewelry, and that definitely is frugal giving.  Let me explain.

If a friend or relative of yours already has an Italian charm bracelet, you can give her a silly (or beautiful) Italian charm to her alternatives for around four dollars.  You might even have enough left from your five dollar bill to treat yourself to a small soda.

If she doesn’t have any Italian charm jewelry, yet, you can buy her an entire Italian charm starter bracelet while only investing less than ten dollars.  That’s about the same as two cups of the house blend Java at your local coffee shop.  Furthermore, that will give you an opportunity to build her collection for years to come.

What if that dear relative or friend is a male?  Try an Italian charm keychain.  The starter keychain is around five to seven dollars, and you can add a humorous charm for a little extra cash, and you are finished with your shopping.  In later years, as your economic life returns to normal, you can spend a little more to get an official sports related Italian charm licensed by NASCAR, the NBA or even his favorite college team.

Remember that you don’t have to give up giving or a little whimsy when times get rough.  In fact, this is just the thing to bring fun, rather than high price tags, back into the spirit of giving.

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