This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

The Joy of Giving...On a College Student's Budget

Rediscovering the joy of giving one bargain at a time!

Stacey Mokaddem

There's nothing quite like Christmas as a child.  When I was nine or ten my dad bought me a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas.  The box was this enormously long rectangle and I can remember the sheer joy I found in ripping off that wrapping paper and unveiling my gift.  In my little round eyeglasses and Christmas pajamas, I was like the female Ralphie Parker and I have always considered that year as my own quintessential Christmas story.

Since then, the wholesomeness and overwhelming excitement of Christmas has since faded; and if you’ve been in a two-mile radius of a mall this past weekend you know why.  Fellow shoppers are grouchy and ruthless and there’s little to no pleasure in fighting over a parking spot at the furthest corner of the lot.  Mall shopping is frustrating, overrated, and often fruitless.

Find out what's happening in Belmont Shore-Napleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized just how much every penny counts, especially during the holiday season when you suddenly find yourself in search of a gift for your aunt’s friend’s cousin’s daughter.  We are all trying to give great gifts but often do not have the means to do so.

Don’t write me off as a cynical old Scrooge just yet!  I’ve rediscovered the magic of Christmas through the joy of giving via the art of bargain shopping. 

Find out what's happening in Belmont Shore-Napleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I can remember being a kid dragging my feet around stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls with my sister, following our mom on her pursuit for their advertised “designer deals for less.”  I used to begrudgingly go to these stores, all the while wondering why we couldn’t just go to the mall.  But over time, I grew to love it.  I figured out how to navigate the stores and learned how to spot the real deals.  While this talent for bargain hunting comes in handy throughout the entire year, (yes my Yoga pants are Juicy Couture, no I did not pay a Juicy Couture price for them) it is especially useful at Christmas time when we all struggle to keep our spending in check and follow a budget as much as possible.

When you find a great deal you have to grab it! The CSULB bookstore gave me a 20% off coupon when I returned the books I rented.  They might as well have given me gold.  I love coupons.  Anyways, I’m able to put that discount towards a CSULB Nike tracksuit for my dad.  I manage to nab a great brand name, loved by dads everywhere, for a pretty good deal.  I forgo the latest e-reader tablet in favor of last year’s model as a gift for my mom with the only major differences being a slightly faster processor and almost $100.  I spot a designer blouse that was $188 in department stores last spring for less than half the price on a rack at Marshalls and know my sister will love it.  Bargain shopping can bring the fun back into Christmas.  It’s not always easy to find the deals but it’s oftentimes rewarding.

I’m simply giddy just thinking about Christmas morning because I cannot wait to hand out the presents I’ve carefully selected for the ones I love.  Being a student on a budget, I’m proud of the fact that I’m able to finagle great gifts for less and really embrace the spirit of giving!

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Belmont Shore-Naples