Fun During These Hard Times: Italian Charms to the a Rescue

When the going gets rough, the rough get playful.  I guess that not exactly the way the old cliche goes, but it makes sense to me.  Face it, we’re in a recession, and everyone is feeling at least a little pinched.  However, people still have birthdays; and anniversaries and big and small holidays keep popping up, so can you really just forget about some of our most enjoyable cultural rituals?

When it comes to gift giving, maybe it’s is time to change some of our approaches to what constitutes a good gift.  It’s always been true, but now the economic conditions give us an extra reason to remember that the cost of a gift isn’t what really matters.  Presenting a beloved relative or a cherished friend says that you remember them and care about them.  That is all that the message of giving means, and that it all that needs to be said in the act of giving.

So here is a tip for giving the frugal way:  Think jewelry!  I know that seems a bit contradictory, however what I am suggesting is Italian charm jewelry, and that truly is inexpensive giving at its most fun.  I’ll elaborate a bit on that.

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 collection for well under five dollars.  You might even have enough left over for a cute gift bag from the local store.

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?  Simply substitute an Italian charm keychain.  The keychain to get it started is only seven dollars or less, kick in another funny charm for an extra few dollars, and your shopping is finished.  When the economic recovery comes in a few months or a few years, you can splurge for a sports related charm endorsing his favorite professional basketball, football or hockey team, or even his beloved NASCAR driver..

Remember that you don’t have to give up giving or a little whimsy when times get rough.  In fact, you can turn tough times into fun times with a little thought, frugality and Italian charms.