Need advice

[footfree]

So I lost a couple of jobs this year -people dying or moving or whatever -so funds are tight.Recently Michael Angelo's asked me to come in and do 2 focus groups.They didn't pay cash they paid us by giving us coupons for free products.So I was thinking I would give what customers I have left the coupons as Christmas gifts.Does that seem tacky?Would you give them as gifts? I have 3 that are up to 4.99 in value and then I have 4 that up to 9.99 in value.Should I or would you?

[idylatoo]

I wouldn't give coupons as a gift as it DOES seem tacky, imo. If money is so tight you can't afford gifts, just make some nice cards that have a handwritten message. There are lots of guides to making easy (but unique/special) cards online. It's one thing if you KNOW someone really likes a certain place/product, but if they don't you just gave them a useless and tacky gift. It's kind of like giving someone a $10 gift card to an expensive restaurant - what's the point in giving a gift that won't at least get them a full meal?

If they're local customers, I have some other ideas for cheap/easy presents. Just message me if you want more info.

Sometimes I think it's better to just not gift at all - the economy hasn't exactly completely bounced back so unless you're going around with gold chains and a Rolex on, people understand.

[footfree]

I wouldn't give coupons as a gift as it DOES seem tacky, imo. If money is so tight you can't afford gifts, just make some nice cards that have a handwritten message. There are lots of guides to making easy (but unique/special) cards online. It's one thing if you KNOW someone really likes a certain place/product, but if they don't you just gave them a useless and tacky gift. It's kind of like giving someone a $10 gift card to an expensive restaurant - what's the point in giving a gift that won't at least get them a full meal?

If they're local customers, I have some other ideas for cheap/easy presents. Just message me if you want more info.

Sometimes I think it's better to just not gift at all - the economy hasn't exactly completely bounced back so unless you're going around with gold chains and a Rolex on, people understand.

That's what I thought.I mean it's not cents off a product they would get the whole frozen meal for free.The only problem is do they even like Italian food?This I don't know -it's not like I go scrummaging around in their freezers.I clean their homes, that's what I meant about not going into their freezers.So any ideas would be great -guess those coupons are going to be for family.I'm not big on Italian foods so there's only so much I can eat.

[chrischris]

hi!

you could look for people on your state treasurers website as a gift.

you could look for peoples favorite charity or resturant as a gift.

i have done this and most were happy about it.

christine

[idylatoo]

Yeah, I have always found certain gifts kind of tacky - like if you're not sure if they like something OR if they have to spend money to really enjoy what you gave them....it's tacky/insincere.

Anyway, I think my ideas would work great given what you do. =D

It's REALLY easy and cheap to make chocolate-covered pretzels. I used to do this all the time for ~$10 for a lot of people. Get melting chocolate (white and milk - or just white given that it's the holidays!), pretzels or pretzel rods and some seasonal sprinkles. You'll need parchment paper or non-stick foil to set the pretzels on while they dry.

My Kroger stocks all of this stuff - we always have a little Christmas Wilton section in the seasonal part. Melt the chocolate in the microwave - a few seconds at a time, stirring until it's completely melted. Then dip the pretzels! If you use rods, it's simple, just dip 1/2 to 3/4 of the pretzel. If you use regular pretzels, use a fork to hold the pretzel and submerge it in the chocolate and tap it a few times to get off the excess. Place the pretzels on your foil/paper and dust the chocolate with sprinkles.

You can also jazz this up with colored melting candies - melt the candies just like you did the chocolate and then take a fork to sort of "swipe" chocolate lines across the set pretzels.

Sugared nuts are also really easy to make - just get a big bag of walnuts or pecans. There are lots of methods/recipes online for this, but what I do is put some nuts (about two inches deep in a pot at a time) in a pot on my stove. Sprinkle about a cup of sugar on top and then add spices like cinnamon. Stir until the nuts are coated with the (eventually) fully melted sugar. Once coated, quickly dump onto non-stick foil or parchment, separating them out best you can so there aren't huge clumps of nuts.

If I do pretzels rods, I set them up in a mug or vase like a bouquet. You can also put them in seasonal cellophane bags or nice jars - just like the regular pretzels and nuts - I just find rods easier to make a sort of display with. You could even make little baskets out of pretzels, nuts, and cookies - gingerbread is pretty easy and tasty.

If they have guests for the holidays, snacks come in handy. They also come in handy if they realize they forgot to get something for someone.

If you have lots of evergreen foliage in your yard/near you, clip it and make an arrangement. It's pretty easy to find floral foam at craft stores. Soak the foam, stick it in a cheap decorative container (or a plain container and tie a bow around it with some fancy seasonal ribbon). Arrange various clippings (including pine) just stabbing the ends into the foam. I usually add some sort of cheap holiday sort of decoration into the arrangement - a cheap small ornament for example. Again, this ends up being a nice display that makes a room smell Christmassy that can also be a bailout if they forget about someone or something comes up.

(Yes, I tend to give gifts to acquaintances that are multi-purpose. )

[footfree]

I really like the pretzel rod idea -sounds like it would be fun to make.Then I could buy some decorative Christmas cups line them with tissue paper and there's a nice present.Thanks for taking the time to respond.Doesn't Hobby Lobby sell Wilton or maybe even World market?Oh well I can look it up -I don't think my local store HEB carries Wilton or any type of nice chocolate only Nestle or their own brand.I make do make chocolate covered strawberries for Easter so I should be able to do this.The nuts sound real good to only problem is I would probably eat them all before they got out the door.Anyways thanks I'll copy the recipe and let you know what happens.

[idylatoo]

I really like the pretzel rod idea -sounds like it would be fun to make.Then I could buy some decorative Christmas cups line them with tissue paper and there's a nice present.Thanks for taking the time to respond.Doesn't Hobby Lobby sell Wilton or maybe even World market?Oh well I can look it up -I don't think my local store HEB carries Wilton or any type of nice chocolate only Nestle or their own brand.I make do make chocolate covered strawberries for Easter so I should be able to do this.The nuts sound real good to only problem is I would probably eat them all before they got out the door.Anyways thanks I'll copy the recipe and let you know what happens.

You're welcome! We have a cake decorating store in my city (it's independently run) so I never really know what places stock stuff - besides Kroger and Wal-Mart. My mom and I used to do this all the time when we had lots of people to give gifts to - they're so easy to make and you see them EVERYWHERE during the holidays now with a high markup (of course).

[footfree]

I really like the pretzel rod idea -sounds like it would be fun to make.Then I could buy some decorative Christmas cups line them with tissue paper and there's a nice present.Thanks for taking the time to respond.Doesn't Hobby Lobby sell Wilton or maybe even World market?Oh well I can look it up -I don't think my local store HEB carries Wilton or any type of nice chocolate only Nestle or their own brand.I make do make chocolate covered strawberries for Easter so I should be able to do this.The nuts sound real good to only problem is I would probably eat them all before they got out the door.Anyways thanks I'll copy the recipe and let you know what happens.

You're welcome! We have a cake decorating store in my city (it's independently run) so I never really know what places stock stuff - besides Kroger and Wal-Mart. My mom and I used to do this all the time when we had lots of people to give gifts to - they're so easy to make and you see them EVERYWHERE during the holidays now with a high markup (of course).

Found this on you tube, thought you might like it, it's on pretzels and using caramel with them.

[bobbyarden]

So I lost a couple of jobs this year -people dying or moving or whatever -so funds are tight.Recently Michael Angelo's asked me to come in and do 2 focus groups.They didn't pay cash they paid us by giving us coupons for free products.So I was thinking I would give what customers I have left the coupons as Christmas gifts.Does that seem tacky?Would you give them as gifts? I have 3 that are up to 4.99 in value and then I have 4 that up to 9.99 in value.Should I or would you?

Online jobs are giving lot of opportunities to earn money during the free times.There are lot of survey jobs and form filling jobs are available.You just need is to register on this sites.

[1957horses]

So I lost a couple of jobs this year -people dying or moving or whatever -so funds are tight.Recently Michael Angelo's asked me to come in and do 2 focus groups.They didn't pay cash they paid us by giving us coupons for free products.So I was thinking I would give what customers I have left the coupons as Christmas gifts.Does that seem tacky?Would you give them as gifts? I have 3 that are up to 4.99 in value and then I have 4 that up to 9.99 in value.Should I or would you?

Online jobs are giving lot of opportunities to earn money during the free times.There are lot of survey jobs and form filling jobs are available.You just need is to register on this sites.

Do you have any online job suggestions?? Most of what I see are bogus.................

[bobbyarden]

So I lost a couple of jobs this year -people dying or moving or whatever -so funds are tight.Recently Michael Angelo's asked me to come in and do 2 focus groups.They didn't pay cash they paid us by giving us coupons for free products.So I was thinking I would give what customers I have left the coupons as Christmas gifts.Does that seem tacky?Would you give them as gifts? I have 3 that are up to 4.99 in value and then I have 4 that up to 9.99 in value.Should I or would you?

Online jobs are giving lot of opportunities to earn money during the free times.There are lot of survey jobs and form filling jobs are available.You just need is to register on this sites.

Online jobs in india gives lot of oppertunities to the youngsters in earning money.There are lot of websites offer these facilities.There are lot of survey jobs,form filling jobs are there.

[1957horses]

So I lost a couple of jobs this year -people dying or moving or whatever -so funds are tight.Recently Michael Angelo's asked me to come in and do 2 focus groups.They didn't pay cash they paid us by giving us coupons for free products.So I was thinking I would give what customers I have left the coupons as Christmas gifts.Does that seem tacky?Would you give them as gifts? I have 3 that are up to 4.99 in value and then I have 4 that up to 9.99 in value.Should I or would you?

Online jobs are giving lot of opportunities to earn money during the free times.There are lot of survey jobs and form filling jobs are available.You just need is to register on this sites.

Online jobs in india gives lot of oppertunities to the youngsters in earning money.There are lot of websites offer these facilities.There are lot of survey jobs,form filling jobs are there.

I wanted to know some names to google if you know of any please thanks...............

[rtsl35]

So I lost a couple of jobs this year -people dying or moving or whatever -so funds are tight.Recently Michael Angelo's asked me to come in and do 2 focus groups.They didn't pay cash they paid us by giving us coupons for free products.So I was thinking I would give what customers I have left the coupons as Christmas gifts.Does that seem tacky?Would you give them as gifts? I have 3 that are up to 4.99 in value and then I have 4 that up to 9.99 in value.Should I or would you?

Oh, customers...I had to re-read

I thought they were friends or family. I'm not sure what your job is, but if you're giving customer's gifts, I don't really think it's tacky. It's even nice you're giving them something..

[bobbyarden]

Online Business in which the Online jobs are playing an important role.There are lot of websites offer these facilities.The main benefit is that the expense of travel can be saved on this type of jobs.