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Gift-giving is rarely an easy task. Nobody wants to give a family member, friend, or fiancée something they do not like or need. They won’t appreciate what you give, and you will just waste your money.

But how can you avoid such a disaster? We’ve put together a simple guide that will help you find the perfect gift that both of you will appreciate.

Decide on your budget

First thing’s first, it is a rare occasion when you can choose anything you’d like, go buy it and present it to your giftee. In reality, we all have to choose something they’ll like while keeping budget in mind. However, this problem can be good, as it helps narrow the number of choices from the overwhelming to the manageable.

Once you’ve decided on a budget (maybe at two levels, comfortable to you and “okay, I can spend this much if it is perfect”). After that, when you see something you like, you can apply these filters easily. Will this gift please the recipient and fit your budget? Why not! Or is it a bit more expensive, but shockingly perfect? Well, you love that person anyway.

Consider your recipient’s interests

The best way to find a gift is to think of something that aligns with the person’s interests. Run a brainstorming session and try to remember everything the giftee may want to have. Whether the person is a fan of vintage comics, Game of Thrones, or adores his car, these interests might be perfect hints about gifts he or she would enjoy. The longer the initial list, the better.

Then you can start to eliminate the items your recipient already has, the ones which cost too much, and those you are not comfortable giving them. Also, do some asking around. It is not uncommon for people to share things they’d like to have on social media. If the person has a Pinterest account, it can be a gold mine for obtaining data on their tastes, interests, and hobbies.

Use technology to get help

While creating lists and asking around may be the right solution, it is also very time-consuming. Happily, we now live in the era of new tech, and there is an app for everything. Even for gift-giving.

Try out the free Friendsbox app that allows you to surf the internet and find perfect gifts. The app allows you to add gift ideas from any website so that you do not have to spend lots of time surfing the web. For example, you can just copy a link to an item you like on Instagram, and add it to your wish list.

There are two ways you can use the app. First, ask your giftee to install it and create a wish list of presents he or she would love to receive. There is a contact grouping feature that lets you create wish lists visible only to members of a specific group such as family, friends, or colleagues. The design is friendly, crystal-clear, and lightweight, so it is effortless to use.

Second, you can use it by yourself: remember, you’ve already done some homework on defining the budget and a list of the recipient’s interests. The great thing about this app is that it’s not just a source of inspiration, where you can see exceptional items with no clue on where to buy it. Friendsbox allows you to save gift ideas (also useful if you need to tell others you’re giving a specific gift from a wish list) and then go to the relevant store in a tap!

Final thoughts

Although choosing gifts can be stressful, there are ways of reducing the difficulties in the process. Spend some time analyzing your recipient’s interests, or use modern technology to get direct clues for choosing the perfect present and easily buy it.