Buying gifts is often difficult in the first place, but it is even harder to find gifts for people who don’t want more “stuff“.
Maybe they have consciously downsized or perhaps they just have too much stuff already. Regardless of the reason, they can be difficult people for whom to shop.
Instead of wasting money on things the person doesn’t really want, check out these gift ideas for people who don’t want more “stuff“.
1) Amazon Gift Cards
I love Amazon gift cards because you can get just about anything. We have purchased RV parts, t-shirts, seaweed, toys, bumper stickers, and more… Yes, it is still “stuff”, but it is stuff that we would buy anyway, and get to pick it ourselves.
2) Fancy Pantry Items
Food makes a great gift for people who don’t want stuff because it is consumable. It only takes up space until it is eaten. Pantry items are especially nice because you don’t have to eat them right away. Some of our favorite food gifts included fancy sauces, truffles, nice olive oils, and such.
3) Dinner Out
A nice meal out is always appreciated. If you live nearby, take them to your favorite restaurant. If you live in another state, phone in a gift card to a restaurant that has good reviews.
4) Charity Donations
If the person is into charitable giving, maybe consider donating to their favorite organization or cause. CharityNavigator.org has ratings and information about tons of charities and can be a good place to start.
5) Experiences
Gift certificates for experiences are another great idea for people who don’t want more stuff. Our favorites were escape rooms and indoor skydiving, but you can also do archades, go carts, laser tag, bounce houses, etc.
6) Alcohol
Obviously, this depends on the person you’re shopping for, but alcohol can be a great gift for people who don’t want stuff. Like fancy food, it only takes up space until you drink it, and if it isn’t something they like, they can always take it as a host gift the next time they go to a party.
7) iTunes Cards
If the person you’re shopping for loves music and has iTunes, this is another good gift idea. They can use it when they want, get music they love, and it doesn’t take up any space.
8) Replacement “Stuff”
My husband had a frying pan that he loved, but it was getting pretty old and was close to frying it’s last stir fry. As part of his birthday present one year, I found the exact frying pan on Amazon.
The trick here is to make sure you’re replacing something they actually want to replace and that the new one is the same thing only newer. The last thing you want is for them to end up with 2 frying pans, one that is really old and a new one that they hate. :-/
Gifts Don’t Have to Just Be Stuff
As you can see, there are plenty of gift ideas that don’t just take up space. The key is to focus on things that are consumable, digital, or experiences.