Second Cup: Give gifts money can't buy

Time and expertise can delight as much as things from a store

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is to give gifts that money can't buy. Gifts
of time and expertise could be a great way to

(00:25):
get loved ones what they really need and to strengthen
relationships at the same time. If you've visited a gift
registry at baby List lately, you have probably had the
opportunity to select the usual gear for expectant parents, such
as baby clothes and strollers, but you may also have

(00:47):
been able to select unexpected gifts like a homemade meal,
help with dog walking, or various other chores that can
fall by the wayside during the busy newborn days. I
love the idea of registering for a gift that doesn't
come from a store. Sure, new parents could simply ask

(01:09):
relatives or friends to babysit or cook them a meal,
or mow their yard, but asking for help isn't easy,
especially when you don't have a sense of whether the
person has the time to help you out, and when
you are so overwhelmed that even thinking through what needs
to be done and who might be able to help

(01:29):
feels like one more thing to do. By registering for
gifts of time and expertise, expectant parents create a way
people can show that they would like to help. Taking
them up on these formal offers is a lot easier
than asking cold. Registering for services also honors providing a

(01:52):
meal or babysitting, or doing house or yard work as
the gifts that they truly are. Now. I know this
isn't the usual approach for registries, but for gift giving
and receiving in general, there is a lot to be
said for getting out of the mindset that gifts have

(02:13):
to be material things purchased somewhere. Many people would prefer
to avoid more clutter, and certainly, by the time people
are having their second or third or fourth kid, they
probably have a lot of baby gear and toys already.
If you are invited to a wedding for people who

(02:33):
are past their twenties, or maybe are even on their
second marriages, they probably already have dishes. Indeed, if they
are combining two households, they likely have more dishes than
they need. But gifts of time and expertise are different.

(02:53):
These are about helping to make people's lives easier or
more enjoyable. So if your friend who is having a
new baby loves your veggie lasagna, make her a few
of them for freezing so no one has to cook
for several nights. If you are not a cook, you
can go pick up take out for them for three

(03:14):
tuesdays in a row. Just wrap up a little certificate
saying that's what you are going to do as a
baby gift, and text to confirm that it works. I
think most new parents would appreciate that more than a
third copy of good Night Moon. If a new couple
is furnishing their apartment and you've got decorating expertise, you

(03:37):
could offer to help them pick out a new couch.
You could offer to help frame and hang a few
wedding photos. And if you've got friends whose expertise you admire,
you can ask for that as a gift too. If
a stylish friend asks what you would like for your birthday,
ask her to take you shopping. You will enjoy the

(03:59):
time to get and you will likely buy items you
are pleased with thanks to her guidance. Now, obviously you
need some self awareness with all this. If you think
highly of your own artistic ability but aren't sure that
anyone else does. Maybe don't create a wall sized mural
for someone thinking it's going to be welcomed. Think about

(04:23):
ways to reduce the mental load for gift recipients too.
Just telling someone that you will babysit some night means
the other person then has to check in and see
what your schedule is and then plan around that. Instead,
why not offer three slots when you are ready and
willing and just see which the person wants most. But

(04:47):
when it works out, giving gifts that money can't buy
can often reduce waste and give the recipients something they
really want. If you wind up spending time together, you
can strengthen the relationship too, which is a lot of
value for something without a specific price tag. In the meantime,

(05:10):
this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making
the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to
hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions,
or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook

(05:32):
and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the
number four then Breakfast pod. You can also shoot me
an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com
That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters.
Thanks so much, Should I look forward to staying in touch.

(05:57):
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