Christmas is done for another year, and while you may still be looking forward to New Year and thinking about hitting the sales there is a chance you have got a couple of Christmas gifts that you don’t want or need. So, what do you do with them? Whether it is something totally unsuitable (‘why would anyone think I wanted that!’), or something you have already got, there is no need to let it go to waste. Here are five things that you can do with those unwanted gifts…
Retailers are not legally obliged to offer a refund on something that you simply don’t want, but many larger shops are flexible at this time of year, so you might be in luck. Of course, your unwanted gift will need to be in its original packaging and so forth, but if you want cash then you will also need a receipt or proof of purchase. This might be a bit tricky without telling the person that the thing they got you is no use (although you could always say you already have one?). Plus, with the sales having started, you may be offered the current price rather than how much it was bought for – unless you have a receipt. That said, even without a receipt you may be able to get an exchange of a credit note to spend on something else at the same shop. However, be warned, if the item was bought using a credit or debit card the shop may refund the money there rather than giving you cash! But you’ll need to act fast, as most shops only offer a refund up to 28 days after purchase!
One in ten gifts are unwanted, according to statistics, so it is no surprise to find that online sites like eBay do a brisk trade selling unwanted gifts at this time of year. You will need to be realistic with how much money you might get for your unwanted gifts (often less than the retail value), so check to see what others are asking for similar items. Make sure to include pictures and as much info as possible to stand a better chance of getting a result with your sale and only post the item once you are sure you have been paid for it!
You might be able to swap your unwanted gift with a friend who also has something that they don’t want (but you do). This takes a lot of the grief out of dealing with an unwanted gift – just make sure not to try and pass it off to the person who bought it for you in the first place!
If you keep the item in good condition (keep the wrapper on the CD case) then you can always pass it on to someone as a present later. Regifting may not get you anything right away, but it will save you money in the future. Again, just make sure not to regift the present to the person who bought it for you for Christmas…
If you are feeling particularly kind you could always donate your unwanted gifts to charity. Nip in to your local charity shop and see if they want the item. Most places will refuse electrical or perishable goods, but otherwise most places will be happy to take items that are in good condition. Obviously if something is broken it just needs to go in the bin rather than wasting your time taking it to a charity shop. You may not get anything tangible in return but you can leave knowing that you have done a little something to help others!
