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Budgeting for Birthday Gifts

How much should you spend on birthday gifts? You could look at some of the surveys that are done to see what is the average spend on a birthday present, but you shouldn’t use this as a guide. Set and stick to a budget you’re happy with.

If you’re feeling generous then you’ll be able to spend more, and if you’re on a tight budget spend less. There’s ways of economising on presents so every birthday you celebrate can be fun!

If you’re on a small budget sometimes you can make it go further by buying several small items. This works well for children for whom there’s a lot of excitement in opening the present itself. For older children and adults this might not always work well. A subtle hint given the week before though will soften the blow for most people when you’ve got to stick to a very tight budget.

Buy the cheapest wrapping paper possible. Some people spend a fortune on ribbons and bows, and posh gift boxes. Buy cheap wrapping paper in bulk and use it for all your gift wrapping. Buy gift wrap that will be good for boys and girls, adults, birthdays and then Christmas too. Big rolls of cheap paper are a great budget saver. Buy cards in bulk too. Some shops on the high street have bargains where you can get several birthday cards for a pound! This makes them excellent value and if you keep them in a folder or drawer you’ll always have a card for that unexpected birthday too!

By ensuring the vast majority of the money is spent on the present and not the wrapping you get a much better balance.

To find innovative gifts on a budget you could look at making something yourself. A hand crafted gift can be a wonderful idea, especially if you have a skill like knitting or painting. Something personal can make a present so much more special. A hand-made gift might take a while to make though, so remember to start well in advance of the birthday!

It is not without reason that for a woman delivering a healthy child and returning back to the normalcy of her life is quite like her second birth; for an enormous amount of hard work and labor goes behind giving birth. So to commemorate this special event and also to welcome the new member into the family a tradition that has been in existence since ancient times now is to give a gift to the new mother soon after she has delivered her child. In recent times it has acquired the name of ‘push present’.

Traditionally these presents that were given to the new mothers were mostly jewelry or other valuables especially for the affluent. However others chose something different depending on what suited their pockets. In present times such presents are of various kinds and one has very many options to choose from depending upon the preference as well as budget. These days push presents are also coupons for doing dishes, changing diapers, or for babysitting so that the mother can take a break from her chores.

But all said and done, the age old tradition of gifting a new mother jewelry to celebrate her motherhood is definitely something that has a great deal of meaning and significance, the very reason why jewelry still happens to be the most popular option for a push present. Mostly these present is given by a husband to his wife soon after she delivers their baby, therefore nothing can be a more romantic than jewelry for a woman from the father of her new born child.

Since most husbands are aware of what their wives like and the kind of jewelry that they prefer, selecting a push present becomes easier and one can select from an array of diamond jewelry, colored gemstone jewelry or plain metal jewelry. If your wife is especially fond of a particular variety of jewelry be it earrings, rings, pendants, or bracelets then select piece in diamonds or gemstone as a push present for her and she is sure to love them.

Gifting the mother some birthstone jewelry as a push present is another very good idea, and better still you can also pick up some birthstone jewelry for the new born that will not only look great on both mother and child but also shower them with loads of good luck.

An expression of deep love a push present is always special and when it is a jewelry push present its appeal and timelessness is multiplied.

Are you aware that you can see the thoughts of other people? It’s not a magic trick. It’s accomplished by observing microexpressions. Microexpressions are displays of emotion. They last for less than a second. They occur before the brain has a chance to alter the displayed emotion. Thus, the display is a genuine reaction to the stimulus that caused the emotion to be displayed.

There are seven microexpressions that are generic to everyone on the planet. That means if a stimulus occurred to someone in Europe or Asia, or anywhere in the world, the reaction would be the same.

This article identifies the seven microexpressions and how their recognition can be used in a negotiation.

Fear – Why do we become frightened? In part, it’s a way we protect ourselves. But fear can be debilitating too. In a negotiation, accurately detecting fear will give you an advantage. To obtain that advantage, you must know what the other negotiator is fearful of.

When detecting genuine fear, look for raised eyebrows, widened eyes, and parted lips with the bottom lip protruding downward.

Anger – People become upset in degrees. When it reaches a point of nontolerance, that’s when it becomes anger.

When negotiating, always be mindful of the other negotiator’s temperament, as well as your own. In both cases, when one loses one’s cool, that person can become irrational. Manipulation can easily occur at that time. Thus, they’re opportunities contained in such a mindset if you know how to advantage your position.

There are two main differences between the displayed microexpressions of fear and anger. With fear, eyebrows are raised and they’re lowered when displaying anger. In addition, with anger, one’s nostrils will flare like what a bull might exhibit prior to charging.

Disgust – In a negotiation, this is a temperament that we see when someone is not in agreement with our statement, offer or counteroffer. The other negotiator may say yes to the offer. But if he has his upper lip lifted and his nose turned up in a wrinkle while doing so, he just displayed the microexpression denoting disgust. It’s important to note the distinction between his words and actions because his statement of agreement is not as firm as his body language is indicating.

Surprise – Expressions of surprise can be good or bad (e.g. That’s better than I thought, or there’s no way I’d go for that.) You can recognize surprise by raised eyebrows, wide eyes, and a mouth that’s agape. Fear and surprise have these characteristics in common.

When negotiating, note if the expression of surprise stems from happy or sad expectations. If the other negotiator is too happy about an offer you’ve extended, you might consider reducing it.

Contempt – This gesture is conveyed by a sneer with one corner of the mouth turned upward. The meaning is, “I’m not enamored with this – I might think it’s insulting.’

Take note when you observe this gesture because it can lead to disgust and then anger.

Sadness – When sadness is displayed it’s done through drooping eyelids, lips turned down, and a change in the voice’s inflection and tonality.

If a negotiator displays sadness, it may stem from him realizing that you have the upper hand and there’s no negotiation wiggle room. If that’s a reality, don’t beat him up. You don’t want to turn that into anger, which might lead to unimagined responses.

Happiness – You’ll see this in the form of wide-eyes, a smile, raised cheeks, and a degree of exhibited gaiety.

When perceiving happiness, note what caused it but don’t let your guard down. If it’s genuine, you’ll sense an easy flow in the negotiation. If contrived, it may be an attempt to lull you into a false sense of security.

Negotiators look for advantages in every negotiation. Being able to accurately detect microexpressions can be the advantage you need. So, if you want greater advantages during your negotiations, look for the advantages that microexpressions offer. You’ll be a greater negotiator with greater outcomes… and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!