You might be getting texts from loved ones asking what you want for the holidays. Here’s how to think about it. There are basically two options for gifts in this scenario: the one you need and were already planning to buy for yourself, or the one you would never buy yourself but would love to have. Both have their pros and cons. The first option saves you money because you were going to buy it anyway, but it’s not exactly exciting. The second option could give you that wow moment, but you might end up not using it much — or worse, you might never use it because it feels too special to take out of the box. While a wow-factor gift is great, if you have big-ticket items you actually need, it’s smart to ask your loved ones to help check those off your list. Just make sure that money you would've spent on those items doesn’t go to other random purchases — put it into your savings or investment account instead.
