Buying cards for people, whether it be for birthdays, Christmas or some other special occasion, is not something that most of us enjoy doing. It is not that we resent having to spend a few dollars on buying a card for someone, but rather that it always seems to be a last minute rush and we can never find one that matches the messages that we want to give. Buying cards is not something that we can just forget about doing though, so what can we do to make the process a better, more enjoyable one?
The best thing that you can do is to get a calendar, hang it in a prominent place (such as in your kitchen or on your bedroom door) and to mark on the dates of all the birthdays throughout the year that you need to send cards for. Also, mark on a date at the end of November that you will buy your Christmas cards and one at the start of December when you will send them off. Keep a pen attached to the calendar too, as you will no doubt need to make additions throughout the year for baby showers, weddings, graduations, etc.
With regards to actually going out and buying the cards, it makes sense to buy them in batches; say, three months worth of cards each time. Why? Because it saves on time and means that you can make your purchases when you are in the right frame of mind, and not have to make purchases when you would rather not, but have no choice. Alternatively, you can keep a list of upcoming events in your purse or wallet, and give it the once over every time you are feeling in a card buying mood.
'Bulk buying' cards does not mean that you should be putting less thought into them. Each card you buy should still be for a specific person. You will have received cards before that you look at and think 'Why have they sent me this card?' and other people will notice if you do the same. So, when buying several cards at once, put aside 30+ minutes for choosing them at least, and be prepared to go to more than just one store.
A final option is to make your own cards. For creatively minded people, this is a great idea. The receiver of your cards will really appreciate the extra thought and effort that you put in. You could buy materials from an arts and crafts store or, if you prefer to avoid the mess, you could use an online card personalization service. The latter of those are becoming increasingly popular due to how easy the design process is and the competitiveness of the pricing.
The best thing that you can do is to get a calendar, hang it in a prominent place (such as in your kitchen or on your bedroom door) and to mark on the dates of all the birthdays throughout the year that you need to send cards for. Also, mark on a date at the end of November that you will buy your Christmas cards and one at the start of December when you will send them off. Keep a pen attached to the calendar too, as you will no doubt need to make additions throughout the year for baby showers, weddings, graduations, etc.
With regards to actually going out and buying the cards, it makes sense to buy them in batches; say, three months worth of cards each time. Why? Because it saves on time and means that you can make your purchases when you are in the right frame of mind, and not have to make purchases when you would rather not, but have no choice. Alternatively, you can keep a list of upcoming events in your purse or wallet, and give it the once over every time you are feeling in a card buying mood.
'Bulk buying' cards does not mean that you should be putting less thought into them. Each card you buy should still be for a specific person. You will have received cards before that you look at and think 'Why have they sent me this card?' and other people will notice if you do the same. So, when buying several cards at once, put aside 30+ minutes for choosing them at least, and be prepared to go to more than just one store.
A final option is to make your own cards. For creatively minded people, this is a great idea. The receiver of your cards will really appreciate the extra thought and effort that you put in. You could buy materials from an arts and crafts store or, if you prefer to avoid the mess, you could use an online card personalization service. The latter of those are becoming increasingly popular due to how easy the design process is and the competitiveness of the pricing.
