(BPT) – This holiday season, what if you could give loved ones a present that makes a meaningful impact on the world? Nothing evokes the holiday spirit more than giving gifts that help others in a direct, effective way. Both you and the gift recipient will know you’re making a difference in the lives of people who really need it.

Here are a few ways you can give a gift this year that truly makes someone’s life better:

Feed a family — and nourish a community

Several global charities have developed unique opportunities for Americans to make a dramatic impact on the lives of families throughout developing countries through year-end gift giving. For example, donors can direct contributions that pay for a farm animal to support a family or a clean water well installation to benefit an entire community.

In World Vision’s Annual Holiday Gift Catalog, a gift of a goat and two chickens provides a steady supply of eggs, milk and protein that can feed two or more struggling families. Your loved one will receive a card to tell them you’re making this life-changing donation on their behalf.

A single dairy goat can provide up to 16 cups of milk per day, providing calcium, protein and other essential nutrients for growing children. Goats are well-suited for harsh climates, and produce valuable fertilizer for crops and vegetable gardens. Chickens are easy to raise, and they naturally multiply to help feed generations of children. Each family who receives chickens gives back some hatched chicks to help other families in their community. This productivity can create a viable small-business opportunity for a single mother or struggling family to help add to their income.

Provide vital medical supplies

Numerous organizations also help struggling families in developing countries gain access to life-saving medicine, vitamins and nutritional support. Donating these types of gifts on behalf of a loved one who has struggled with his or her own health concerns can be an especially meaningful way to show you care at the holidays.

A monthly or yearly donation to World Vision in the name of your loved one is a great way to provide access to vital pharmaceuticals and medical supplies such as antibiotics, anti-fungals, anti-parasitic drugs, deworming medications, disposable syringes, gastrointestinal drugs, painkillers or surgical supplies to communities that desperately need them. Your gift will multiply five times in terms of its impact to help ship and distribute necessary medicine and supplies.

Support community artisans

If your loved one is passionate about artistic and beautiful things from around the world, you can support local artisans and craftspeople as well. Your support enables artisans to access “microloans” that help them fund their businesses. You can also directly purchase their hand-crafted items, which supports their business and enables you or your gift recipient to enjoy unique and beautiful works of art. Look for organizations that partner with fair trade organizations when you shop for international goods to maximize the impact of your gift.

Browse through World Vision’s 2019 Gift Catalog to see a wide variety of unique handcrafted gifts ranging from jewelry and housewares to decorative items. A portion of your purchase will be used to support specific, urgent needs for children, families or communities around the world, benefiting local artisans, along with the individual for whom you selected a gift.

A $75 or greater donation enables you to select a gift from the Opportunity Collection of home decor items, the Grace Collection of jewelry and accessories or the Hope Bracelet. These items were exclusively designed by Emmy-Award-winning actress Patricia Heaton. They were created by fair trade artisans in India in partnership with Gifts with a Cause, a fair-trade organization that provides a sustainable income to artists in developing countries. This business opportunity helps empower people to thrive, improving the lives of their families and communities. To celebrate this year’s season of giving and make a real difference, consider making a donation that expresses how much you care. Your gift will truly have an impact on making the lives of others better — long after the holidays are over.

(BPT) – The holiday season is full of celebration, social activities and spreading good cheer by exchanging gifts. The problem is gift giving can get expensive if you’re not making a plan and monitoring your spending. A happy holiday doesn’t have to mean stressing about finances or going into debt. You can enjoy the holidays and save money with some smart strategies for gift giving on a budget.

Create a gift list: Are you feeling pressure to get gifts for everyone? Thoughtfully consider who’s on your list this year. While a gift may be appropriate for some people, others might simply prefer to spend some time together rather than exchanging gifts. Perhaps invite someone over for lunch or plan a cookie exchange with friends.

Make a budget early: Deciding on budget limits for your holiday gifts will help guide your spending. You might have an overall holiday budget and then a specific budget to target for each person on your list. Then, with your gift list in hand and budget in mind, you can shop for appropriate and affordable gifts. What’s more, by starting early, you can take advantage of sales and other promotions that can help you save even more.

Stop worrying about perfect presents: Worried about finding the ideal gift? Coinstar’s recent holiday survey found about one-third of people don’t recall what gift they received last year, so stop feeling pressure to get the perfect present. Ultimately, it’s the thought that counts. Whether it’s a card or small, reasonably priced gift, the recipient will be glad you took the time to show you care.

Use change to stretch your budget: You probably don’t think much about coins, but the holiday survey found that people believe they have about $71 in spare change in and around their home! Collect and cash in that spare change at a supermarket Coinstar kiosk to boost your holiday budget. This can also be a fun activity for kids who can gather coins or dip into the family coin jar for spending money and then buy gifts for family members. Visit www.coinstar.com/findakiosk to find a location near you.

Create a group gift exchange: If you have a large, extended family or a group of friends that you typically buy for, consider a gift exchange. It’s fun and budget-friendly because you’re not buying a separate gift for each person. Smart tip: Set a price limit per gift to keep everyone in the same ballpark for presents and prevent any competition of one person outdoing another.

Opt for services as gifts: Rather than giving a physical present, is there something you could do that the recipient would appreciate? Consider an act of kindness like cleaning a family member’s home or watching their children. If you have a particular talent, consider how that can be incorporated into your gift. Know how to play the piano? Offer to give children lessons. Do you have a snowblower? Offer to help clear a neighbor’s driveway after a snowstorm.

Consider charitable donations: Giving to charity on behalf of someone else can be a nice holiday gesture. Whether it’s animal welfare, disaster relief, a children’s charity or something else, think about what the person is passionate about and select an appropriate charity.

The Coinstar holiday survey revealed that if there were no obligations or expectations around gift giving, about 10% of people would give to charity. Keep in mind, Coinstar kiosks in supermarkets allow you to donate your change to certain charities, making it easy to put your change to good use and give a meaningful gift.

No matter what you choose, gift giving can be meaningful and affordable. Let these ideas inspire you to stay on budget and shop wisely this holiday season.

6 ways to gift and give back this holiday season

(BPT) – The holiday season is here — it’s time to break out the decorations, turn up the festive tunes and of course, find the perfect gifts for everyone on your shopping list. From the pressure to pick the most thoughtful present to the stress of going over budget, it’s easy to lose sight of the holiday spirit. In fact, according to a 2018 study by CompareCards.com, two-thirds of Americans think that shopping is the most stressful part of the holiday season. But checking off your shopping list doesn’t have to be a hassle. From holiday gift guides to easy ways to give back, Amazon has everything you need to make holiday shopping a breeze. Consider these tips to save your time and sanity this season.

Make a plan. Let’s face it, holiday shopping is overwhelming; but you can alleviate some of that stress by planning ahead. Start your planning with Alexa by asking her to add items to your shopping list. Be sure to keep an eye on big holiday deal days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday to get the lowest prices. Check out the “Watch a Deal” function on the free Amazon App to receive notifications when deals are about to go live — that way, you’ll never miss a deal! Alexa makes it easy to find the top deals every day. Simply ask, “Alexa, what are my deals?”

Start with gift guides: Finding great gifts for everyone on your list without breaking the bank can be tricky. Luckily, Amazon’s holiday gift guides offer something for everyone. This year, Amazon released curated gift guides across Toys, Electronics, Luxury Beauty and more. Each gift guide is chock full of best-selling products and the latest trends. You can even filter by price point as you search, making it easy to stay within budget. When you figure out the perfect gift, ask Alexa for the item you need. She’ll add it to your cart and you can review and checkout on mobile when you’re free. You can even ask her to remember who the item is for.

Shop from anywhere. Make holiday preparation a breeze by shopping from your mobile device. In fact, more and more consumers are making the jump to mobile shopping. According to a February 2019 survey by digital marketing firm AdLucent, 64% of shoppers said they placed online orders on a smartphone during the previous holiday season. Spend less time waiting in line and more time enjoying the holidays!

Shop with purpose. There’s no time like the holiday season to give back to a cause that’s close to your heart. Amazon is making it easy for customers to join its commitment to deliver smiles all year. AmazonSmile is a simple way to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same Amazon experience — low prices, vast selection, fast and free delivery options and more, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price of eligible purchases to a charity of your choice. AmazonSmile’s Charity Lists offer yet another way to give back. AmazonSmile Charity Lists give charitable organizations an easy way to create wish lists of products needed, while providing customers a convenient way to donate directly to these causes with the reassurance the list is managed directly by the charity. Shop thousands of AmazonSmile Charity Lists by visiting smile.amazon.com/charitylists, with new charities joining all the time. If you’re interested in making a monetary donation, it’s as easy as saying “Alexa, I want to make a donation.”

Save the surprise. Shopping for a member of your household and don’t want to spoil the surprise? Try Amazon Day for your holiday purchases. Rather than receiving each order individually, you can have all your orders arrive together on the day of your choice, making it easy to save gifting surprises for friends, family and roommates. Amazon Day not only makes receiving orders more predictable, it groups multiple purchases together in fewer boxes whenever possible. Amazon Day is free to Prime members and available on most items that are eligible for Prime delivery and shipped by Amazon. Learn more at amazon.com/amazonday and select your personalized delivery day at checkout.

When in doubt, give a gift card. Still can’t find that perfect gift for a loved one? Don’t sweat it: with a gift card, your friends or family members can select exactly what they want. Visit amazon.com/giftcards and audible.com/giftcenter for a wide variety of delightful designs, including boxes, tins and greeting cards with free one-day shipping (where available). Need it right now? Choose from options you can print at home, send by email or even text.