Tiny Details for Your Big Day: How to Budget for a Bigger Gift

Your partner deserves the perfect gift, but sometimes, you just don’t have the cash. You might have to get creative if you have your heart set. 

With that in mind, here are three tips for how to budget for a bigger gift.

Does your spouse-to-be talk about nothing but the man-cave they’ll design in your marital home? Maybe you can’t afford to outfit it with the pool table and foosball game they want all at once, but you can contribute something toward their dream. You can find tournament quality dartboards for under $100.

Likewise, maybe you can’t afford to buy your future spouse a new car, but you can contribute toward the one they’re restoring. Details like halogen headlines lend improved visibility on the road, and custom seat covers and cupholders make nice touches.

If you work for an employer, why not pay a visit to your HR department? Ask them to redirect a portion of your paycheck to a savings account you establish for the purpose. It’s much easier than disciplining yourself to put the money aside.

You can even use this trick if you work for yourself. If you have multiple income streams that produce predictable revenue, direct one to a savings account that you don’t link to others. You’ll have to do a few more calculations at tax time, but when it’s a hassle to access that cash, you won’t use it outside of its intended purpose outside of dire emergencies.

Finally, if the gift you want is too pricey for you to afford solo, why not pool your resources than others? If the lucky couple has their heart set on a deluxe gas grill for their outdoor kitchen, they’ll appreciate a single gift of that from several folks more than a collection of unrelated, less expensive gadgets they may never use.

You can even set up your registry for group gifting if you include big-ticket items. That way, your guests don’t have to wonder if so-and-so got an invitation and do all the collective groundwork themselves. They can merely add their cash donation at the checkout.

If you don’t have tons of disposable cash, shopping for the ideal wedding present can prove stressful. Learn how to budget for a big gift with the three tips above.