Give a smart, meaningful gift that lasts

Are you wondering what to get a special young person this holiday season? Let’s face it, kids are just as hard to shop for as adults. ‘Gotta-have’ toys that are awesome one day, are often forgotten about the next. You’re lucky if a carefully selected clothing item lasts one season with as quickly as kids grow — and, that’s if you’ve hit the lottery by finding something that they actually want to wear.

Well, look no further, here’s some help. We’ve discovered a great website that makes it easy to give something that makes a difference this year, GiftofCollege.com. You can place a gift card order online, have it sent electronically, or request a card to be sent via snail mail. ToysRus and BabiesRUs also carry them in store, so if you want to pick one up while you’re shopping, that’s easy too.

When giving this sort of delayed gratification gift to younger kids, you may want to think about attaching it to a small toy, book or special goodie. Older kids will get the significance, and you can educate them on how the money will grow over time. Parents will love this website because it also allows them to set up a registry of sorts for any special occasion or time when someone wants to give a gift to their child. They can also start a saving in 529 plan for their child, if they haven’t done so already. The site offers great tools and resources, including a map that allows you to see what plans are available for every state. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, or simply a cool gift-giver, you’ll want to check out GiftofCollege.com.

We love the idea of giving something lasting that your favorite kiddo won’t outgrow or forget about in a dusty corner. We also love sharing ideas on how to spend wisely, budget carefully and make smart money choices in our Better Lives Blog.

For more info on the benefits of 529 plans, check out Savingforcollege.com.