The absolutely best time of year to buy gift wrap is after the Christmas holiday. I have found gift wrap for up to 90 percent off the original price during the after-holiday sales.
The trick to really saving money on gift wrap (other than using kraft paper or going green with your gift wrap) is to buy versatile gift wrap that can be used for a variety of occasions.How do you do that? Buy solid colors, avoid Christmas or winter themes on the gift wrap design, and think ahead to gift giving occasions you may encounter.
For example, I have 3 boys who get invited to birthday parties (in addition to their own birthdays!), so I keep an eye out for plain red or green wrapping paper, and patterns that are considered more boyish or manly. Stripes are a great bet if the colors aren’t too Christmas-y.
For girls, watch for floral and swirl patterns. Wrapping paper comes in a variety of colors these days, so chances are you’ll find some pastels and purple, too!
Silver and gold gift wrap are perfect for wedding and anniversary gifts. I’ve even used them for baby shower gifts when I don’t know the gender of the little one.
Be sure to stock up on bows, tags and bags, too, when they are on sale. By stocking up at the lowest prices, you’ll guarantee you’ll be ready for any gift situation that comes up throughout the year.
Check out our other cheap tricks to help you save time and money and be sure to share your own cheap trick with us. You just might see it end up in a future Cheap Trick post!
I look for at least one year round paper each Christmas clearance. I found one this year with big colorful circles on it. It might even last me a few years but it is totally not Christmas-y. Well, worth checking the clearance. I am still using clearance paper products from at least 5 years ago. I got silver plates and napkins which are good for all occassions.
I love it when you can use wrapping paper year round. This year I found Angry Birds paper on clearance after Christmas which will work great for boys’ birthdays.