Thrifty Christmas gifts that keep on giving

Here’s a gift idea for that woman - or man! - on your list who likes to carry their own personal fragrance. This can be especially good for the person that travels a lot, considering the restrictions on the sizes of liquids that can be carried on in your luggage or purse.

Sephora fragrance atomizer - $10.00

Sephora has several versions of this 0.5 ounce atomizer, and the silver version would work for a man. You simply pour or squirt your favorite scent into the little funnel, having carefully positioned it over the uncapped reservoir.

Voila! Never be without your scent again.

I’m going to tell a small secret, you might be able to talk salespeople into a few squirts of something you’d love to try into the atomizer for a trial run of a fragrance. Perhaps that’s a good reason to carry a spare. Hmmm.

The price on these makes them a no-brainer for handing out at the workplace gift exchange.

Pilates ‘Magic Ring’ Core Exerciser - $29.99

Who doesn’t want a firm, trim and strong group of core muscles? This is a great gift for that person who loves to work out at home!

Want to make it more? Add the Thera Bands pak for $9.99 to $16.99.

Another way to make this gift rock, add the book by Ellie Herman, ‘Pilates Props Workbook’ for $10.85

Here are some suggestions that make great unisex gifts for the health concious on your list, or the would-be/’should-be health concious:

University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter - 12 issues for $28.00

Nutrition Action Newsletter from CSPI - $10.00

How about for the committed consumer/shopper on your list?

Membership to Consumers Union/ Consumers Report - $29.00 a year

Something for that new homeowner?

A years membership to Angie’s List - One year is $10.00 with a $2.50 sign up fee. It can be renewed monthly. Oh, and Angie’s List also covers the medical field now, too. It’s not just handymen/gals anymore!

Got a fanatical reader on your list?

The Amazon Kindle has gone down in price, and for the person who just blazes through every best seller that shows up in the stores, this is a great gift - $139.00

The Kindle is still the easiest to read of the ‘readers’, and the interface isn’t complicated.

Go the extra mile with this gift, and set up their account for them - especially if it’s Grandma and she doesn’t know a computer or Amazon from squat.

If the person is more techie, and loves color interface, then you might want to consider the Barnes&Noble ‘Nook’ for $250.

These are both well under the techie-guru’s choice of the Apple iPad for about $700.