Unique Gift Ideas for Teenagers and Young Adults

As a recent college graduate living independently of my parents, I struggle to make ends meet. I can afford rent and food, but with an entry level position at a non-profit and the salary that goes along with it, I am by no means living a life of luxury. So I look forward to my birthday and holidays as times to get the gifts that I can't afford to by myself. Nothing is worse than waiting all year for the perfect present and getting something you don't need or want so if you are buying a gift for a budding professional, broke young adult or independent teenager, please heed my advice.

First, don't discount the necessities. It may night be as fun to get underwear for your birthday as it is to get a new DVD but if you need underwear (which most people do) it makes a good gift. They even sell some holiday-themed undergarments for a holiday present. If you don't know the type of underwear this young adult may want, then don't buy underwear.

Besides underwear, there are some other necessities that you salaried-folk take for granted. For instance, a bag of groceries can be a wonderful and practical gift. Go to Whole Foods or Trader Joes and fill up a canvas shopping bag with good food that you know the young adult will enjoy. Trust me, they will appreciate getting to skip a week of grocery shopping and the canvas bag is reusable. It is the gift that keeps on giving; most stories take $.03 off of a bill if a person brings their own bag.

Gift cards may be impersonal but they are certainly practical. A gift card to a store that the young adult may not always be able to afford is a great present. For instance, a coffee shop gift card for the winter holidays or an ice-cream shop gift card during the summer. A gas gift card will always be appreciated. Don't buy a gift card to a store that is expensive because it is hard to spend the exact amount on the card. You don't want to give a $20 gift card to Neiman Marcus.