(BPT) – The holidays are a favorite time of year for many. We love decorating our homes, baking cookies, donating to our favorite charities, and listening to those classic songs we only get to enjoy a few short weeks each year. There’s all the holiday parties and celebrations. And of course, a big part of the season includes buying gifts for those we care about.
There’s a lot that’s crammed into the holidays, so finding the time to get to everything we want and need to do can feel challenging. Fortunately, technology can help!
Check out these gifting tips to help you save time and stay within budget this year.
Free up some room in your sleigh.
If you’re traveling for the holidays, the trip itself often has an impact on the gifts you purchase. But it doesn’t have to. If a long flight or drive made you shy away from larger gifts in the past, choose to buy online and ship your gifts to your final destination this year. Many of these services also offer gift wrapping and because the package is already being shipped, you don’t need to delay your trip waiting for your package to arrive.
No minute like the last minute.
This holiday season forget old fashioned cash and checks. There’s a new way to gift money right from your mobile banking app with Zelle®. Forget about going to the ATM, or having to find a stamp and then wait for the person to go cash your check. Zelle enables you to send money quickly, safely and easily with your mobile phone to almost anyone with a bank account in the U.S. Best of all, the funds are available to your loved one typically within minutes[1] when both parties are already enrolled. Most likely, you already have Zelle as part of your mobile banking app; otherwise, you can still use Zelle by downloading the Zelle app for Android and iOS.
Getting the elves together.
You have that special friend who deserves the designer purse and you know how much it would mean to her. You round up your girlfriends and pool your money together. You can use Zelle to split the cost of the gift with everyone. All you need is their email address or U.S. mobile phone number[2]. Zelle lets you request money with just a few taps on your mobile phone, making it easy to pool your resources and get the perfect gift for that special person on your list.
The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but they can also be hectic, particularly if you haven’t finished your shopping. Technology can help you make every minute count. Utilize some of the tips above and hopefully your holiday shopping and the festivities will be a littler merrier for you and your loved ones.
To learn more about Zelle and its participating financial institutions, visit www.zellepay.com.
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[1] Transactions between enrolled users usually take minutes. Must have a bank account in the U.S. to use Zelle. Zelle and the Zelle marks are property of Early Warning Services, LLC.
[2] Must have a bank account in the U.S. to use Zelle. Zelle and the Zelle marks are property of Early Warning Services, LLC.