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Manila Bulletin devider Technews devider Sustainable gift ideas for everyone

Sustainable gift ideas for everyone

Published Dec 16, 2022 11:38 am

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Most of the online stories or articles are about places to visit, great deals to catch, and even gift ideas to give this Yuletide season. Have you shopped yet? Where are you celebrating Christmas and New Year? Are you contemplating whether or not to give something sustainable but don’t have any ideas about which one?

Evidently, with how prices are unpredictably going up, the more we need to be wise in choosing gift items for our friends or loved ones. So, if you are looking for sustainable gift ideas, here are some gifts you can get that are sustainable and worth every penny!

Prepaid Health Cards

Have you heard about prepaid health cards? These are also those usual health cards or HMOs we get for our family (or as a benefit as an employee), but only these cards have limitations and are only good to use for a year. Most prepaid health cards are for single use only. But, still, a good investment and a perfect gift for your loved ones.

I personally avail and use the following:

  • PhilCare ER Vantage for Kids and Adults – prices range from Php 1,800 and up, depending on the benefits. Pre-existing conditions are not covered, though. But most viral and bacterial illnesses like pneumonia are covered.
  • Maxicare ER Cards – these cards cost Php 4,999 (excluding major hospitals like Makati Medical Center) and Php 5,999 (including major hospitals). It has a P50,000 coverage to cover ER and admission costs.
  • Medicard’s Health Check – oh, I love this card! For only Php 500, you get unlimited consultations, FREE APE, and discounted laboratory procedures at Medicard's free-standing clinics.

Getting sick is inevitable but also preventable. Our healthcare system is not as conducive as we hope it would be, so gifting them a prepaid health card will give them peace of mind for the whole year. Of course, terms and conditions apply, so you have to read through them. For further details, you can just search them online.

Powerbanks and portable generators/solar panels

Although expensive, these items are perfect gifts for your loved ones. Especially if they work from home, these are gems of a gift! They can be used for a while and help in times of a typhoon and can be used for a long time.

Anker is a reliable powerbank and has choices from 5000mAh to 20000mah powerbanks. Furthermore, some Anker powerbanks can also charge a laptop, so although expensive, it’s worth it as it can be used for a long time.

Also, gifting someone (or yourself) a portable solar panel is a great idea! You may check Shopee or Lazada for these and add them to your cart, ASAP!

Cash

Admittedly, near or far, monetary gifts indeed bring joy and a sense of security. Giving monetary support is by far the preferred gift for everyone. Some people can’t decide yet or have no idea yet of what they need, so giving them cash is a perfect idea. They can use it to pay bills, debts, etc. Send money via GCash, or bank transfer; it is convenient, fast, and secure!

Gift Certificates

GCs, on the other hand, is also a treat! You can give them the following:

  • Supermarket GCs
  • Gas GCs
  • Food vouchers
  • Hotel vouchers
  • Sodexo
  • And more!

Anything that will help someone with their finances is a kind gesture.

Tumblers

Water bottles or tumblers are one of the market's simplest and most readily available items that promote sustainability. It encourages people to bring their own instead of buying plastic water bottles.

You can choose from Hydroflask, Aquaflask, Starbucks, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, to even those available in the supermarket.

Mobile phones

Who would say no to a gadget? There is a plethora of choices in the market that are affordable and reliable. It really depends on the budget, personality, and usability.

Here are my top 3 choices:

  • Top 3: Xiaomi 12 Lite. Why Xiaomi 12 Lite: I love Xiaomi phones. They’re affordable and provide solutions to my challenges like budget, functionality, and convenience. This mobile phone is featherweight light but heavy in features. If you are an aspiring content creator or loves to capture photos and videos, Xiaomi 12 Lite is perfect for you. We’ve used this during its launch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, so check it out here.
  • Top 2: Samsung Flip 4Z. Why Samsung Flip 4Z: You can never go wrong with Samsung phones. Built to catch someone’s attention, this one is worthy of an investment. The clarity of the images and videos is phenomenal. Plus, it’s convenient to bring anywhere! It’s petite-flip feature makes you fashionably irresistible.
  • Top 1: iPhone 14 Pro Max. My analogy to this is: iPhone 14 Pro Max is the boyfriend your mom doesn’t like but you still went for it. If you have a budget and values quality, iPhone 14 Pro Max is a perfect gift. It’s sustainable as you don’t have to bring heavy DSLRs or a laptop to stay connected at work. An all-in-one gadget, iPhone 14 Pro Max unleashes your creativity to the fullest. Low-light or not, your photos and videos will come out like it was shot by professionals.

For tips and ideas on what to get, follow MB Tech News on Facebook and TikTok.

Portable Speakers

Make your Christmas and New Year more memorable with JBL speakers! The prices vary depending on the speakers you want, but this is a great gift idea. It can be used on special occasions or even on regular days. JBL recently launched new items just in time for the festive season! Read them here.

JBL Speaker

We will write a full review of their Partybox Encore, so stay tuned.

It’s how you “sleigh” it this Yuletide Season

Sometimes, we are so caught up with what to get, where to go, and what to do this season. We forget how to be simple and mindful of our surroundings. Remember that this is the time to have all the freedom in the world to do whatever you want to do. This is also the time to reassess things. Really, it is all about you. How you do things. How you want to spend it. Who do you want to spend it with. So, slay it this Yuletide season!

The perfect gift you can give someone is your presence. From your MB Tech News family to yours, happy holidays!

Disclaimer: The items listed on this article do not reflect the views and opinions of the Manila Bulletin Tech News team. This is written based on the experience and personal thoughts of the writer.

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