How to Gift Life-Change With Confidence
We get it. It can feel a bit awkward giving a loved one a book about money (or mental health, or self- improvement . . . you get the idea). You don’t want it to come off like you’re judging them or saying they don’t have it all together.
But to be honest — they probably don’t. And if you’re honest, neither did you. That’s why you came to Ramsey Solutions in the first place. You were searching for an answer to take your life in a new direction — whether it was from dead broke to debt-free or rock bottom to rockin’ on till the break of dawn (thanks, Delony!).
Something here at Ramsey Solutions touched your life, and now you’re living like no one else. So of course you want the same for your loved one. A great way to start them on that path is to gift them a book, tool or resource. But how do you do that without making it weird?
Let’s take a look.
Things to Think Through
Consider your relationship.
Think carefully about your connection with this person. Do you think they’d be open to this kind of gift from you? When the subject of money or relationships has come up in the past, what was the tone of the conversation? If it was positive, think about what it would look like to give them the item you’ve picked for them.
Look for an "in."
Has this person spoken to you about their situation or asked you for advice or help? When someone asks you for advice, it’s an invitation for you to speak into their life. So in that instance, offering a book or tool to help them continue to grow would feel more natural.
Lead with your heart, not an agenda.
Never give someone a gift because you want to “fix” or “change” them. People can feel when that’s your motivation, and it doesn’t feel great. It’s on them to make the decision to change. Remember, you’re giving this item because it changed your life, so lead with that.
It's Time to Gift
Now that you’ve worked your way around the gift-giving land mines and avoided a food-flinging brawl at the table with your sister-in-law shouting, “Maybe you need a total money makeover,” it’s time to pull the trigger.
And when you do give The Total Money Makeover, explain how it helped you take control of your money. Talk about how you got debt-free after taking Financial Peace University. Let them know how relieved you felt once you took all the bricks out of your backpack after reading Own Your Past, Change Your Future. Or how you finally understood what career would be most fulfilling to you once you finished From Paycheck to Purpose.
Pro tip: If you choose to gift a book, write something in the cover just to let them know you were intentional when you chose it for them.
And the most important thing to remember? When you’re giving a gift you feel awkward about, just wear your heart on your sleeve and tell them, “This changed me, and I feel so free now. I just wanted to share that with you.” Approach them with that humility and genuine kindness, and leave it at that. Once you’ve given it, don’t overthink it and don’t hound them about it. Just let the gift speak for itself.
You’ve planted the seed. Now step back and see what happens.