23 Best Christmas Gift Ideas for 2023 [Merry Money!]

We’re all familiar with the numerous holiday gift round-ups that hit the web each year around this time. If you’re shopping for a child, these pieces probably showcase the top toys, art supplies, tech, or clothing for kids. You’ll find the latest and greatest tablets, drones, and video games … but there’s generally nothing unique that you wouldn’t find outside your local big-box store or the homepage of popular online retailers.

The same goes when listing Christmas gift ideas for adults. You’ll likely see the same old slippers, e-readers, earbuds, and puffer coats. Chances are you probably already own one or most of those things. And let’s face it: Even though they’re cozy, nobody actually needs five pairs of fuzzy slippers.

If you’re looking for something that’s a little off the beaten path, and a little more useful, read on as we list our best gift ideas and stocking stuffers for Christmas 2023. Instead of Squishmallows and shaving kits, we have the only Christmas gift ideas (outside of Chia Pets!) with the potential to grow over time: financial gifts.

Why the Perfect Gift for Christmas Is a Financial Gift

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Financial gifts are not only unique amid a sea of Legos and Squishmallows, but they also open a door to learning about money—a valuable opportunity no matter the age of the gift recipient.

If you’re gift shopping for a child or teen, remember: A financial present could help them learn about saving, investing, and building wealth. As a result, they might develop good financial habits that will serve them well in the future.

But financial gifts aren’t just for kids: Adults can benefit every bit as much. Just about everyone could get a little better at managing their finances and saving money. And a money-related gift can help your loved one boost their savings and invest for their goals.

So, without further ado, let’s get on with our financial holiday gift guide!

Best Christmas Gifts for Kids and Teens: Financial Edition

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If you’ve got money on your mind this holiday season, channel some of that energy—and redirect it by doling out the best financial gifts to the kids and teens in your family!

A quick note, though: If you’re not the parent, be sure to consult with the child’s parents before giving a financial gift. Whenever possible, you want to ensure your gift aligns with their savings plans.

1. 529 Plans

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Higher education is expensive. That’s why a particularly thoughtful gift is contributing to a 529 plan, where money can grow over time and be used to pay for tuition and related costs. College isn’t cheap, so most parents will appreciate that kind of financial support for their child.

In 2023, a person can give up to $17,000 per person in a year, whether that’s to a 529 plan or not, without any tax consequences. However, if it’s financially feasible, you can front-load a large contribution to a loved one’s 529 plan. Also called “superfunding” a 529, gift givers can donate a lump sum between $17,001 to $85,000, and categorize this amount as being spread out over five years from a gift tax perspective. It’s a great tax break that allows all of your generous contribution to begin compounding right away. And thanks to special IRS rules around 529 accounts, this amount won’t count against your lifetime gift tax exclusion.

And we’ll say this several times: Discuss with parents beforehand to see whether they already have set up an account, or if you should create one.

529s with Backer

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• Available: Sign up here
• Price: Flat fee of $1.99 per contribution

Backer, a hassle-free 529 savings plan where your family and friends can play a role, has helped families save more than $25 million toward college in just minutes.

Backer users have lauded its service for three primary reasons:

1. Simplicity: Backer allows families to start a college fund or enhance their existing one in under 3 minutes
2. Smart design: The company leverages robo-advice to help families maximize their college savings with tax-free investing in line with the details discussed above
3. Social: Backer allows friends and family to support the child’s college fund through gifts and cash-back rewards through brand-name partners

Backer 529 account holders can invest in a portfolio of low-cost index funds, including large-company stocks (S&P 500), small-cap stocks (Russell 2000), international-company shares (MSCI EAFE Index), and U.S. government bonds (Barclays Aggregate Bond Index).

Related: Best Bar Mitzvah Gift Ideas

2. Custodial Accounts

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Custodial accounts are among the best gifts you can give a child to build up their financial future.

Custodial accounts allow you to invest money for a minor. As the account’s custodian or trustee, you have control of it until your child reaches adulthood—typically 18 to 21 years old. Once your child reaches adulthood, they become the owner of their individual account and can do whatever they want with the funds.

There are two main types of custodial account: Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) and Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA). The two main differences between UGMA and UTMA:

1. A UGMA custodial account can be used to hold only strictly financial assets, including (but not limited to) stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and insurance products. UTMA accounts can hold those assets, but also any property—say, real estate or cars.
2. The UGMA custodial account structure has been adopted in all 50 states. However, only 48 states have adopted the UTMA custodial account. (South Carolina and Vermont are the exceptions.)

Just note that if you are concerned about the impact of your child’s assets on their eligibility for federal financial aid, then a custodial account might not be right. Students are expected to contribute a higher percentage of savings versus what their parents might be able to, usually 20% versus a maximum 5.6% of savings for the parents.

Custodial accounts with EarlyBird

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• Available: Sign up here
• Price: $2.95/mo. for one child, $4.95/mo. for families with 2+ children

EarlyBird is a mobile app that allows parents and guardians to set up a Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) account (more on those below) to gift money for investments to their children.

This app provides a convenient and inexpensive way to gift money to a child, with funds available to go toward any expenses that benefit the child. When opening an account to invest for your children, EarlyBird allows you to choose from five strategic ETF-only portfolios, with investing goals ranging from conservative to aggressive, based on your stated risk tolerance and overall investor profile.

Do family and friends want to provide a gift, but think money is too impersonal? With EarlyBird, they can record a video to go along with their financial contribution, personalizing these moments which last a lifetime. And if you’d like to give but the recipient doesn’t have an EarlyBird account, you can text them a link from the app to the recipient’s phone number.

Consider opening an EarlyBird account today and receive $15 to get you started after opening your account.

Related: 11 Best Investment Accounts [Types for Beginners to Use]

3. Joint Brokerage Accounts

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The standard type of brokerage account is an individual brokerage, in which one person is listed as the account owner. A joint brokerage account, however, allows two or more people to sit on the account’s title and act as owners of all assets within the account.

These accounts most commonly exist between spouses. However, they can also be opened between two or more individuals who share financial goals (say, unmarried partners or business partners), or more to the point of investing for kids, multiple family members (say, a parent and child).

When a parent and child have a jointly owned brokerage account, they can share in the decision-making of what to buy and sell. And it’s easy! Many investing apps for kids allow you to open a brokerage account with joint ownership.

Teens can invest with the Fidelity Youth™ Account

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• Available: Sign up here
• Price: No account fees, no account minimum, no trading commissions*
• Platforms: Web, mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)
• Promotion: Teens get $50¹ on Fidelity^® when they download the Fidelity Youth™ app and activate their Youth Account; parents get $100 when they fund a new account

Is your teen interested in jumpstarting their financial future? Do you want them to build smart money habits along the way?

Of course you do! Learning early about saving, spending and investing can pay off big when you start on the right foot. And one tool that can help your teen get that jump is the Fidelity Youth™ Account—an account owned by teens 13 to 17 that’s designed to help them start their money journey. They can start investing by buying most U.S. stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and Fidelity mutual funds for as little as $1!⁴

Your teen will also get a free debit card with no subscription fees, no account fees³, no minimum balances, and no domestic ATM fees⁵. And they can use this free debit card for teens to manage their cash and spend it whenever they need.

And as for building smart money habits? You and your teen can access your account through the Fidelity Youth™ app, which has a dedicated Learn tab packed with materials developed specifically to help teens develop good financial habits. Not only will Fidelity’s interactive lessons, videos, articles, tools, and calculators accelerate their learning—but for every level they complete, reward dollars will be deposited into their account to use however they want.

Controls parents want and need

A parent or guardian must have or open a brokerage account with Fidelity^® to open a Fidelity Youth™ Account. For new Fidelity^® customers, opening an account is easy, and there are no minimums and no account fees.

Parents and guardians have plenty of tools they can use to monitor their teen’s activity: They have online account access, can follow monthly statements and trade confirmations, and can view debit card transactions made in the account.

To make it even easier, you can set up alerts to notify you of trades, transactions, and cash management activity, keeping you firmly in the loop on actions your teen takes across the Fidelity Youth™ Account’s suite of products.

If your teen has an interest in learning about investing and taking their first steps toward building their financial journey, you should consider downloading the Fidelity Youth™ app and opening a Fidelity Youth™ Account. The account comes custom-built for their needs, which will help them become financially independent and start investing for their future.

Read more in our Fidelity Youth™ Account review.

Related: How to Invest Money: 5 Steps to Start Investing w/Little Money

4. Brokerage Accounts (Parent-Owned, Kid-Used)

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In theory, children could use their parents’ brokerage account (with the parents’ permission, of course) to learn about investing. Problem is, because you can’t open a brokerage account until age 18, virtually all brokerage accounts are designed with adults in mind—the interfaces aren’t simple enough for children, and there aren’t nearly enough guardrails.

However, there are rare exceptions out there, including a notable one from Greenlight:

The Greenlight Max account

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Greenlight Max is an investment account for kids that comes paired with a debit card and bank account.

It’s easy to use and can double as a savings account and banking apps for teens. The investing app will teach the basics of investing, how to invest in stocks and ETFs, and more.

It works best if parents and/or grandparents are involved in the process because it requires linked accounts from the adults’ banks or brokerages. Plus, parents and guardians will need to approve trades made in the investment account.

The all-in-one plan teaches them important financial skills like money management and investing fundamentals—with real money, real stocks and real-life lessons.

You can use the investing feature to:

• Start investing with as little as $1 in your account
• Buy fractional shares of companies you admire (say, kid-friendly stocks)
• No trading commissions beyond the monthly subscription fee
• Teens can only invest in U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs that have either a market capitalization over $1 billion or a three-month average daily dollar volume of more than $500,000
• Parents must approve every trade directly in the app.

Consider opening a Greenlight Card + Max account to start investing in a joint investment account as a teenager today. Each account supports up to five kids.

Greenlight currently offers a free one-month trial so you can see whether it really is one of the best investments for kids and, more importantly, meets all of your needs.

Related: Greenlight Card Review

5. Custodial Roth IRA

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While individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and Roth IRAs are used predominantly by adults, one type of Roth IRA makes for a great Christmas gift for a child or teen.

Like with a custodial brokerage account, a parent or guardian opens a custodial Roth IRA and maintains the account on behalf of their child or minor. You decide how to invest the account balance and how much to contribute, and then account ownership is transferred to your child when they reach a certain age.

These accounts offer certain advantages, such as tax-free withdrawals for qualified costs or in retirement, but they’re also subject to contribution limits. For 2023, the Roth IRA contribution limit is $6,500. Still, opening a custodial Roth IRA can be a great way to help your child build a nest egg for retirement, or a qualified expense such as college tuition or a down payment on a first home.

6. Debit Card for Kids and Teens

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Debit cards are a pivotal pathway into financial responsibility. That’s because they give kids a little control over their spending and provide them a glimpse into what it’s like to manage money on their own.

The best debit cards for teens come with features such as parental oversight, spending controls, rewards programs, and more.

Get your child started with a Greenlight debit card

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• Available: Sign up here

In addition to investment accounts, Greenlight also offers a debit card that boasts great features for the kids who use it, as well as important safety features that adults can oversee.

The Greenlight Card works like a prepaid debit card. You can choose how much money to load onto the card, and it will be cleared to make approved purchases so long as a money balance backs up the card.

Greenlight provides parents with control over where their teens can spend money by limiting the stores where their cards work. Parents also can receive alerts when money is spent. Teens who want extra money can request it and even include a photo of the purchase they want to make. Teenagers who have jobs can add their own funds to the card as well.

The Greenlight card is accepted at any ATM that accepts Mastercard, Visa, Interlink or Maestro cards. (Just note that most ATMs charge withdrawal fees, and these fees will be charged per withdrawal.) The company even offers a personalized card, with your own photo or design, for $9.98 per year.

Further, parents can open an investment account for kids to get their children investing in stocks and exchange-traded funds for the first time.

Related: 10 Best Free Debit Cards for Kids & Teens [Earn, Save & Spend]

7. Secured Credit Card for Teens

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Another type of card to consider getting for your teenage children is a secured credit card.

Like a prepaid debit card, you effectively have to put money up front to use the card. However, with a secured credit card, the up-front money is just a deposit—usually equal to your credit limit—that you will receive back when you close the card. Otherwise, it works like a credit card, you pay it off monthly, and it can help you build your credit.

Start your credit history with the Step Visa Card

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• Available: Sign up here

The Step Visa Card is a unique “hybrid” secured credit card that’s tailor-made for kids and teens. It functions just like a Visa credit card, but it offers the safety features of a debit card—and most importantly, it can help build your child’s credit history.

Parents, who sponsor the card, can opt to have Step report the past two years’ worth of information—transactions, payment history, and more—to the credit bureaus when their child turns 18. Credit scores are assigned once someone turns 18, and most teens will begin with a score of under 600. But based on a Step survey, 18-year-olds who used Step for at least seven months had an average credit score of 725.

How much of a difference could that better credit make? Step says that an 18-year-old user with a score of 725 could expect these kinds of savings compared to users with lower credit scores:

• Car insurance: $147 per month instead of $250 per month
• Student loan: 6.24% interest rate instead of 10.46%
• Security deposit: 1 month’s rent instead of two months’ rent

Step also provides a seamless experience for teens who “graduate” into young adulthood. When they turn 18, Step allows cardholders to keep their old credit card number and account, doing the legal heavy lifting in the background to get them appointed as the legal owner of their account, and transitioning them to an independent account.

In other ways, Step acts like a debit card. Parents can add money directly into their child’s Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured Step account. A regular Step account allows a child to have both a physical spending card as well as a virtual card in the Step app, while a Parent Managed Account only allows the child to spend via a physical card. Children can use both the virtual and physical cards to spend anywhere Visa is accepted, and they can use the physical card to withdraw money for free at more than 30,000 ATMs.

And parents needn’t fear their child overdrafting—they can’t spend any money they don’t have.

Other features include Savings Goals, where any money saved can generate 5% in annual interest (compounded and paid monthly) with a qualifying direct deposit*; Savings Roundup, where purchases are rounded up to the nearest dollar and the overage is put toward a Savings Goal; an “invest” function that allows users age 13 and older to buy and sell Bitcoin; and opt-in cash or Bitcoin rewards from companies including Hulu, Chick-Fil-A, CVS, and the New York Times.

Visit Step to learn more or sign up today.

Read more in our Step review.

Related: 20+ Best Investing Apps + Money Apps for Teens [2023]

8. Savings Bonds

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Savings bonds are considered a fairly safe investment, and you can buy them as holiday gifts for kids or teens through the U.S. Treasury website.

These debt instruments, which are issued by the U.S. Treasury, are effectively low-risk loans to the government. In return for buying savings bonds, bondholders earn interest on their investments. Returns on bonds are generally lower than what you’d see with stocks, but these tools can be useful for hedging against inflation.

Savings bonds are generally considered long-term investments, and they have varying maturity dates depending on the type of bond you get. For instance, Series I bonds mature after 30 years, but you can cash them out in as little as 12 months (though you’ll forfeit three months’ worth of interest.)

9. High-Yield Savings Account

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If your child isn’t old enough (or responsible enough) for a debit or credit card, they can at least start earning some interest while storing their money by having their own high-yield savings account. Among the reasons why a savings account is among the best presents for a young relative:

• Even small contributions to a child or teen’s savings account can earn interest. And thanks to compound interest, their balance will grow even more over time.
• Making deposits to a bank account is simple, and you can do so any time of year, not just Christmas.
• If you want to give your loved one a yearly gift, you can probably set up automatic payments from your own bank account.
• Assuming your child doesn’t have a job, interest earnings on the account won’t be taxed unless they exceed a certain amount.
• Your child can take over ownership of the account and contribute on their own once they reach a certain age.

While a high-yield savings account is unlikely to provide the returns you’d see with, say, a brokerage account. But these accounts are secure, easy to manage, and easily accessible.

10. Piggy Bank

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If you’re looking for an actual gift gift, you might consider a classic—with a twist.

While a piggy bank may not sound like an exciting gift, you could be pleasantly surprised. Newer piggy banks are a far cry from the simple ceramic pigs that used to sit atop our bureaus as children. Some, like the Fishboy ATM, will even count your child’s total deposits and keep their funds secure with a safe-style combination lock. Others, like the Moonjar Moneybox, actively teach your children about money.

11. Money Games

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Young children learn a lot about the world through play. So, capitalize on this by adding a fun game about money—preferably one you can play together—to your holiday shopping list.

Games such as Learning Resources’ Money Bags and Winning Moves Games’ Pay Day help kids learn about coin value, saving, money management, and more.

Our suggestion? If you do open an account for your child, pair it with a tangible gift, like a money board game or toy. Kids appreciate tangible gifts that they can actually hold and play with come Christmas morning.

12. Toy Cash Register

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Another unique gift option for young children is a pretend cash register (with pretend money included), such as the Learning Resources Pretend & Play Calculator Cash Register.

Not only will this toy give your child the opportunity to learn about coin value and how credit cards work, but they can also use their cash register to play Store. The setup can be as simple or elaborate as they want, and you could even help them price items and calculate totals for goods they’d like to buy.

Adding a pretend cash register is a smart way to teach your children the basics of money while they play.

Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Adults: Financial Edition

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If you’re about to start shopping, whether it’s for a 20-something son or daughter, or another beloved adult family member, the right money gift will not disappoint.

Forget the Apple Watch. Forget the candle gift set. There’s something more rewarding—from investment accounts to gift cards—for everyone you’re shopping for this holiday season.

13. Microsavings App

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Know someone in your life who wants to become a saver? Are you that someone? Either way, a prime solution might be a microsavings app, which helps you save a little at a time through features such as round-ups and cash back.

Fidelity Bloom (Our Top Automatic Savings App)

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• Available: Sign up here
• Price: Free (no monthly fees)¹
• Platforms: Mobile app (Apple iOS, Android)

Fidelity Bloom^® is a unique free mobile app and debit card that comes with two brokerage accounts—one for saving, one for spending—and pays you to save. Fidelity Bloom^® aims to simplify your finances by separating your savings from your day-to-day spending money. The app also helps you build better financial habits by educating you about your spending and motivating you to save more.

When you download Fidelity Bloom^®, you’re opening two brokerage accounts: Fidelity Bloom^® Spend and Fidelity Bloom^® Save. Spend is an account for your day-to-day spending, while Save helps you grow your savings. The accounts have no monthly fees, nor are you required to make a minimum deposit to open them.

Fidelity Bloom Spend

The Spend account is linked to a Fidelity Bloom^® debit card that can be used wherever Visa cards are accepted. The debit card has a flat 10-cent cash-back reward on every purchase—a small nominal amount, but one that translates into a high amount on small purchases. (For instance, 10 cents on a $10 purchase is effectively a 1% cash-back reward, which is generous for a debit card.)

Fidelity Bloom® also offers cash-back shopping with more than 1,000 popular retailers. You can use this feature through the app, or through your browser. Your Fidelity Bloom^® debit card also comes with customizable round-ups that allow you to round up purchases by either adding a set dollar amount ($1 to $10) or a percentage of the purchase price (1% to 10%). Any time you use your Spend card, your round-up amount will be deposited into your Save account.

Fidelity Bloom Save

The Fidelity Bloom^® Save account helps you keep your savings separate from your spending money. But it also goes one step further by helping you build your savings. Fidelity Bloom^® will automatically match 10% on up to $300 saved annually in Fidelity Bloom^® Save accounts, good for a potential maximum yearly reward of $30.

One small technical note that users should be aware of: While Fidelity Bloom^® Save and Fidelity Bloom^® Spend act like checking and savings accounts, they’re actually brokerage accounts. Rather than Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance that you’d get with a traditional bank account, you receive Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) coverage. Fidelity Bloom^® accounts are covered for up to $500,000 of securities, including up to $250,000 in cash.

Read more in our Fidelity Bloom^® review.

 

14. High-Yield Savings Account

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Kids, teens, adults: A high-yield savings account can make a great gift for recipients of any age.

With a high-yield savings account, your loved one won’t have to sweat the ups and downs of the stock market. Plus, online high-yield savings accounts can often offer APYs several times higher than what you’ll get with an average bank savings account, meaning your loved one can earn interest on their money without lifting a finger.

A great example is the UFB Preferred Savings account by UFB Direct. It typically offers an industry-leading rate, just make sure to check with UFB Direct for the most up-to-date rates.

Related: Best Kid Debit Cards

15. Certificate of Deposit (CD)

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A certificate of deposit (CD) is a specific type of savings product that earns you a fairly high APY for a predetermined period of time. CD terms typically range from six months to five years, though shorter or longer options may be available too, depending on your bank.

Longer-term CDs tend to offer higher rates, which means the recipient will earn more on your gift. But they’ll also need to leave it alone until the CD matures, as most banks won’t let you cash out a CD before then. Many CDs earn more than a typical savings account, and they’re a safe place to stash cash.

CIT Bank CDs, for instance, offer competitive yields. As of this writing, yields for 13- and 18-month CDs were above 4%.

 

16. Money Market Account (MMA)

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Like a high-interest savings account, a money market account (MMA) offers a generous interest rate on your deposits. You can open one of these accounts for a family member at several banks and credit unions. Many MMAs come with minimum balance requirements, and some offer tiered APYs that let your gift recipient earn a higher rate if they meet a set balance threshold.

The average APY on money market accounts with balances under $100,000 was just 0.07% in November, according to the FDIC. As of this writing, the CIT Bank MMA earned 1.55% on a minimum deposit of just $100.

 

17. Investment Account for Beginners

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Whether you’re 10, 18, 30, or 60, you can always gain something by beginning to invest.

That said, some investment accounts are more appropriate for seasoned investors. Others have the beginner in mind. So if you want to get someone started on the path to investing, go with a platform or app that’s designed specifically for newbies.

Plynk: The best investment app for beginners

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• Available via Apple iOS and Android App on Google Play.
• Price: Free, but certain features may require a fee in the future.
• Sign up here

Plynk™ is an app designed to help you start investing and learn along the way, and they’re currently offering a $10 account signup and $75 net deposit bonus ($85 combined).

The Plynk app helps investors put their money into an investment portfolio. You can invest with as little as $1, and trade stocks, funds, and crypto commission-free**—all in one app.

The platform uses straightforward, easy-to-understand language to explain investing concepts. No jargon. No complex charts and tables. Just simple-language tips and how-tos.

Navigate investment ideas with tools to help you explore and choose. With Plynk Explore, just answer a few questions, and the app will display stock, ETF, and mutual fund investments that mesh with your investment comfort zone.

To assist with building your financial literacy, Plynk offers complete lessons and courses on financial education, including tips, educational content and how-tos.

The Plynk app enables you to make use of a powerful investing technique called dollar-cost averaging through participating in recurring investments. By continuing to buy a fixed dollar amount of investments over time, whether the market is up or down, you can build a disciplined investing habit and lower the stress that can come from market movements.

One of Plynk’s most interesting features involves, of all things, gift cards. Specifically, you can redeem unused gift cards for money that you can use to buy stocks in your favorite companies.

If this sounds interesting to you, consider opening an account with Plynk. To make it more worth your while, they have a few special offers.

Simply open an account and link your bank account to get a $10 signup bonus. Plynk is also offering a special bonus promotion through Dec. 14, 2023. If you make a deposit, Plynk will double it up to $75. Customers must have a minimum of $25 in net deposits during the promotional period to receive a match. That means you may be eligible for up to $85 in signup bonuses from Plynk by taking qualifying actions.

 

18. Stock Investment Newsletter Subscription

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For the latest in money and investing news, you might also consider signing your loved one up for a stock investment newsletter subscription. This is an especially smart choice if they enjoy learning about money online, and you can handpick a few smart options so they’re actually getting decent guidance.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t shamelessly plug our own two free newsletters, Lunch Money and The Weekend Tea, which you can sign up for simultaneously. Lunch Money targets parents and teens looking to learn more about essential money topics, and The Weekend Tea offers finance news updates for readers.

But our newsletters cover all areas of personal finance. If you’re looking for stock-specific newsletters, you might want to consider the likes of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Stock Advisor.

You can also combine both Rule Breakers and Stock Advisor, as well as two more Fool products, at a discounted rate in Motley Fool’s Epic Bundle.

Read more in our Motley Fool Stock Advisor review and Motley Fool Rule Breakers review.

19. Stock Research Website Subscription

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If the loved one in your life is more of a self-directed investor—in other words, they prefer conducting their own research rather than simply taking suggestions from a newsletter—you might want to consider a stock research website subscription instead.

Features differ from one website to another, but they’ll often include screeners, charting capabilities, proprietary ratings, complimentary news and analysis articles about stocks, and more.

Research stocks with SeekingAlpha

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• Available: Sign up here

With a Seeking Alpha Premium subscription, you will enjoy unparalleled access with an ad-lite user experience.

SA Premium is an all-in-one investing research and recommendation service that offers insightful analysis, financial news, stock research, and more—all designed to help you make better investing decisions.

Seeking Alpha Premium can help you manage your stock portfolio by putting you in touch with a large investing community—one that can help you research stocks and understand the financial world and provide you with ideas for your next great investment.

Premium plan members can see the ratings of authors whose articles they read. (After all, it’s useful to know whether you’re reading the opinion of someone with a top record, or someone who’s whiffing a lot.) And Premium subscribers unlock analyses from SA-designated “experts.”

Among the other benefits:

• A stock screener that lets you filter by average analyst rating
• Earnings conference call transcripts
• 10 years’ worth of financial statements
• Ability to compare stocks side-by-side with peers
• Access to dividend and earnings forecasts

 

20. Cash

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Just about everybody loves cold, hard cash.

Sure, some adults would love wireless headphones or a Star Wars Millennium Falcon waffle maker. (No, really, that’s a thing.) But many adults would appreciate a cash gift even more.

Cash might seem impersonal, and it won’t be a winner for everyone. But it’s an excellent gift because it gives the recipient the freedom to do whatever they want with it—save it, invest it, or buy something they really love.

It’s the perfect stocking stuffer, too: small, lightweight, and easy to fold and store.

21. Gift Cards

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Gift cards are already among the most popular gifts you can buy. Chances are your sister, brother, mother, or adult child has a favorite restaurant or a store they shop at all the time—maybe they’ve even put a gift card on their wish list. And if you don’t know where they love to spend their money, do a little sleuthing and ask people close to them about their favorite stores.

Many places even offer e-gift cards, so if you don’t live near your loved one, you can buy them a card online and have it sent directly to your recipient’s inbox.

And if you give a gift card that’s just not right for them, they can redeem it with Plynk.

22. Financial Coaching Sessions

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You could travel down the road less traveled by gifting a financial coaching session. After all, financial coaching can be an incredible tool for leveling up your money management skills.

This gift is best for a loved one you’re close to that has expressed a desire to get a better hold on their finances. And make sure you’re sensitive about how you communicate the gift so it doesn’t come across the wrong way.

You can start your search for a qualified financial counselor through the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education’s Find an AFC tool.

23. Net Worth Tracking Tool

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Understanding your net worth can give you valuable insight into your overall financial situation. And what better way to understand and track your net worth than using a financial tool to simplify the process?

While different net worth trackers have different features, many include budgeting tools, savings and investment trackers, and assistance with paying down your debt. If you want to gift access to a net-worth tool for an adult in your life, consider options such as You Need a Budget (YNAB) or Tiller.

 

What Other Gifts Can You Give This Holiday Season?

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Investment accounts, money toys, even cash and gift cards make fantastic Christmas presents that can also help the loved ones in your life improve their financial futures.

But we know every gift isn’t going to be a financial one—and that’s OK. You’ve got plenty of interesting, and admittedly more traditional, options.

For the kids in your life, you might consider an educational toy like a talking microscope, a buildable fort for pretend play, a slime kit, a coding robot, or a geode kit.

If you’re shopping for an adult, the gifting possibilities are also pretty endless. For tech fans, a smart home device may be a good choice. You could also opt for new sports gear, a toolset, beauty supplies, a unique handmade gift, or the old standby: some warm, fuzzy slippers.

How Can You Find the Perfect Gift This Holiday Season?

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Start by thinking about your loved one’s interests to find the perfect gift. Are they into sports? A specific activity like reading or woodworking? Are they coffee lovers or tea lovers? Try a coffee mug or a teas-of-the-world monthly membership. Bath lovers might want a bath bomb or bubble bath formula. You get the idea.

Once you’ve decided what they enjoy, you can research options within your budget.

The internet is both a blessing and a curse for holiday shoppers. On the one hand, it’s easy to find virtually anything online. On the other hand, it’s really easy to get lost in a rabbit hole while you search for the perfect present.

Let your loved ones’ interests guide you while you shop. And set parameters for how you’ll search; for instance, you might decide you’re only shopping with certain online retailers, give yourself a maximum price, or settle on a backup gift first in case the perfect choice isn’t available.

If you shop smart, you’ll find an excellent gift without driving yourself crazy.

Related: 

• 7 Best Investments for Kids [Investing for Children]
• Should You Open a Child Bank Account with a Debit Card?
• How to Open a Bank Account for a Minor: Steps, What You Need

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Terms and Conditions for Fidelity Youth™ Account

The Fidelity Youth™ Account can only be opened by a parent/guardian. Account eligibility limited to teens aged 13-17.

* $0.00 commission applies to online U.S. equity trades and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in a Fidelity retail account only for Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC retail clients. Sell orders are subject to an activity assessment fee (from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal). Other exclusions and conditions may apply. See Fidelity.com/commissions for details. Employee equity compensation transactions and accounts managed by advisors or intermediaries through Fidelity Institutional® are subject to different commission schedules.

¹ Limited Time Offer. Terms Apply. Before opening a Fidelity Youth™ Account, you should carefully read the account agreement and ensure that you fully understand your responsibilities to monitor and supervise your teen’s activity in the account.

² The Fidelity Youth™ app is free to download. Fees associated with your account positions or transacting in your account apply.

³ Zero account minimums and zero account fees apply to retail brokerage accounts only. Expenses charged by investments (e.g., funds, managed accounts, and certain HSAs) and commissions, interest charges, or other expenses for transactions may still apply. See Fidelity.com/commissions for further details.

⁴ Fractional share quantities can be entered out to 3 decimal places (.001) as long as the value of the order is at least $0.01. Dollar-based trades can be entered out to 2 decimal places (e.g. $250.00).

⁵ Your Youth Account will automatically be reimbursed for all ATM fees charged by other institutions while using the Fidelity® Debit Card at any ATM displaying the Visa®, Plus®, or Star® logos. The reimbursement will be credited to the account the same day the ATM fee is debited. Please note, for foreign transactions, there may be a 1% fee included in the amount charged to your account. The Fidelity® Debit Card is issued by PNC Bank, N.A., and the debit card program is administered by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company. These entities are not affiliated with each other, and Fidelity is not affiliated with PNC Bank or BNY Mellon. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association, and is used by PNC Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

⁶ Venmo is a service of PayPal, Inc. Fidelity Investments and PayPal are independent entities and are not legally affiliated. Use a Venmo or PayPal account may be subject to their terms and conditions, including age requirements. 

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC, 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917

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Terms and Conditions for Fidelity Bloom®

The Fidelity Bloom® app is designed to help with your saving and spending behaviors through your Save and Spend accounts, which are brokerage accounts covered by SIPC. They are not bank accounts and therefore are not covered by FDIC insurance.

The Fidelity Bloom® debit card is issued by Leader Bank, N.A., and the debit card program is administered by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company. These entities are not affiliated with each other or with Fidelity, although, the parent company of Fidelity has a minority percentage, non-controlling interest in Leader Bank. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association, and is used by Leader Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

Images are for illustrative purposes only.

1 The Fidelity Bloom® app is free to download. Fees associated with your account positions or transacting in your account apply. Accounts made available via the app may be subject to fees.

2 You could lose money by investing in a money market fund. An investment in a money market fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Before investing, always read a money market fund’s prospectus for policies specific to that fund.

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC, 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917

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Terms and Conditions for Step

Step is a trademark of Step Mobile, Inc.