 | 1. Avoid anything designed for cleaning or everyday chores. - Even if she is in dire need of a new vacuum cleaner or a new iron, stay away from these products unless you want to end up in the dog house or terminate your relationship. These gifts give the impression that you view your significant other in a very domestic way – definitely not the romance she longs for!
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 | 2. Avoid the center aisle of the department store. - Shiny prepackaged jewelry is an easy out, sending the message that you chose the first thing that caught your eye. Most women have a sixth sense about these things and know when a gift has been hastily chosen just to get it over with.
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 | 3. Don't buy expensive gifts you can't afford just to impress her. - With that credit card burning a hole in your pocket, you must resist this temptation and listen to your head instead of your heart! Even if she has been drooling over that extravagant emerald necklace, buying it for her may give her the wrong impression of your financial status. Once you have set the standard, she will expect you to live up to it on every occasion. Building the relationship on credit can be even more devastating if the relationship were to end suddenly. Not to mention the tension that could be caused if she knows you're spending beyond your means. You don't want the gift to become a source of stress or guilt for the recipient.
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 | 4. Don't buy her something that you want for yourself. - Just because you would be ecstatic doesn’t mean she would be thrilled. A big screen TV or pair of hockey tickets can be a dream come true for the sports fan, but not for someone who is only a casual observer and is clueless at sports trivia.
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 | 5. Avoid gifts that imply she has room for improvement. - A gift certificate for a make-over, exercise equipment, or a book on weight loss are good examples of this. Even if it is not meant that way, she may assume that you are not happy with her as she is and hurt feelings are not a good way to groom a relationship.
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 | 6. Don't buy her clothes. - Funny or souvenir T-shirts and sweatshirts are the exceptions, though, general fashion apparel should be avoided. There's too many variables -- styles, colors, body shapes. If you pick something that is too loose or too tight, you are just inviting one of those conversations that make you pull your hair out. Many ladies have a hard time picking out their own clothes and will spend much time trying on items in front mirrors just to decide they don't like them. What's your odds of going into a store, walking down the aisles, and with a few minutes of deliberation getting something she'll like? Slim.
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The key to successful gifting is to start brainstorming early. Give some thought as to her interests and hobbies. Pay attention to the type of movies she prefers, the food she likes, what she talks about when you are together and how she spends her free time. Ask her friends and family for suggestions and be willing to do a little research. And lastly, keep your ears open for those little subtle hints! Women will often point out what they want, either directly ("Oh, I'd love to have that!") or indirectly ("Oh, look at that, isn't it just beautiful, it would look marvelous on me, I really love it..."). Buying her something she has pointed out to you previously is your absolute number one best bet.
What Not to Buy Your Girlfriend - Giftypedia
