If you've ever tried to buy gifts for teenagers, you've probably run into a common problem: Teenagers are hard to buy for!

Buying gifts for teenagers is difficult. Each one has their own tastes and style, and some are influenced by popular culture while others aren't. So the first step in figuring out what kind of gifts to buy for teenagers, is to find out a bit about the teenager. If that fails though, here are 5 gift ideas that tend to go over well with almost any of them.

1. MP3 Player - Music players are popular. And they're useful too. Now some teenagers might turn their nose up at any MP3 player that isn't an iPod, but many others would be thrilled to have one if they don't yet already.

Try finding one that gets radio broadcasts in addition to playing MP3s, that way they'll have some variety when they're tired of listening to the same songs over and over. Also try getting an MP3 player that doesn't require extra cords. Those could be lost in a teenager's room. Many MP3 players are made to simply plug into a USB port, and those seem to be the most convenient.

2. Sunglasses - While this might seem a bit cliche or obvious to some, sunglasses are always popular. They're still considered "cool" and with the wide variety of styles these days... one is sure to be a hit with either boys or girls.

3. Wallet/Purse - Another someone obvious gift idea that's often overlooked. Teenagers are starting to carry money, personal papers and misc other things. They may have wallets and/or purses already, but they may not have great quality or the style they want. So try a nice leather wallet gift for boy's, and maybe a designer purse for a girl.

4. Games - This is a very broad gift idea, and the type of game you get will depend quite a bit on the teenager you're buying for. Most teenagers love computer games. Some also adore strategic board games though, and many like card games too. The card games we're talking about for teenagers might not be the kind adults think of though. Many teenager like card games that involve collectible cards. Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh are two examples of popular strategic card games which involve collectible cards.

5. Cell Phone/Top Up Card - Some teenagers have cell phones already, but many still don't. Their parents either don't want, or can't afford to have a two year phone contract. And teenagers talk. Alot. Thus having regular cell phones can create outrageous bills due to time limit restrictions on regular cell phones.

An excellent alternative - and a gift any teenager will adore you for - is to buy them a pre-paid cell phone. And if they already have one of those, the gift idea becomes extremely easy: Just buy them a "top up" card! The top up cards allow them to add minutes to their pre-paid phone, and can be bought at most major stores for as little as $20.

BlueWaterArticles.com: - Gift Ideas for Teenagers

About the Author

© 2006, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Need gifts for those special people in your life? Visit HomeGiftShopper.com for great gift ideas, and Shoppity.com to find unique gifts they're sure to love!