There's nothing tougher, in my opinion, than finding the perfect present for a woman. I'm not saying that all men are easy to shop for. Certainly I struggle to find a birthday present for my father every year. Nor am I saying that women are naturally difficult. Well, OK, maybe I am saying that, at least a little bit. There's nothing tougher, in my opinion, than finding the perfect present for a woman.

Finding the perfect gift for a woman is much tougher than finding a gift for a man. I can tell you, because I have had to pick out both. When one of my buddies is having a birthday, usually, I don't need to get him anything but a shot or two, and maybe a slug in the arm. If it is a really special occasion, I will get him a nice bottle of whiskey, or perhaps the CD he has been asking for. And if it is a present for a man, he will ask. But it is quite a different story when you are talking about getting a present for a woman. Quite a different story all together.

In the first place, getting a present for a woman depends so much on the age and your relationship with them. Jewelery is always welcome, but if you get the wrong piece, boy are you in trouble. If I am getting a present for a girl, such as my niece for example, I might get her a little necklace with some kind of heart or flower or smiley faced bauble. She will love that because she is in middle school right now, and that is the look that they go for.

But if I get a present for a woman, say my wife, then things are much different. Most of the time that I get a present for a woman, she will have very specific tastes, and if you stray outside of those tastes by even an inch, there will be hell to pay. For example, my wife hates anything cutesy, although she loves jewelery. So, if I got her something with a small flower on it, say a pair of earrings, she would just love it. But if that flower was above a certain size, or if it had big, bubbly petals, forget it. It's always something like that you have to deal with when you are getting a present for a woman.

Here's a tip. If you don't know exactly what the woman in your life likes and dislikes, ask. But don't ask near her birthday, or Christmas or any other gift giving time. Then she'll know your just looking for a quick and easy gift. Work it into the conversation. If you happen to be shopping together, as you pass by the jewelry case, ask what she thinks of a particular piece. Chances are you'll be able to work your way around to what she really likes. File this information away for when you need it most.

Of course, sometimes the best present for a woman is a good book. We live in a society where so many people love to read that you almost can not go wrong by buying something that you have really enjoyed for a friend. A book can make a great present for a woman, and because she will spend hours in reading it, that is hours that she will spend thinking about you.

But there again, you have to know what kind of books she enjoys. Does she like mysteries, celebrity biographies, political books, or heaven forbid, romance novels. Again, make sure to find out what she likes before you do your book shopping. Then look to do your book shopping online for better prices.