Gift Finder from Budget, Relationship, and Hard Constraints

Prompt

Act as a thoughtful personal shopper who would rather recommend nothing than a pile of generic gadgets. You work from constraints. You do not invent "they will love this" without a reason tied to Inputs.

Inputs:
- Recipient: [Who]
- Relationship and occasion: [Occasion]
- Budget: [Budget]
- Hard constraints: [Constraints]
- What they already have / hate: [Avoid]
- Tastes and evidence: [Tastes]
- Logistics: [Ship by / local only / handmade / experience]
- How personal the note should be: [Note]
- Where I can buy: [Stores or "anywhere"]

Generate:
1. Read of the person: 5 bullets of what is actually known vs guessed. Mark guesses as guesses. If Tastes are thin, ask 5 sharp questions and still produce a conservative shortlist.
2. Strategy: One sentence (useful, consumable, experience, tool for a hobby, donation in their name). Why that strategy given Constraints.
3. Shortlist (7): For each: item, why it maps to Tastes, approximate price inside Budget, where to buy (named only if in Stores or a generic "local bookstore / their usual grocery"), constraint check, risk (returns, size, taste miss). Rank 1-7. Include at least 2 under 50 percent of Budget and 1 backup that ships fast.
4. Do not buy: 5 tempting ideas that fail Constraints or Avoid, with one-line why.
5. Top pick kit: The #1 pick, a wrap or presentation idea that is not glitter, and a 4-8 line note in my voice (Note). No "wishing you the very best on your special day."
6. If they already have it: a swap from the shortlist and how I would check first (ask a roommate, check a shelf, look at last year's gift).
7. Group-gift variant: If Budget is low for the occasion, a version others can chip into, with a sentence I can paste to the group.

Constraints:
- Do not invent brands they "collect" or allergies they did not state.
- Stay inside Budget. Tax/shipping counts; say so if Logistics are tight.
- Honor Constraints (vegan, no alcohol, no scent, no plastic toys, no political merch, etc.).
- No last-minute live animals, no surprise parties unless Occasion says so.
- If the best gift is cash or a shared grocery run, say that without snobbery.

Instructions

Replace every [bracket] with your details before running. Works on ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.

Examples

Example Input

Recipient: Sam, 34, my sibling
Relationship and occasion: birthday, Saturday Sep 5, 2026
Budget: $40-70
Hard constraints: no alcohol, no candles/scent, they are trying not to add more kitchen gadgets, nothing that needs a subscription
What they already have / hate: too many mugs; they joked they will "lose it" if they get another novelty mug; they returned a scented candle last year
Tastes and evidence: they started identification walks in Prospect Park this spring; they use a battered field notebook; they like good pens; they already have binoculars borrowed from a friend; they cook simply (rice, roasted veg) but said no more tools
Logistics: I can shop in Brooklyn this week or order if it arrives by Sep 4; I can wrap at home
How personal the note should be: short, sibling-teasing, not sappy
Where I can buy: local bookstores, REI, stationery shops, grocery; not Amazon if I can help it

Example Output

1. Read of the person
Known: sibling, 34, birthday Sep 5. Budget $40-70. No alcohol, no scent, no more kitchen tools, no subscriptions. Mug-averse. Park ID walks this spring, battered field notebook, likes pens, borrows binoculars. Brooklyn shopping this week or delivery by Sep 4.
Guess (labeled): they might want their own binoculars. They might want the notebook replaced. They might not want more paper if the battered one is beloved.

2. Strategy
Useful for the existing hobby (bird/plant ID walks), consumable or replaceable, not another object that sits on the kitchen counter.

3. Shortlist (7)
1. Compact 8x25 binoculars in the $50-70 band at REI (or similar outdoor shop). Maps to borrowed-binoculars pain. Constraint check: not a gadget for the kitchen, no subscription. Risk: they may like the borrowed pair's feel; keep the receipt. Rank 1.
2. A good refillable field notebook + one excellent pen ($18-35 bookstore/stationery). Maps to the battered notebook. Risk: they may be loyal to the old one; present as "backup in the pack." Rank 2.
3. Pocket naturalist guide for NYC / Northeast plants or birds ($16-24 bookstore). Maps to ID walks. Risk: they may already use an app. Rank 3.
4. Pack of archival pens plus a simple zip pouch ($20-30 stationery). Under 50 percent of budget. Rank 4.
5. Fancy dried fruit + dark chocolate picnic kit from a grocery ($15-25). Under 50 percent. Consumable. Rank 5. Fast backup.
6. Annual membership is a subscription: skip as primary. If they explicitly asked, it would violate Constraints. Not on the buy list.
7. Donation in their name to a park conservancy: only if they have done this before (not in Inputs). Skip unless you know. Replacement: offer to be the Saturday walk buddy and bring the picnic kit (#5) as the physical gift.

Fast backup: grocery picnic kit (#5) if REI is out of compact bins.

4. Do not buy
- Mug: they said they will lose it.
- Candle: returned last year, scent ban.
- Wine: alcohol ban.
- Silicone spatula set: kitchen gadget ban.
- App subscription for bird ID: subscription ban.

5. Top pick kit
Binoculars, receipt in the box. Wrap in a shop bag plus the cheap pouch if you buy pens as a small add-on only if still inside $70 after tax. Note:
"You keep borrowing eyes. These are yours until you lose them, at which point I will mock you. Happy 34. I am free Saturday morning for the park if you want a second opinion on a pigeon. - me"

6. If they already have it
Ask the friend they borrow from, or look by the door hook. Swap to #2+#3 (notebook, pen, guide) still inside budget. Check the current notebook's first page before replacing it.

7. Group-gift variant
If cousins want in, take binoculars to $80-100 with their $15 each, still no subscription. Paste: "I'm getting Sam compact bins for park walks, $40-70 from me. If you want in, we can bump to a slightly better pair. No mugs, no candles, no wine."