It’s December, and that means that holidays are coming! Now, some people may cheer because of how festive and joyous this time of year can be — spending time with loved ones is often taken for granted, and the holidays are a gentle reminder that time is a precious gift of luxury. Other people may groan because of the amount of money that you’re bound to spend on your loved ones. Gift-giving can be very expensive, but it doesn’t have to be! I’m going to give you a few gift ideas that won’t break the bank!
1. Homemade Body Scrub — I don’t know about you guys, but I love a good DIY project! This is the perfect gift for someone who loves to pamper themselves (or should be pampering themselves), and there are so many different flavors that you can choose from! Try brown sugar vanilla or even peppermint!
2. Coupons — I’ve made these a few times for my husband, and they’re great for birthdays and Valentine’s Day as well! All you need are some index cards, markers, and a great attitude. You might be asking, “Great attitude? What’s that for?” Well, if you make a coupon that says “One 20-minute back rub,” be prepared to give that back rub at any time that they redeem the coupon! It’s a great idea for people who are always doing so much for you, and it allows you to return the favor! With a smile, of course. 🙂
You can make some for your spouse, your parents, and even your kids! If you’re having trouble getting started, you can look at a few examples here.
3. PowerPoint of Pictures — I made a PowerPoint for Valentine’s Day for my husband earlier in the year because I didn’t have enough money to purchase a gift, and he absolutely loved it! I put together five years worth of pictures into a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and had them play over two of our favorite songs. It was really nice, and it made him tear up a bit because there were pictures in there that he forgot about! It was so fun to walk down memory lane together, and it will be fun for you too! As long as you put a lot of thought into it, your loved one will love it!
4. Gift Basket — I made this one for my mom a few years back, and she thought it was really sweet. You can find an inexpensive gift basket like this one and fill it with items that your family member loves! When I made my mom’s basket, I filled it with air fresheners for her car, peanut M&M’s, fun-sized Snickers, and more of her favorite things! As long as you know what the person loves, this will be a great and inexpensive gift! Be sure to check out Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Five Below to get some amazingly inexpensive basket-stuffers!
5. Cook — Nothing says I love you more than a home-cooked meal with all of their favorite foods! If cooking isn’t your thing, try baking their favorite cake or cookies! For me, I love bbq ribs, a nice helping of macaroni and cheese, and a slice of yellow cake with chocolate icing. My mouth is watering from just typing this, so imagine the look on their face when you present them with all of their favorites. Remember, a full belly makes the heart happy!
6. “Open When” Letters — They’re going to love this one because it’s super thoughtful and touching. All you do is write a letter for each occasion that you can think of! For example, you can write “Open When You’re Feeling Sad” and “Open When You Miss Me” letters. This is especially helpful if you don’t get to see your loved one that often because they’ll still have a piece of you with them in the letters! You can write a bunch of “Open When” letters, put each one in an envelope, and put the collection in a box or a gift bag. No matter how you present it, I promise you that they’ll love it! Need help getting started? Check out this site for some topics for your letters!
I hope that you all like some of these ideas and that they help to save you some money! Remember, as long as your gift is thoughtful, your loved ones are bound to love it because it came from you and your heart. Be sure to let me know in the comments how you plan on saving money for the holidays!
“I’m all about thoughtful gifts. If you put thought behind it – it could be $5 – but if there’s thought behind it, I think that’s what matters.” — Britney Spears
