Gift Giving Ideas
Need a few gift giving ideas? We’ve got a few unique gift suggestions that won’t drain your wallet.
So you’ve got roughly one dollar and thirty-two cents sitting at the bottom of a cheap ceramic piggy-bank. You’re gonna need more than that, (but at least you’ve got the tax covered on the wrapping paper). You’ve looked under your futon and jammed your fingers between the crusty seats of your 1976 family station wagon. You’ve checked the shoebox under your bed. You even tried to pull out your front tooth to shove under your pillow for that frugal fairy. Sigh—no luck.
Ok. Let’s get creative.
Here are 12 Great Gift-Giving Ideas that won’t break your bank!
Themed Gift Baskets
Who doesn’t like movies, popcorn, and candy? Throw together an entertainment basket that includes your favorite “must see” DVD, or a movie rental coupon (and don’t leave out the some snow caps and gummy worms)! How about an Asian-themed-cuisine? Visit an ethnic market and put together a sushi-kit. Include seaweed paper, chop sticks, and soy sauce (for all of you sodium friendly patrons).
Credits to Rayhawk for her comment on Medical Research Links Gift Giving to Longevity!
Personalized Calendar
The internet offers a multitude of calendar templates. Get creative and personalize a calendar for someone you love and include pictures of your fondest memories with them. Mark in any special dates such as Birthdays and Holidays. Maybe roll up a few dollars and stick it on a random Saturday for an “ice-cream” date.
Magazine Subscriptions
These are great because the novelty lasts all year. It’s like a new gift every month! Magazine subscriptions are suitable for just about anyone and they’re a great gift-giving idea if you don’t know what to get someone.
- For example: It’s your father-in-law’s birthday and you’re not sure if the technicolor pentagram and penguin tie you’ve chosen will suit him (but you know he likes to fish) so get him a subscription to Outdoor World!
Board Games
Bring back nostalgic memories with a classic, old school board game! You’re bound to get a shriek of excitement as the receiver of this novel gift idea recalls the old days!
Herb Garden
Purchase a plastic rectangular gardening tray ($2.57 at Home Depot) along with an array of assorted seeds like basil, rosemary, and thyme. Tell them you’ll be back in a few weeks to reap the harvest!
Muffins & Locally Made Jams
Support small businesses and stimulate your local economy!
BIG Jar of Candy!
Purchase a large jar (thrift stores have lots of fun shapes and sizes), and fill the jar with gummy bears, lollipops, tootsie rolls, and laffy taffy (I’m getting hungry). Dollar stores usually sell bulk candy for cheap! Tie lots of colorful ribbons around the lid and throw in a toothbrush too.
Office Stationary Gift-box
The best gift giving ideas are practical everyday items that we always need and use. Put together a gift box full of desk supplies. Include white out, a stapler, scissors, highlighters, pens, post its, paperclips, your homework…
Disposable Camera & Admission Pass to Wacky Tacky Land!
Some of the best gift giving ideas are experiential and can be enjoyed together. Play mini-gulf, bumper boats, laser tag! Take pictures and make lasting memories.
Deck of Cards and a mini bottle of gin (just kidding)
Purchase a deck of cards and a book full of card games! Make a night out of a good game of SNAP!
Homemade Gourmet Truffles
Store bought truffles can get pricey! However, gourmet truffle recipes are quite inexpensive to make yourself and they make an impressive gift-giving treat.
A MicroGiving Donor Account
The best thing you can ever give someone is the gift of charitable ‘Giving’. Contact support@microgiving.com and we’ll gladly set up a Donor account for someone else on your behalf. The gift of giving is the most cost effective gift you’ll ever give in your life! It changes lives, makes you feel darn good, and there’s no gift of monetary value that compares.
- What are some of your gift giving ideas?
- Why do you give, and how does it make you feel?
Tags: MicroGiving
7. April 2009 at 2:25 pm :
These are some great ideas. When I have a little money I like to get small gift cards to places like Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy’s. People love to eat. Thinking about it I kind of like to eat too.
Another thing I do since I am a vendor if you are near a Flea Market they usually have some pretty good bargains and not alot of money is needed.
Thanks for another great blog. Someone tried to steal my paypal and bank account while I was gone last month and as soon as that is fixed I will be giving where ever I can. I am re doing my budget and this time focus more on what I can do for others and get my mind off of all the bills that keep coming in. Of course I will still pay them as i can but, in the middle of the storm I forgot to care for others.
Have a great day everyone!
7. April 2009 at 6:44 pm :
Wow, alot of neat ideas. I have a few more. For children, buy a McDonalds gift certicate. You can buy a book for five dollars, or buy one dollar. Make a card on the computer with thier name. Children will love it. For a older people, buy a lotttery ticket. It’s a gift that cost a dollar. However, it could win thousands. Place it into a personlized computer card. Maybe you want a picture frame from the dollar tree store. Place a picture of the two of you, when it was a kodak moment. You can wrap it in tin foil with penny candy taped to it. People love Banana bread. Wrap it in foil with a color post-it note. Check around the house for a vase. If you had a garden, pick some flowers. You could write a card on the computer. Then, inside offer house cleaning or back massage. It’s the thought that counts. It means so much to me. When people remember my birthday, just to say, “Happy Birthday.”
Hey, MJ, I, too, love to yard sell. I make a lot of spare cash doing that.
7. April 2009 at 8:32 pm :
I am a big one for gifts of food, inside growing herb gardens, baked goods, home made candies and sometimes gift certificates…I cheat I win them often through local charity events and I save them to give away to those who could use a family night out. I’m a sneaky re-gifter most of the time. Amy likes to crochet, knit, and do some more out of the ordinary crafts such as batik, naalbinding and tablet weaving and she will make unique gifts out of her craft work. That is pretty much how we do gifts, we make them at home unless I have something to re-gift
7. April 2009 at 11:37 pm :
Well, after a long day in court for the pre-trial settlement conference we accomplished nothing but knowledge and FIRE to fuel our case. Tension built with MG my ventilation, I can’t help but coin the phrase,
“That had to happen!”
I have been yelling that upon my frustration/anger/fear/disappointment at home, on the road and now at work. It’s not funny, but will be when I calm. I can’t imagine what it looks like from an outside perspective, but it beats concealing the pressure inside~
“Support small businesses and stimulate your local economy!”
We just shopped at our local “Yolo bypass” fruit stand. Bought our local honey, fruits, and vegetables. It ended up cheaper than any grocery store too!
Rachael would be more than happy to give this… “your homework…”
“Purchase a deck of cards and a book full of card games! Make a night out of a good game of SNAP!”
We make plenty of nights out of card games and board games. Rachael’s choice, but majority rules…
Not sure if I’m along the lines of this blog, but my head is where it is for the day. Hope you all understand~
8. April 2009 at 1:10 am :
I think a great gift idea for a baby shower is to take a laundry basket and go to the dollar tree and just get all kinds of dollar things to put in the basket. It’s a great gift you can even get the basket at the dollar tree or everything’s a dollar. Its so much cheaper than buying a big expensive gift and it really is useful. You wouldn’t believe the things you can get at everything’s a dollar.
8. April 2009 at 2:25 am :
Hey JT, my brain is never where it is supposed to be. I have not once caught up with myself.
There are so many things you can do from making a macaroni meal with hot dogs to share with someone to a cute little necklace that has a pretty shine to it.
I was just put on our local TV news because I was caught at an auction trying to get some low price gifts and food. Boy, was that a sight to see!!!
Have a good night everyone
8. April 2009 at 3:12 pm :
These ARE great ideas, all of them!! Thanks everyone!
9. April 2009 at 9:44 am :
Clothes drive is one of my favorite ways of giving that wont even hurt your pocket or the bank. We would be surprised to know how many household in this country who have so many un used clothes and other important items laying around collecting dust. That could be given to so many different oganization or some family in desperate needs of a (Toy, Shoes, Shirt, Pants, Coat, TV, Computer, Video Game) Pennies and spare change laying around the house office for weeks and months may be years.
These or simple things that my take cost literally nothing to hurt your pocket or the bank. But some people their every day life is too buisy, only if they they can take five to ten minutes of their time to think about gift giving to a person a family in needs or to a charitable organization.
These are some of my favorite ways of gift giving ideas.
Peace & Love,
Jamel
9. April 2009 at 2:05 pm :
Hey DT, thanks for your support!
9. April 2009 at 2:06 pm :
I don’t know if anyone here sews but I do and If its a christmas or birthday gift I will usually sew a purse or apron for whoever it is. Its easy, fast and very inexpensive if you already have the materials.
9. April 2009 at 9:41 pm :
These are all great gift giving ideas.
I have one I like to do. I buy a clothes basket and put detergent, fabric sheets, tiolet paper, hand soaps, and lotions, dish detergent, and scrubbies.
This can be used at different times and the basket than can be used.
9. April 2009 at 10:34 pm :
That is an awesome idea! That is one I have not done. I have put together bath baskets, food baskets, and even medical baskets for those I know of who rely on lots of first aid stuff. We have done herbal supplement baskets for those who don’t really have a great diet. You can’t always help them with food but often dietary supplements can make all the difference.
I really like that laundry basket though, thanks for that comment I’ll probably use that one in the future.
10. April 2009 at 5:31 am :
These are really good ideas!
10. April 2009 at 8:49 pm :
This is a great Idea!:
“I buy a clothes basket and put detergent, fabric sheets, tiolet paper, hand soaps, and lotions, dish detergent, and scrubbies.
This can be used at different times and the basket than can be used.”
Thanks for the input H.S. Mom~
10. April 2009 at 8:53 pm :
Like Becky, we have put together many food baskets or clothing bags, but never thought of laundry necessities, toiletries, and sanitizing supplies.
Medical is another good one, but only when you know who it’s going to. Depending on what you give, it can easily be misused if fallen into the wrong hands~
10. April 2009 at 8:59 pm :
Jamel wrote:
“Clothes drive is one of my favorite ways of giving that wont even hurt your pocket or the bank.”
I also love to donate my belongings for multiple reasons.
1. I know what I can give someone else could put to better use.
2. It’s for a noble cause.
3. It removes clutter. Either things I’ll never get to do/use or things I’ve already completed/passed that others could benefit from.
Around here it is so convenient too since they drop off the bags at your home with the date they will be picking up. They give you plenty of time and you don’t have to drive out of your way to find their drop off!
Great response Jamel~
11. April 2009 at 12:25 am :
Once in a while I love to give a couple of coins to children just to make them smile. I have a candy machine at the Flea Market that takes a quarter and I see a child just staring at it and ask them which candy they want and then their face lights up as if they were given a hundred dollars.
13. April 2009 at 12:04 pm :
A gift I love to give children at Christmas is to take a pack of gum and glue round peppermint candies on the side for the wheels and a Hershey kiss on top and make a little train. The kids like it so well that they don’t even want to eat the candy. There are so many little things you can do. At easter, just to load one egg down with candy and give to a child you don’t know and see their smile can just make the day so great.
Hope everyone had a great Easter!!!
14. April 2009 at 2:30 am :
I am a giving person.I always been like this. I always said if i won some money , I will give to some charies groups and help someone out. I give because it make me feel good but it really make someone happy. That the main thing , making someone life happier!!! Sometime it good to give the person without them knowing you did it. This make me feel good too.
14. April 2009 at 11:16 pm :
Life is truly a gift of giving of yourself…….. I give to each of you my friendship and know I care of each of you. You are a remarkable bunch of people. Have a good night everyone!!!
16. April 2009 at 11:55 pm :
A great gift to give someone who you may know is struggling, is order them a box of food from the Angelfood Ministry. They get a lot of food!
19. April 2009 at 3:25 am :
I wanted to share a gift that we made for our elderly neighbors recently.
It was a idea that my son remembered doing in school, and I too, remember doing it as a kid.
We took peanut butter and spread it on craft bells and rolled each bell in bird need.
We tied a piece of dissolvable (mis spelled) string around the top of each bell and gave them as a gift for Easter to the 3 elderly couples who live down from us.
On the day before Easter we made a Bunny cake for the kids who live next door.
It was cute and so easy but I’m sure you all have probably made them before.
Thanks for letting me share.
21. April 2009 at 12:40 am :
***and rolled each bell in bird need.
We tied a piece of dissolvable (mis spelled) string around the top of each bell and gave them as a gift for Easter to the 3 elderly couples who live down from **
It helps the birds too!! Gives them a nice break from digging up those worms!
21. April 2009 at 3:43 pm :
I just wanted to add an idea for christmas time. Everyone is always rushing and waiting till the last minute but why? If you look all year long you can beat the rush and you can do the discount thing. You can find great gifts at great prices everywhere. Shirts and jeans at old Navy on the disco rack of 3-5 dollars, walgreens always has great stuff on disco, walmart is always marking down. What I do is get a plastic tub and keep all of the items in there as I find them all year long. It really helps too. I have gift sets with bubble bath and soaps, make up brushes, toys and I have never paid over 5 dollars for any of it. Last Christmas I didn’t have to shop I already had everything from picking up a thing here and there on disco. whenever I could find it. I would much rather spend a dollar on somthing than thirty and its the thought that counts not the money you paid for it. Plus this way no one ever knows that you didn’t pay that much. You should really try this it works great.
23. April 2009 at 5:31 pm :
I just thought of a great gift you can give someone. Older or sick people often have a hard time keeping up with lawns and such what a great gift it would be to mow their lawn for them. I know this would be a blessing to anyone. The heat is so bad that the grass grows so fast they can keep up with it and they really shouldn’t be in the heat. I think that would be a great gift to someone. I know I would love a gift like that.
25. April 2009 at 12:35 am :
Michelle,
That is a great idea. I also like to help older people are those who are sick by cleaning their house for them. It gives them great encouragement and they don’t have to worry about cleaning it themselves. There are just so many ways to help them life going to get groceries for them so they don’t have to get out. They really like the help in the winter.