Chicken-Rice Gift BowlsI am always looking for ways to make Christmas gifts that are actually useful and will be appreciated. I found these darling little bowls at the Dollar General, and decided to make some little gifts out of them and my favorite Knorr Rice Mix packages.
Divide Plants for Frugal Holiday GiftsI have too many people on my Christmas list and not enough money. This year I've planted my spider plant babies into decorative coffee mugs and some into old glass pedestal candle holders and adorned them with homemade bows and candy canes.
Frugal Funny Gift IdeasHere are some frugal and funny gift ideas. You can do this with a box of microwave popcorn, write, "May your Christmas be poppin".
Food Gift Packages for MenLast year I did gift packages for my dad, stepdad, and all four brothers, consisting of a gallon size Ziploc bag of homemade caramel corn, three dozen cookies and a 1 pound bag of pistachios.
Inexpensive But Thoughtful GiftsHere are a few of my ideas for inexpensive but thoughtful gifts.
Frame Calendar PicturesWant some inexpensive picture frames for your decor, but don't want the expense? Save your calendars and select florals, scenes, etc. to accommodate your living decor. You may have to crop and cut them to fit behind the 5 x 7 and 8 x 10 inch opening mattes.
Inexpensive Christmas Gift IdeasFor those of us who have children and need low-cost or free gift ideas.
Barter For Christmas GiftsThis is really not a new concept, but it really does work. Bartering! Especially for the holidays. My early Christmas present was an antique cedar chest. My husband helped move a china cabinet and for his time, he was able to choose a piece of furniture as payment.
Newspaper Bags as Gift WrappingKeep the plastic sleeves that protect your newspapers from inclement weather. They come in handy as upcycled gift bags for small items. Cut a bit of the open end off so the bag is not too long, slip in a layer of colorful tissue, and finish with a pretty bow. Voila!
Used Books Make Great GiftsBirthdays, Christmas, Mother's Day, etc. All of our charity thrift shops sell used books, for children and adults, usually priced at $.50 for paperbacks and $1.00 for hardcovers. Our library does, too
ThriftyFun Link as Free Christmas PresentI'm sending this website's URL as a Christmas present to all my friends who send me e-mail.
Give Your Time as a PresentMany of us frugal folks know that when we don't have money to spend on gifts, we sometimes choose to give people "coupons" for things like babysitting, cooking, mowing the lawn and other useful chores or activities.
Start Christmas Cactus for Next Year's GiftsIt is a little too late for this holiday season but you can get started for next year. I was in a store the other day and glanced at the price of their Christmas Cactus. To pay $134.00 for a gift that will cost me max $2.00 is crazy. If you start now, you can save.
Almost Free Spa in a Bag GiftEveryone is on a tight budget these days and now more than ever, people are more understanding with regards to receiving more frugal and thoughtful gifts. Here is something you can do for a friend or family member that may not cost you a dime.
Flower Pot Christmas GiftI just came back from my weekly thrift store run and found small ceramic flower pots, already painted for 40 cents each. I am adding a envelope (downloaded from Alenka's printables) of seeds from my garden and a candy cane. I will give these as a small gift for office co-workers, since I am known as mother nature--this fits perfect with everyone's thoughts of me.
Dollar Store Treasure Chest for ChristmasSince one of the best parts of Christmas for little kids is to open presents, I decided this year to make it a real treasure chest for my grandchildren. I went to our local Dollar Store and bought each one of them a plastic bin...
Pot Of Gold Christmas GiftA nice Christmas gift is to make a pot of gold usually found at the end of rainbows! This is a good present for people who are difficult to buy for.
Paperwhite Narcissus Bulbs Gift Idea (Under $10)A thrifty hostess gift for the holiday season can be started at Thanksgiving to be ready for the December holidays.
Frugal Crossword Puzzle Gift IdeaThis is a frugal holiday or birthday gift idea for people who like crossword puzzles. If you get the daily newspaper, or have a neighbor who does (and doesn't do the crosswords), do this:
Thrift Shops, Yard Sales, etc. for Christmas GiftsWith everyday life getting more expensive my family had decided to have a little more fun with Christmas other than just drawing names, spending a set amount on a gift and getting that person what they had asked for.
Have a Recycled ChristmasWhile reading my ThriftyFun newsletter and leaving an answer for someone regarding less expensive Christmas shopping, an idea popped into my head.
Using a Gift Box for a Frugal ChristmasOnce again, I have succeeded in being bountiful this Christmas without breaking the bank or getting into debt! I am recycling gift bags (and tissue paper) from the presents my husband and I gave each other to use for my brother and family.
Plant Clippings As GiftsI have a second generation spider plant that has more babies on it than I know what to do with. So this year, I clipped a few and put them in water about a month or two ago. I kept some aluminum vegetable cans (easiest to clean out) to use as pots.
Empty Formula Cans For Holding GiftsFor thrifty gifts this Christmas, I decided to make cocoa for several people on my list. Instead of buying glass containers, I saved my baby's formula cans and peeled off the labels.
Homemade Gift Bath ScrubbyI buy dollar store soaps in holiday scents, like peppermint or even gingerbread scent. From thrift stores or again the dollar store or any outlet, buy cheap children mittens.
Five $5 GiftsI find it challenging to give all the gifts I'd like to without exploding my budget. For many friends and their children, I have a $5 budget. I feel like this can work when 1: the gift is thoughtful and original and 2: the gift is well wrapped and comes off looking more expensive.
Measuring Cup Gift for ChristmasA wonderful, inexpensive, lovely idea for Christmas gift giving. Purchase a measuring cup, preferably glass. Tie a ribbon to handle with a card stating this or something like this: "The measure of a person should be...
Thrifty Gifts For The FamilyI have been trying to think of "thrifty" presents for my immediate family. I am also planning to buy them modestly priced "new" items but I thought a thrifty gift would also be special, because they know I am into that kind of thing. Here is what I have come up with. I hope other people will also contribute their ideas.
Ordinary Box As A GiftHere's a great way to save money on gifts and get the kids involved too. This particular gift idea is so easy and says "I love you" so well. Make several of these keepsakes and give them to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and anyone who needs a smile.
Houseplant Cuttings as GiftsHouseplant Cuttings As Gifts. For a thrifty gift this year, I decided to give pieces of my newly trimmed houseplants that I had rooted with a little poem attached. I ran into an issue finding decent priced pots to plant them in this non repotting time of year.
Collecting Freebies for GiftsI know lots of people don't have the money for gifts this time of year. What I do is subscribe to several freebies newsletters. You can get a lot of goodies for free from companies. Another thing I do is go to company websites, and look for promotions.
Starting on Christmas GiftsStarting on Christmas Gifts. I know it's summertime, but you can pick up a few presents for Christmas this year or start your special project or craft for gifts.
"Family Bucks" for After Christmas SalesOne of my kids favorite presents is "Family Bucks" to spend at the after-Christmas sales. (I make up phoney money on the computer and personalize them with our name). This keeps me from having to give them real money...
Saving Money on Gifts - Agree on LimitsOne year my sister and I decided not to spend a lot of money on each other. We chose 10 different categories (5 each) example: Warm and Fuzzy, old home place etc etc. We then had to purchase or make the items in each category and not spend over 5.00 for each item...
A New Ornament Each YearEvery year since they were little I have given my girls a new Christmas ornament. We also have friends who have exchanged Christmas ornaments with the girls for years...
Saving Money on Gifts for Extended FamilyThis year money is especially tight so I decided to challenge myself a little. I decided to try to spend $5 or less per person for our extended family...
Help Out Your Adult Kids Who Are Parents During The Holiday SeasonPlan to pick the grandkids up after school and take them to your home. Spend time with them playing cards, games, reading or just chatting.
Shop for Gifts at the Dollar StoreThis year when Christmas shopping, consider buying gifts as well as decorative items from your local dollar store. I went into our dollar store yesterday and was very pleasantly surprised at the amount of decorative items as well as gift items available - and at such a reasonable price!
By Robin
Check Out Thrift Stores For ToysMake sure to check out thrift stores for Christmas presents. I recently bought a set that had a barn, silo, cows, fences, etc. for $2, I plan to buy a tractor (new or thrift) and have this set up underneath the Christmas tree. My 3 year old will never know it wasn't new in a box.
By Melanie
My Christmas Shopping SpreeToday, I went shopping, early in the morning, at several stores. I hit their bargain bins as soon as I entered.
Gifts for ChristmasOne way to make a great Christmas gift is to take pictures of the children in the family unbeknownst to the family. This is tricky, and then make a photo album. Add a page in the album where you write a poem or your favorite time spent with the child was.
