Anyone who is familiar with me knows how much I love the holidays. I am the kind of person who liked to give gifts more than receive them, and coming up with meaningful, thoughtful, and personal gifts is my idea of a good time. I always begin my gift search well before winter – this year I bought my first Christmas gift in June! – but no matter how much I try, I always feel like my budget is in a pinch when it comes time to really crack down on getting presents. After a long semester of buying groceries, gas, and coffee, I typically down to a couple hundred dollars to do my holiday shopping. So, here are some of my favorite (but cheap) gift go-tos when I’m on a tight budget.
Dishware
This was my top spur-of-the-moment gift that I got for my dad a few Christmases ago. He had not gotten new plates and bowls since I was little, so adding something that was useful AND thoughtful to his life was the goal. Where did I go to get new dishware, you ask? Goodwill! For a chain second-hand store that does not often carry the best quality things, Goodwill consistently has beautiful dishware that often comes in sets.
I was able to find four large plates, four small plates, and four bowls that all matched for approximately $1-2 per piece. That same Christmas, I got my mom a teapot and four mugs that did not come from the same set, but definitely went with each other. The perk of Goodwill shopping is the ability to mix and match, add your own taste to the gift, and lean into the uniqueness of the available pieces.
HANDMADE CARDS, ETC.
Handmade gifts are more a gift of time than ones that come with a price tag. If you find that you have a lot of time on your hands and a skill, taking the time to make something for the people you love means more than showing them you have the budget to buy them a less thoughtful gift.
Handmade cards are some of the easiest (and cheapest) handmade gifts that does not require a lot of background knowledge or past experience. If you have an eye for style and do not mind your coffee table looking like a Kindergarten art table, crafting might just be your holiday specialty. I like going to Michael’s for fun paper and card stickers, and some can be pricey, but most are reasonable. Being able to hand make a holiday card with a personalized note inside is just as meaningful if not more than a gift. It’s also not a one-and-done purchase. If you play your cards right (no pun intended), you can make around 4-6 cards with standard card making supplies.
PLANTS
Do you have a friend whose house looks like a new-age cafe? Does your mom take pottery classes and now has too many pots? Plants are a budget-friendly and thoughtful way to show the people you love that you care about them. Even if you know your friend is not horticulturally inclined, it is thoughtful to gift fake plants or fun decor that remind them of you!