What makes a good, inexpensive gift without looking cheap?

Question

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Answer 1

As many have said, it depends on what you call "inexpensive". But the key is to know the likes of the person that you are buying the gift for, and what kind of hobbies and the like that they have.

I have done the "dollar store" thing many, many times. The women in my life have usually enjoyed candles or the little knick-knacky figurines...and these are often plentiful at the dollar stores. Some of the stuff is just last year's stock, or factory overrun stuff, or maybe slightly imperfect factory seconds...but usually the quality is still there, you can buy a ton of it for next to nothing, and it's comparable to (or exactly the same stuff as) the more expensive items at other stores. I mean, Yankee Candles are great, but who really wants to spend $20 on a candle? You do have to be careful and selective at the dollar store though...there is some bad, low quality merchandise there as well.

My wife received a photo album as a baby shower gift from her best friend, and her friend had personalized the pages with a lot of little graphics and things (marking pages for each month of the baby's first year, and various other baby related things). I'm sure the book itself didn't cost much, but it was the personalized touches that she put into the book that made it special. It is "the book" that our baby's first year is documented in, and we always think of my wife's friend when we look at it.

Another thing is to buy some "luxury" items that are fairly inexpensive in the grand scheme of things but that most people wouldn't normally buy for themselves. For instance, if your recipient enjoys coffee, there are a lot of exotic coffees out there that cost $10 a pound (in bulk), and most people won't pay that for a pound of coffee. So get them several bags of different exotic coffees (1/4 to 1/2 lb. each, or at least enough of each kind to make a full pot), and a coffee cup (dollar store to the rescue again!), and you've given them a luxury item that they wouldn't have bought for themselves but will probably really enjoy...and they will think of you when they are enjoying it. Same theory works for tea as well. People who enjoy the some of the flavored coffees might enjoy some bottles of the Italian coffee syrups that are out there. Make sure you are buying the coffee/tea in bulk, because the already-prepackaged stuff is much more expensive.

Last thing I'll post before I shut up...always be on the lookout for deals, coupons, rebates and the like. Last year I bought the wife a bathrobe from JC Penneys, egyptian cotton terry, I think it was originally $50 or $60, but it was on sale for $19.99, and I had a Penney's coupon that knocked $10 off if I paid for it with my Mastercard. So I wound up getting a beautiful bathrobe for $10 that originally sold for far, far more. This year, I got the same coupon from Penney's and they were having a sale on blouses, buy one get the second for $1. The blouses were priced at $22 each, I was able to use my $10 coupon on the first one, got the 2nd for $1, so I spent $13 plus tax for two very nice blouses.

Answer 2

We have shopped at the good will and yard sales and estates sale and we know the people that we have shopped for and we know what they like and we have had so much fun. we have found treasures at these discount stores and yards. this works every year. and it's cheap but the finds can be one of a kind and the item is loved by the one receiving so head for the good will this can work for any other gift giving time like a house warming gift. and don't for get to remove the price tag. like the woman on the street that received a mop bucket.....I received a plastic garbage can with lid but i was very happy because i needed a garbage can. I laugh until i cried with joy because my daughter thought that her boy friend was about to get blasted for buying me such a gift.. he had notice that my old can was beat up and that i really need one and I don't like to buy gifts that are not need by the person receiving the gift

Answer 3

A gift card or possibly okay-looking, glass jewelry, the jewelry only if the person is a girl.
Or, you could buy them a book! The top price range of a book is under twenty dollars.
If you're good at art, then you could paint them something! I'm sure they would love that!
In the case that it's an adult woman, maybe a boquet or some chocolates. Actually, that could really be for any age.

Answer 4

My ideas:
Ebay for an item from their past that might bring them fond memories. I recently bought my 43 year old brother a toy on ebay for $5.00. It was the same as his favorite toy as a little boy. He loved it.

Locate a photograph that is dear to them that has been damaged and repair the photo with a program like Photoshop Elements. I did this for my mother and she loved it.

Open a sharebuilder account and buy a portion of a share of the stock. If you do your homework, the inexpensive gift could turn into an expensive gift.

Answer 5

I make up cookie boxes which everyone always enjoys. I started this when my children were small and I couldn't always get out shopping and didn't have a lot of money. I buy the plastic containers which come in seasonal colors and designs, fill them with homemade cookies, tie with ribbon, make my own cards on my computer, and attach a small inexpensive ornament. They look very cute and I enjoy giving them to teachers, friends, neighbors, the mail carrier, UPS delivery person, Sunday school teachers, Scout leaders, and so on. It takes some time but doesn't cost a lot of money. People appreciate that I took the time to make them something.

Answer 6

There is alot of things out there available on a budget. Depending on who, how old, male or female etc etc.
Another thing to consider is what style are they, do they appreciated hand made, are they single, married, kids? and. your relationship with them. So here we go......
Try putting together a personalized gift basket. You can use anything to put it together. from a basket, a gift box. planter pot, a bowl, champayne ice bucketm a retro lunch box or those decorated tin cans. Use a kitchen colander (this is always a good one to do. Buy some pasta and specialty jar of sauce, a bottle of wine. , glasses and throw in some breadsticks (remember the red checker table cloth or blanket. How about a tool kit, or a car wash kit. If you have kids to buy for make a rainy day special craft box to make jewlrey, soap, learning magic..origami, bug collection give them the start of a baseball card collection., Abath and body set is always safe and practicle. ., How about candles. or even candle making. set .
With individual gifts, A nice picture frame tjhat jyou pick out according to their personal needs. Such as if they just got married. had a baby or do they travel, entertain often, Candles are always nice. By themself or accompaning with another gift..Instead of using a gift check (this way they dont see how much you spent.) You could prepay for a CD, or a manicure,or prepay for a bucket of balls to hit at the driving range. Or get real creative and make your own gift coupons with with a promise from you stating you will..fill this part in: I promise to help with dishes without having to be told for a week. O r maybe a massage. for that person,.a Starbuck gift card., a plant or decoration for their garden..Last suggestion which is a easy way and still look pretty good.is canalway give a tree ornament ..find something that suits them making more personable..Its best though if you do one person , you do them all.
Go to a craft store, a dollar store, or places like walmart or targetor the flea market.
My best to use, I hope some of this help. But remember s=dont pull your covers down and keep yourself open minded. oh another good one is a movie nite basket. Use pop orn with or without tickets to the flic , candy xray glasses whatever you want it to be...just have fun...............

Answer 7

A gift certificate to their favorite salon or other shopping place. For example, do they go to a specific nail salon? Or do they work out at a gym that has a fruit bar or something? In other words, do a $10 - $15 gift certificate, but make it "personal" by choosing something they do on a regular basis. Even a $5 gift cert is fine, as long as it can be used somewhere they frequent -- such as a coffee bar.

Answer 8

First of all, the those glasses and scarf int that video don't look expensive- they look like someone bought them at the Dollar Store. They actually look like u spent less than you did.

Secondly, I agree with a basket theme. Wether it be spa, food, candy, etc you should pick a theme. The basket that woman had was extremely ugly and looked cheap. You can find really nice looking baskets and either the dollar tree or somewhere like that.

Then buy about 10 items that go with your theme- for a spa basket pick a pretty scrubber, back scrubber, variety of lotions, body sprays, soaps, etc. THen put tissue in the basket and tie and big huge bow around it. Walla looks like a custom made basket for under $20.

Answer 9

You can do like my daughter-in-law. She went to Wall Mart and bought some inexpensive lotion and hand cream and put it in a Bath and Body sack. It will work out well if they don't take it back for a refund like my wife did. We still get a good laugh out of it. The laugh was worth more than the present.Not all can afford a expensive present. It's the thought that counts. Merry Christmas Roy

Answer 10

I don't think there was any new news in your video and I agree that the glasses and scarf looked cheap. I wouldn't pay $15 for those particular sunglasses! Sunglasses are impersonal unless you know that your intended likes that particular kind. And a scarf? Unless your loved one collects them, A scarf is what you'd GIVE a female co-worker if you don't know her well or GET from a distant relative who drops in for a holiday celebration.

The best presents I have ever received are from my older sister who has NO money but gets me things that I keep for years----and the best part is, she just knows me, and finds stuff that are SO me.

For instance, I am always losing my keys, so one year, she got me a little remote/beeper key chain kit. Now whenever I can't find my keys, I just use the remote and follow the beep to my keys. I think she probably paid less than $10 for the kit, and it couldn't have been more perfect for me.

Another year, she assembled some cool cooking utensils that she got at the Dollar store– stuff I don't normally spend money on, but now can't live without (a hardboiled egg slicer, a cool pink ladle and spatula, matching oven mitts ((I'm famous for using dish towels and screaming when I get burned!)), and a little wire thing to put over my kitchen sink for when I'm chopping veggies. She put them all on the wire thing and tied bows on everything. It was beautiful, thoughtful and under $12 (she had to brag). It was my favorite gift and, being a vegetarian and drawn to the color pink, I use the stuff all the time.

On one of her most financially tight years, when I begged her NOT to BUY me anything, she got me multi-colored large and small toothed combs and some cool, brightly colored fabric covered hair elastics at the Dollar store for under $5 (total). Again, beautiful and perfect---I have long hair and can never keep up with hair elastics (and the one's that manage to be findable are usually ratty and stretched out). How cheery to get fresh, clean and pretty hair accessories like the one's she found. Also, what woman with long hair doesn't need a pretty wide-toothed comb to use on wet hair, and a small toothed comb for parting and styling hair? Of all the gifts I get over the holidays, its those from her I am always anxious to open.

Bottom line here: thoughtful–showing how well you know your friend or loved one; useful; and yes, as everyone in your video agreed, presentation is always a plus–but NOT to try to make a cheap present look expensive!

A nice presentation shows you care enough to put in the time to make your loved one smile. If only I had a pic of all those lovely kitchen utensils tied onto the wire veggie rack with pretty ribbons! It was an art piece.