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If you are buying gifts for frugal people in your life, there are a few things that you will want to consider. This should guide your buying process and mindset. Here are a few of my ideas for inexpensive but thoughtful gifts. A box of chocolates with a homemade card that says you're just too sweet for words.
This is a great idea for kids to give to grandparents or teachers. This is a quick and frugal tutorial that shows you how to make your own Advent wreath with materials you probably already have at home. Firstly, think about your person – who they are, how they live, and what is important to them (both their interests and lifestyle-wise).
Christmas Gifts for Coworkers Under $10:
How to make a unique, simple and special wrapping for a gift card. This simple felt and floss DIY Gift Card Envelope will make your gift even more meaningful. Is your iPhone full of pics of you and your bestie out on your adventures?

My Le Creuset Dutch Oven is one of my favorite possessions. Their price is insane, but the excitement of cooking with it has saved me countless takeout orders. It’s also not uncommon for people to regale tales about their models reaching 50+ years old, so calculating the price divided by my lifetime helps me sleep at night.
Frugal Christmas: Homemade Gift Idea #24
Helium balloons are fabulous frugal gifts for kids’ birthdays (and adults, for that matter!). My frugal-minded gift guide is crammed with thrifty gift ideas. Last Christmas season, we brought you25 days of frugal homemade gift ideas. This year we have 25 more frugal homemade gift ideas!
You can use a large canning jar to make several layered cookie or brownie recipes that look absolutely adorable and taste even better. Purchase a note-booking journal that’s cute and hand-write all of your favorite recipes in it. Be sure to leave some pages blank so that your recipient can add some of his or her own favorite recipes too.
Frugal Gift Ideas for Christmas
If you’ve got a skill, such as knitting, playing an instrument or baking, give the gift of education. This is something we’ve been doing for years with Rick’s brother. Instead of buying each child and adult a gift, we exchange themed gift baskets with the family. And I love seeing the joy on my kids’ and loved ones’ faces when they open the gifts we’ve gotten them. Don’t underestimate the value of repurposed items – they can be an absolute delight to frugal people!
One of the very best purchases I made when I became a mom for the first time was a felt-covered microwaveable rice bag that we use as a heating pad. I can make a scarf using a high-quality yarn for roughly $6 by putting in some time and effort. Knitting is quite easy once you get the hang of it, and it’s a great activity to keep you busy during the cold winter months. Add a loofah or bath scrub, a nice CD with relaxing music and put it all in a nice basket and you’re ready to go.
Frugal Christmas: Homemade Gift Idea #2
I have two broken doors in my townhouse at the moment. They’re interior doors, and I can afford the materials — but I simply don’t have enough hands or know-how to hang them myself. The best gift anyone could give me right now would be a coupon to help out with the project.
Add some brightly colored tissue paper to make the pail or basket shine and wrap in clear cello paper. Gently write “pull” on the corner of the tissue that’s sticking out a bit. When the recipient pulls out the tissue, they’ll get their real present. Make sure the tissue that’s taped to the money is sticking out of the top, and place the tab back on the top of the tissue box. Get a pile of $1 bills from the bank; 10, 15, 20 – whatever your budget is – tape them together end to end and roll them up neatly and tightly. One of the most well-received gifts we’ve given since we moved to the farm was our home-canned Homemade Smoky Chipotle Salsa.
This is a short list of some of the sweetest and most unique gifts I received for my first baby. A collection of the best Christmas gifts for women that cost $30 or less. Perfect for girlfriends, moms, grandmas, friends, sisters and more. Frugal gift ideas for grandparents, moms, dads, and kids.

Bring the bookmark to your local office store and have them laminate it. Use a hole punch to make a hole in the top and add a pretty ribbon. The goal would be to have at least 20 to 30 reasons so that jar appears full. This gift will be sure to make the person feel special this Christmas. Don’t worry too much about your poetic skills; simply write from the heart.
Learn how to make melt and pour lavender soap using lavender essential oil with these easy to follow directions. Make 12 bars in just one hour and have the perfect homemade gift! Thank you SO much for letting me know that, Lauren! 🙂 Also just wanted to make sure you saw my post on teacher gift ideas too. I have so much fun helping you find the perfect frugal gifts.
Gifts for your husband, brother, Mom, Grandma, coworkers, Dad, sister, friend, kids, baby, Grandpa, teachers, dirty Santa gifts – I’ve got you covered. If your recipient is also a frugal person, consider giving them a copy of The Tightwad Gazette, the frugal living “bible” I swear by. Have the cards laminated at an office shop, use a hole punch to punch holes in the corner and slide each recipe onto a silver ring. For an extra special touch, include a rubber spatula that has a hole in the stick and add that to the ring as well. Or if you’re looking for some extra creativity, print the recipes from your computer onto colored cardstock paper.
I love helping you find the perfect, frugal gifts for friends, family, and coworkers. I thought it would be helpful to round up all of my gift guides in this one post, so you can find the perfect Christmas gifts for everyone on your shopping list. One of the fun frugal gift ideas for kids is to bake sweet treats together. Get out the heart cookie cutters or get creative to celebrate the holiday with your kids. Some of the frugal gift ideas on our list are definitely on the cheaper/inexpensive side – but remember cost doesn’t necessarily reflect quality or purpose.
There’s no doubt in my mind that reading through these classics will make your frugal gift receiver a whole lot richer. Most people mess up and go with one of those black-coated nonstick pans. While these are nice and convenient, the unfortunate truth is that over time, that Teflon coating will flake off. Obviously, this poses all sorts of health concerns. But even more annoying, it means our frugal-someone has to repurchase the same piece of equipment every few years.