It seems that there is always a holiday or birthday in the near future which requires you to think of a cheap but meaningful gift. Gift buying can be very stressful, especially if you do not know what to buy for the person or more importantly, if you’re low on cash! I was in the same situation just a few days ago when a friend of mine invited me to her birthday party. After counting my spending money I realized I couldn’t afford to buy anything fancy or even shop online for anything because I do not use a credit card and the idea of paying shipping wasn’t all too appealing either.

As I brainstormed, I thought of a few ideas that almost anybody could use. For under twenty dollars, I bought a nice gift bag for my friend that she enjoyed very much and that also had a personal touch.

1. Homemade gifts

• Homemade gifts are the most personal gifts as well as the easiest gifts for anybody! With google, you can look up just about any recipe and bake a cake, cookies, pie or any other dish that you desire. Everybody enjoys food!
• Cards. For many people, especially family, homemade cards are better than a store bought card! Spend time making a beautiful card and write something meaningful inside. The phrase “it’s the thought that counts” is true!
• IOU coupons. Make tiny coupons for that says things like “I owe you one free babysitting night!” or “I owe you one complain free dish washing day!”. Twenty or so of these are clever and fun, especially for somebody like your mother who already has a lot to do!
• If you are close to the person (like a best friend or you mother) make a photo frame, print out a photo of the two of you and give it to them! It is very personal and thoughtful.

2. Candy and flowers

• Nobody can turn down candy! A nice box of chocolates is a simple gift that anybody can enjoy! It is also very inexpensive.
• Flowers can cost more but are another thing that everybody enjoys. You can choose flowers as simple as diasies or you can opt to buy a dozen roses if the person is very special to you.

3. Gift cards

• If you have money but simply do not know what to buy a person, buy a gift card! Gift cards give people the freedom to buy whatever they want. Choose a store you know the person visits regularly (Walmart, Target etc etc). A majority of people put twenty dollars on a gift card and put it inside a card.

4. Other gifts

• If you know somebody personally, these are some other gifts that you can buy for them if you are still stuck:

• iTunes music card
• Cds
• Clothing
• Shoes
• Cute purse
• Makeup!

Anything that you know they’re interested in (art supplies, books, sports balls etc)

I hope that you’ve gained a few ideas from the article!