Search Results for: blog inexpensive gift baskets

Inexpensive Homemade Candy

If you need a last minute gift that will be well received, think about making some inexpensive homemade candies. Homemade candy can be a bit more festive than the usual Christmas cookies but just as inexpensive. Stick with recipes that are simple but delicious in order to spend the least amount of time and money to create your gifts. Plus, since candy can be very rich, you don’t have to make too much of it to still have a significant gift. You will need something to use to hold and present your homemade candy gifts, so start there. Many pretty … Continue reading →

Easy and Popular Christmas Gifts You Can Make

This year, why not cut your holiday gift budget in half or even more by making some wonderful homemade gifts. Forget the crocheted potholders and the macaroni art, the following popular gifts will be appreciated and used. In fact, they are so popular, you might even find a couple of them among the gifts that you get! Baked Gifts From cookie platters to quick breads, baked goods can certainly hit the spot during the holidays. Pick up some inexpensive dishes, loaf pans and other containers at your local thrift store. Pretty containers that your gift recipient can keep are much … Continue reading →

Baskets Full of Fun

Nothing says “Merry Christmas” quite like a basket full of homemade cookies, brownies, chocolate sauce and pound cake. My neighbor outdoes herself each December and this year is no exception. Yesterday she dropped off a huge gift basket filled with my daughter’s favorite sweet treats, lovingly prepared in her own kitchen. I love the idea of getting and giving gift baskets during the holiday season. Even if you are working on a tight budget, homemade gift baskets are a great option for neighbors, co-workers, family and close friends. The best way to save when putting together a gift basket is … Continue reading →

Gifts from the Garden

In the food blog I looked at the idea of handmade Christmas gifts, but what about some Christmas gifts from your garden? If you started off cuttings now, it gives them a few weeks to get established. We have three huge hanging baskets near our back door filled with the most beautiful plant that flower in mauve flowers rather like a violet only larger and they flower all year round in the shade. They look brilliant. They all started from one little cutting from a friend that grew to be enough for one hanging basket. We then took cuttings from … Continue reading →

3 Holiday Gift Basket Ideas

Gift baskets are expensive to purchase but frugal to assemble yourself. I like to make them myself for that reason. From holiday gifts to friends, family and neighbors, to baskets that can be auctioned off for charity, holiday gift baskets will help you give more this year for less money. Here are four different ideas that you can use to put together holiday gift baskets. 1. Holiday Baking Basket This basket is always a hit at our school auction. Most people love the idea of baking during the holidays but don’t have the tools or don’t know how to get … Continue reading →

Frugal Gifts for Teens

Teenagers can be hard to purchase gifts for. They generally know more than you do about what is currently in, and most of the general gifts for teens fall into the electronics category which can get quite expensive. If you have a teen or two on your list, you might appreciate some good tips for getting them nice gifts while still staying on a budget. Here are some ideas. Snack Basket Teenagers are always hungry. Fill a basket or a box with yummy treats that they will be sure to appreciate. You can buy snacks in bulk and distribute them … Continue reading →

The Gift Card Graveyard

For the past few years, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others who have wanted to give gifts to my kids and not known exactly what to get, have sent gift cards. This is a fabulous way to give a gift to an adolescent or teenager, of course, but now, I’m wondering what to do with all these dozens and dozens of partially-used plastic cards. With three teens, you might imagine how quickly the gift card slush pile can accumulate. We have got identical-sized cards laying around the house for everything from department stores and shopping malls, to restaurants and movie theatres. … Continue reading →

Creative Gift Wrap Ideas

Why spend a fortune on gift wrap when you can create beautiful and inspired packages at home? Birthdays, anniversaries and of course Valentines Day..it seems as if there is always a present to wrap. While you can shop the after holiday sales for gift wrap and keep it in your gift closet, there are plenty alternatives right now in your home. Why not try some of these ideas or let them inspire your own? Comics for kids: As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Squeezing Money from The Newspaper, the comic strip (or funnies, as my parents always called it) … Continue reading →

What Is A Gift Closet?

A few weeks before the holidays, my five-year-old was invited to a birthday party by one of his friends from Sunday school. The week had been really hectic, and there was no way we would have found the time to go out shopping for a nice birthday present that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Fortunately, I had the perfect solution. I just reached into my gift closet and pulled out a great gift. A gift closet is a great concept in frugality. It allows you to pre-purchase gifts throughout the year, whenever there is a great sale, deal … Continue reading →

Frugal Gift Basket: Romance for The Single Woman

Do you have a friend who loves romance? Whether she likes a genteel historical novel or a real bodice ripper, this gift idea is a great one to try. It is an easy and last minute gift that is sure to make her smile. As I mentioned in previous blogs, gift baskets can be oh so frugal, especially when you take advantage of unexpected sources, sales and stockpiles. I would love to take credit for this inspired gift basket, but the idea actually comes from Lisa P. Thanks Lisa! Into this basket, Lisa suggests we put: Several romance novels (These … Continue reading →