Gearing up for Christmas? I'll be sharing lots of frugal gift ideas over the next few months. Here are a few I found this week:
::Make and Takes shares a creative idea for using supplies you probably already have on hand to make a cute hand-stitched greeting card. You could make a stack of these very inexpensively, tie them with a bow, and give them as a gift to someone who likes to write notes.
::I love how Jennifer transformed a $4.99 frame at IKEA into an adorable wall-hanging. If you can bear to give this away, it would make a special gift for grandparents!
I am thinking of going back to CVS and snatching up the last of the tote bags that are 90% off. After I bought mine to use as a diaper bag/purse/coupon binder bag, I realized I should have gotten some for Christmas! My SILs travel and could use these for that! There were also some plainer ones that I could give as Baby Shower gifts! They would also be great for teacher’s gifts too! I’ll be very bummed if they’re all out!
Everyone needs some great savings this upcoming season. Thanks for sharing!
I am going to fill a large pretty basket with bargains from my stockpile for my mother and sister-in-law. A little bit of everything from bodywash, candles, household cleaners, to first aid items, etc. They keep telling me that they don’t have time to do “the coupon thing.” I can’t wait to see their faces when they realize how much free or low cost stuff I am getting. I believe this is a frugal idea, but in good taste (it is family).
I am so excited about this series. Would love to hear about your plans as well!
Here is another time consuming, yet inexpensive give I gave my 3 kids Godmothers last year. I made them a cookbook of our families favorite recipes. Throughout the year when school supplies are relatively cheap, I buy. Start with a 3 ring plastic cover binder, get some sheet covers to insert recipes in. I then either typed up or photocopied our favorite recipes. I categorize by Appetizers, Breakfast, Lunch, Soup, Dinner, Snacks, Misc. I also made a few different spices to go with the recipe book. Spices that I use throughout different recipes. Can I say, they all loved them and to this day, make the recipes that we love.
Here is something I am doing for my parents from my 3 kids. We go to the beach every year for our family vacation, along with my parents. At the beach, what else is there to do??? Collect seashells and take lots of pictures. I have glued the seashells we found around an inexpensive frame, adding pictures of my 3 kids with my parents. Cherished memories hanging on their wall. Very, very inexpensive Christmas gift…
The last couple of years, I have made the majority of my children’s gifts (I do try to buy them a few books). This year I am doing the same thing. I made gifts from fabric and clothing that I already had, and I’m doing the same things this year.
I have a page on my site called “Sewing for Less” that has several links for free patterns (little girls’ skirts, doll clothes, etc), as well as tutorials for making clothes over. There are gift ideas for items other than clothing as well. Everything on there is free. There are even some fun paper dolls that you can download and print on your computer to tuck into a girl’s stocking.
On my embroidery page, I have links for free embroidery designs.
The children have a few requests for gifts, but most of the ones I am planning will be surprises.
I am really looking forward to learning more frugal gift ideas. I stress out all year about what to do for Christmas presents on a VERY tight budget for my husbands HUGE family. They all buy us really nice things and we just can’t afford to return the favor. I need ideas and am already stressed out over this, so am really excited to see more ideas!!
Those hand-stitched cards are WAY cute! And what a great way to use all the cardstock and embroidery floss that I’m not using. Although I would need to start on these now if I expect to have them for people’s gifts by Christmas. Thanks.
I absolutely LOVE the frame idea! I pride myself in taking nearly all of our children’s photos throughout the year… This would make the perfect gift straight from my heart!
I can’t wait to read all of the ideas! I’m challenging myself this year to make Christmas inexpensive and simple. With a large extended family and the bad habit of spoilng my children (carried over from when I was a child spoiled at Christmas) we usually end up spending way more than we should. I’ve actually recently written an article on eHow about simple homemade gifts deas since I’ve been trying to give more homemade gifts myself.
The Ikea wall hanging is so adorable! We received the same style Ikea frame as a gift, and I pried it open to replace with some of our family photo enlargements. I loved it too much to give away though… so it’s hanging in our bedroom! 🙂
I’ve challenged myself to spend no money on Christmas this year and am having fun getting creative making gifts. I find I’m actually more excited for Christmas and about the gifts I’m giving than I have been in past years where I simply bought everyone’s gift.