The best presents aren't always the most expensive. In fact, budget-friendly gifts that cost next to nothing usually require a bit more thought and creativity than a saw-this-at-the-mall-and-thought-of-you gift. Giving of yourself—in the form of your time and energy—touches the heart of loved ones and, if you're trying to save money, go green, or both, it's a win-win.
We compiled free and nearly free gift ideas to consider for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and other gift-giving occasions. You probably have materials around the house to put most of them together. Even if you're not particularly crafty, you can pull off something special and meaningful without spending very much.
Gather a Bouquet
If you have access to a garden (and have permission to cut from it, of course), gather a bouquet of lovely blooms or decorative branches. Tie them with a ribbon or a piece of twine, and you're good to go.
Consider a Pet Rock
No need to buy a "real" pet rock when there's probably one outside your front door that's in need of a good home and companionship. Find a box and provide a link to one of the tongue-in-cheek care manuals online—or print one—and you're in business.
Regift Wisely
Shop from home, literally! There's probably something in your house that a friend or family member will love. Whatever it is—that vase your friend always ogles or the book you just finished that's right up your sister's alley—share generously.
Set a Date
We know it's important to spend time with loved ones, so make your gift a commitment to do just that. Whether it's a monthly date for tea and conversation, a special weekend away with far-flung friends, or plans for a family reunion, the anticipation of a good time to come is a fabulous gift.
Print a Fab Photo
Print a copy of that pic of you and your BFF in full '90s grunge mode, or a recent shot of a family vacation, and that photo is likely to find a place of honor in your recipient's home. Odds are, you have an extra frame around the house for it and, if you're good with a computer, you can size your print and matting for an exact fit.
Scribe Memorable Moments
Remember that time? Make sure they do, too. Write your favorite memories with your recipient on slips of paper and place them in a pretty jar with a label like "Jar of Awesome." Include some blank slips so they can continue the tradition with new memories as you make them.
Write "Just in Case" Letters
Compose a series of heartfelt letters to suit different occasions, and label them "Read this when you're feeling blue" or "Read this when you have something to celebrate." This ensures you send your loved one just the right message at just the right moment.
Create a Video Tribute
Enlist family members or friends to help you compile photos, memories, and feelings about a cherished recipient and turn them into a video tribute. Edit it together—we love the group video maker Tribute, a video-makers site designed for collaborating and editing—and you'll have a free yet invaluable gift your loved one will never forget.
Message the Future
Create a time capsule with a time stamp that suggests when your recipient should open it. This makes an especially nice gift for the under-18 crowd. Capture their current interests and passions, so the tween in your life can reminisce about their K-pop obsession a decade or so for now. What a gift!
Share Mementos
Compile a booklet or decorate a box to fill with priceless artifacts—old ticket stubs, brochures, playbills, and memorabilia—from times you've spent together. For bonus points, jot a short sentence or two about what you remember from every adventure.
Make or Bake a Batch
Sure, you may have to spring for a few ingredients, but who wouldn't cherish a homemade edible gift? Consider a collection of cookies, a killer cake, or a grab bag of granola. Double up the recipe for your family's favorite casserole, a hearty loaf of bread, or canned pickles, pasta sauce, or jam; and then gift half to someone who'll truly appreciate it.
Gift a Mix
Give the gift of the next-best thing to homemade. Upcycle an old pasta sauce jar or mason jar and layer in all the dry ingredients to make oatmeal cookies, hot chocolate, your signature soup, or other favorite treats. Include instructions for the recipe's final steps for your giftee to enjoy weeks or months later.
Divulge Secret Recipes
Does everyone ask for the secret to your chocolate chunk cheesecake? Maybe a friend would love the recipe for Grandma's vodka pasta sauce. Use recipe cards to write down instructions for making your legendary dishes—or compile them in a booklet or scrapbook—for a gift any foodie would treasure.
Create a Mixtape
Craft a customized playlist to offer as a gift. Include songs to remind a loved one of special memories, add inside jokes, or find new music you think they'll love. Share your gift with them via Spotify or another streaming service. Alternatively, if your giftee is old-school, try burning a CD or recording a cassette.
Grow Something Green
A pretty houseplant always makes a lovely gift, especially if you've grown it yourself. Just remember to get an early start if you're growing from seed or bulbs. Look over your own houseplants for types you can easily divide or propagate from a cutting to make new ones.
Make DIY Art Supplies
Even if you're not DIY-inclined, your giftee may be. If so, you can make play dough, slime, or even fingerpaints with common ingredients you probably have at home. Visit La Jolla Mom for recipes for these and more kid-focused crafts.
Offer Inspiration
Find a blank notebook in an obscure drawer around the house, jazz up the cover, and—in your best handwriting—fill the pages with inspirational messages. Huzzah! It's a gratitude journal. To get started, try a few famous positive quotes.
Be Charitable
Here are just a few ideas for a totally free gift that can make you and your giftee feel great:
- Volunteer for a charity or organization that's especially meaningful to them.
- Take a day to clean up trash in a park or on a beach.
- Donate blood.
- Sign up for a shift serving others at a soup kitchen.
Be a Sitter
Homemade coupons good for free house-sitting, pet-sitting, or babysitting are likely to be warmly welcomed by any gift recipient. Likewise, offer lawn care, houseplant watering, or mail-and-package collecting for your giftee to redeem the next time they go on vacation.
Plan a Day of Fun
Craft a homemade gift card entitling the recipient to a fully planned day of fun. Take your nephew on a tour of the best local playgrounds, treat a parent to their favorite art museum on free admission day, plan a sightseeing drive to enjoy fall foliage, or take a scenic or historic route. You'll find plenty of things to do together that won't break the bank.
Showcase Your Talent
Draw a portrait of a loved one's dog, learn to sing or play their favorite song, knit a scarf, or find another way to share your gift with someone you care about.
Chart the Family Tree
Become the family genealogist and start Googling for details from the past. Draw the results on paper and frame the chart for your loved one.
Create a Game
If you have a loved one who's into game night, they'll really love one you've made yourself. Devise your own Jeopardy categories and questions (or, more accurately, answers), customize a trivia game based on family history or your local area, or jot Pictionary or charade topics on slips of paper. The possibilities are endless, and so is the fun.
Gift an Ornament
Turn excess ornaments into family heirlooms. If you're downsizing your Christmas tree but still have enough ornaments to decorate the one in Rockefeller Center, consider gifting one or more of them to create instant heirlooms. The same goes for Christmas throws and pillows, tableware, and other holiday decor.
Search for Freebies
Be on the lookout for retailers giving away their products! Especially around the holidays, retailers offer all kinds of incentives to get you to spend:
- If it's a BOGO deal, buy one and gift one.
- If you can buy a $50 gift card and get a $10 one for free, gift that $10 one.
- If your online store is offering a free gift with purchase, grab it and gift it.
DIY a Bubble Bath
Give the gift of relaxation by conjuring up a bubble bath solution from a few household ingredients you probably already have. Repurpose an old jar (spray-paint the lid if it's labeled), fill it with bubble bath, and tie it all up with a bow. Voila!
