Is the 18 y o a girly girl? A spa kit, a manicure/pedicure kit... you could put those together and not break the bank at Dollar Tree. A candle basket would be neat too.
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"Do the best that you can where you are, and be kind." by Scott Nearing
The last two years I did Emgerancy Kits for my college bound niece & nephew. I filled shoe boxes with trial size products like shampoo, tampons, deodarant, bandaids, tylenol, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc. and then I put in a Walmart giftcard for $10-20. I also put in some single serve food items.
When my niece was in high school I made up makeup kits for her and gave Blockbuster gift card for the nephew as he liked to rent the games.
I have 25 co-workers. Last year I just brought in ornaments from the Cracker Barrell I had bought when they were on sale, approx. $.75 each.
This year I know them all so much better. I got the women each a pair of sox from walmart - you know, the spa kind, all soft and silkie and what you should wear to bed after putting lotion on your feet each night. I also went to Big Lots and bought each a tube of hand cream for about $1.00 each. To this I will add a candy bar bought for just tax of $.04 each using a coupon at the grocery store that doubled and made the candy bar free.
I am waiting for colored t-shirts to go on sale at Michaels for $2. I will then buy a pack of sox from walmart, usually 6 pair per pack, divide them up one pair per guy, and add one of those candy bars. I only have 6 guys I have to buy for left, so that will be the extent of it.
I have done most of this shopping over the course of the year, so I probably less than $20 left to spend on all these good people.
There are people with whom I am more friendly than others and have purchased items discounted for them - like a spray bottle of lavendar scented linen psray from Bed, Bath & Beyond for $.98. And a couple of items I am re-gifting that I just will not use myself.
Bed Bath & Beyond also has a Yankee Candle section. Sorta behind that section in the store closest to me, is the discontinued item sention for the candles. You can always find a good cheap gift there - housewarming, Christimas, birthday, thinking-of-you, thank you, etc.
I also get gifts all year long from the drug stores. Again, they can be used all year for different occasions, lots of little things from key rings, to garden clearance.
In the grocery store, if you need a quick inexpensive gift for a neighbor, or a hostess Christmas gift - look in the floral section for a pot of mini roses - usually $3.99 each. And it usually has appropriate gift wrap around it.
Ladies, you all take care, and please continue to share what you find that is pretty inexpensive to give.
I came across this idea and think its cute and very frugal.
Exercise in a bottle! use a clean, dry medicine bottle add some dried beans inside. Directions on the bottle are to dump contents onto the floor, bend to pick up one bean at a time, stand and put back in bottle, repeat until all beans are picked up. Dosage repeat 5 times daily.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertaD
I came across this idea and think its cute and very frugal.
Exercise in a bottle! use a clean, dry medicine bottle add some dried beans inside. Directions on the bottle are to dump contents onto the floor, bend to pick up one bean at a time, stand and put back in bottle, repeat until all beans are picked up. Dosage repeat 5 times daily.
If you have lots of buttons, you can make them in to earrings using wire and/or lacing. Like leather lacing or plastic lacing you can buy in craft stores or in a craft section at a store. Then you use french hooks for earrings, or if they are some one with out pierced ears, just cut off the back, unless it is a flat earring and attach a post style back and it can be earrings or depending on the size a pin them to wear. Also you can make snowman pins using pin backs or straight pins. Just glue 2 buttons together and use fleece for the scarf on the snow man or snow woman, as well as for a hat on the pin. Also you could glue smaller buttons together or on a small round piece of pipe cleaner or jewelry cording and such and make a wreath out of the buttons and accent it how every you want, and turn it in to a pin you can wear for any seasons. If for Valentine's day you could do one in red and white or pink and white for that. Pink could also be used wear for Breast cancer awareness. Also for easter you cold do pastel colors. Also you can stitch buttons on a shirt for an accent. Like around the top of a t-shirt, or make a pattern on a shirt using buttons. Their are endless possiblities for using buttons for crafts. Even making a snow man of stryrofoam balls using buttons for the eyes nose and mouth and for the front of the snow person.
