We would all love to give our mothers extravagant gifts for Mother’s Day, but that isn’t always possible. Inexpensive gifts, if they are creative, can be just as welcome as expensive ones.
Flowers: Flowers don’t have to be designer roses or expensive bouquets. Grocery stores and discount stores are great places to find inexpensive flowers. A big, showy bouquet from the grocery store will cost you much less than flowers delivered by a florist, and you can buy an inexpensive vase at the dollar store, or let your mother use one of her own.
A home-cooked meal: Chances are, your mother has been cooking for you all your life. Mother’s Day is a great day to return the favor. You may not be able to afford to take your mother out to a fancy restaurant for a meal, but making a home-cooked meal costs a lot less money, and can be just as enjoyable.
Paper goods: There are many scrapbooking websites on the internet that offer free or inexpensive templates for calendars, recipe cards, and other types of paper goods that can be downloaded and personalized. Your mother would love a calendar that has been customized with family photographs, and the only expense would be the ink used to print it.
Picture frames: While you’re looking for family photographs to scan for a calendar, you might consider picking out a photo to frame. Inexpensive picture frames are easy to find, and by adding a special photo, you’ve created a gift that only you could give.
Candy: Here’s another dollar store tip—buy a big glass jar with a lid and fill it with inexpensive hard candy such as peppermint drops. They’ll last a long time, and your mother will think of you every time she opens the jar. You can also make your own! The internet is full of homemade candy recipes, search SiliconeZone.com for your mom’s favorite design or animal, and make sweets straight from the heart.
Magazine subscriptions: Magazine subscriptions can be very inexpensive, sometimes as little as $10 per year. Order a subscription to a magazine that your mother loves, and she’ll thank you every month when it arrives in her mailbox.
Handmade soap: Craft stores carry supplies for making handmade luxury soaps—soap base, molds, colorants, fragrances, etc. The only equipment you need is a microwave oven or double boiler. For less than $20, you could make several bars of beautiful soap. Wrap them in tissue paper and put them in a gift bag, and you have an elegant gift for not much money. Does your mom love Hello Kitty, or is an endangered species enthusiast? Check out the muffin cup and cake molds from SiliconeZone.com for some great soap-sized molds.
Houseplants: Big, showy houseplants are expensive, but every big plant started out as a little one. For a couple of dollars you can buy a small plant at a nursery or discount store. Plant it in a pretty pot, or even a coffee cup, for an inexpensive but thoughtful gift.
Yourself: The best gift you can give your mother is your presence. She won’t mind a bit if the only gift you can afford to give her is a card or a single flower from the grocery store, as long as you deliver it personally and spend time with her on her special day.