The perfect gift doesn’t have to be pricey – and that’s even if you are buying for someone with expensive tastes!
If you are buying gifts at Christmas for someone who enjoys the finer things in life, it is easy to imagine your bank balance soon taking a hit.
It is fairly inevitable that the holiday season will have financial impacts on most of us.
However, did you know that there are inexpensive gift ideas that are super high quality, and look as though you’ve spent a pretty penny on them?
A great gift that’s less than half the price of your average purchase may be a:
- home made photo album
- a stylish planter
- glitzy, luxury phone cases
- charms
- and many more we’ll discuss
It is surprising how many great-looking, long-wearing gifts you can buy at a reasonable price.
So, don’t be so willing to sort the gift list by expensive to cheap just yet. We have some great ideas below.
What Are Inexpensive Christmas Gifts Called?
Anything you like – you don’t have to call them budget buys or bargain bin gifts.
Many people start shopping for ‘stocking fillers’, for example, as early as October.
The best thing to do before you start buying cheaper gifts for that special someone is to remember that the monetary value of your gifts shouldn’t matter! Why give them a name at all?
If you are looking for uncommon goods for people or kids with expensive tastes, dare to think a little bit outside of the box.
Focus more on creating interesting, positive memories rather than splashing the cash on a flashy gift.
We can’t always advise you on just the thing for your Great Aunt Margaret or for your niece who’s into the latest bling – but we can come up with some amazing ways to save cash in the bargain.
How Do You Buy Christmas Presents on A Budget?
Try and avoid looking for brand names on gift options.
Just because the clothes you buy aren’t from Urban Outfitters or a designer brand, doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of giving away.
This can be tricky if the person you are buying for is really into their labels and brands – but you may find that most people appreciate a well-planned, thoughtful gift – one that’s super personal – will likely resonate more in the long run.
The best way to bu any kind of Christmas gifts on a budget is to start early.
Scour the market for out of season deals. Cool gift ideas pop up all year round, but not necessarily close to the big day.
You might even choose to start your Christmas shopping in the post-season reductions!
Try and look for out-of-the-box gift ideas on handmade commerce sites such as Etsy, where you can find unique, custom gifts you simply won’t find elsewhere.
If you can find that top-line cast iron skillet at cut rate long before Christmas, go for it – but if not, there are a few further ways to think outside of the Christmas box.
Our Top Ideas
Fancy Planters
The green-fingered guru in your family is likely going to want more plants if anything – but the next best thing may be a fancy planter or pot they can use to house their favorite shrubs in.
Even better, you may be able to have a custom design created on Etsy for less than you’d imagine, or you may even be able to buy a great quality, plain planter and paint a design yourself.
That’s likely to save money, it’s super cute, and it’s a great choice from a personalization perspective.
Stylish Phone Accessories
Did you know, you don’t have to spend a fortune in a high-end shop to make your phone look extra stylish?
As many reviewers claim, affordable phone cases still do the trick for $10 and less.
What’s more, you could save money and get creative.
Why not add glitter and glue to a case in your recipient’s favorite colors and styles?
It doesn’t have to look cheap – and adding a personal twist can make things all the sweeter.
Personalized Gifts
Going personalized, as mentioned, really does add an extra layer to the value of a gift.
You could create a personal scrapbook of photos, arrange to print a name and photo on a mug, or even have a glass engraved.
For personalized gifts that look particularly expensive (but aren’t), you could choose a local engraver and take a cheap wine glass or tankard and have a special phrase or moment etched on.
The best gifts don’t have to be those that are necessarily pricey – you can save money by making some luxury items from scratch, and by going to a little more effort.
Sweet Tooth Treats
For the person in your life that really enjoys candy and chocolate, there’s not always the need to go ahead and buy an expensive box or jar of goodies.
You could purchase a jar or box separately, for example, and fill it up with sweet items that they really love.
If you’re clever enough about this type of gift, you can cut the cost and buy a jar second-hand, wash and buff it up, and mix up goodies to their demand.
The same may also work well for coffee.
You may find that it is more expensive, for example, to buy a big jar of joe outright than it is to fill your own tankard, tub or trinket.
Once again, this is all the more extra special as you have taken the time to think carefully about what that special person wants, and to actually go ahead and make it yourself.
You could wrap it up nice and make it look extra fancy as you wish!
Cozy Bedwear
Something nice and warm to wear over the holidays and into new year isn’t ever going to go wrong.
You will likely find that cosy, cuddly pajamas, toasty socks and more are likely to be cheaper than you think – and gifting this kind of present doesn’t always demand you paying over budget for the latest labels and lines.
Of course, that all depends on what your recipients want to wear on their skin!
If your loved ones are not so gussy providing it’s in the perfect size and that it’s nice and soft, you may be surprised as to the great quality of bed wear available to buy online right now.
A little light shopping on stores such as Amazon will show users provide pretty honest reviews – providing you look for verified purchases.
It’s a quick and easy way to tell which items are cheaply made and aren’t worth the money.
Summary
Buying Christmas gifts for family and friends can be hard-wearing on the budget over the holiday season.
However, you could be fantastic friend or relation and add a little bit more in the way of thought over cost.
Great gift ideas don’t always have to cost the earth, and to that end, there are some very easy ways to dress up more affordable gift ideas without breaking the bank.
Would Mom or Dad prefer something personal over something flashy?
Do you have room in your schedule to put a little creative time and effort in?
Treat your relatives and your friend group to some stylish gifts that you won’t lose sleep over on the cost.
Different people have different tastes – but saving money is never impossible when it comes to a creative Christmas!
Take a look for our top ideas above and don’t sweat over the cash.
We’ve also written guides on how to buy Christmas gifts with no money and how to apply for free Christmas gifts, which you may find helpful.
