51 Awesome Budget Friendly Christmas Gift Ideas When Money Is Tight

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Need budget friendly Christmas gift ideas or cheap presents for kids and family gifts?

Here are no cost gifts and the best frugal Christmas gifts that won’t bust your budget!

Best Budget-Friendly Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids & Family

Before we get to affordable Christmas gifts, I wanted to show you a list of gifts that cost nothing.

That’s right! 

ZERO cost gifts and simple gift ideas that those on your Christmas list will still appreciate!

Gift Ideas That Cost $0 (Using Supplies You Have At Home)

• Teach them a skill (baking, drawing, coding, knitting or anything else you’re good at).
• Print free coloring pages online and staple them together for a fun coloring book.
• Trade services: This coupon is good for free crochet lessons if you teach me how to make your mom’s secret cake.
• Give a coupon for your help: Free one night of babysitting so you get a night off!
• Create a digital photo slideshow with music and send it to them.
• Write a poem for someone.
• Hit up Little Free Libraries in your area for books you can wrap and gift.
• Make a written, step-by-step guide to something you’re good at like home repairs, budgeting tips, photography, gaming strategies, etc.
• As inspiration, put together a list resources for new hobbies they’ve been talking about. Include YouTube links, print out free articles, and include a list of recommended books they can check out from the library
• Make 1 Year of Special Days (or 6 months or whatever you want): Label 12 different envelopes to be opened on the first day of the month. Each envelope has a coupon they can redeem for that month. For example: January – Hot chocolate & nature walk; February – Movie marathon; March – Craft Day, etc. (use your imagination!).
• Put together fun busy bags from items. you have around the house. (LEARN HOW TO MAKE BUSY BAGS HERE) – My daughter spent HOURS playing with each one of her busy bags when she was younger.

 

Cheap Wrapping Tips (That Still Look Amazing)

You also don’t have to spend a ton of money on expensive gift wrapping for your affordable gifts.

Try:

• Using brown paper, leaves or evergreen twigs, and kitchen twine for rustic gift wrap.
• Cut brown paper grocery bags into wrapping paper. (We used them for these handmade star ornaments one year.)
• Use kids’ drawings as wrapping.
• Put gifts inside jars instead of boxes. Wrap the top with a ribbon or twine. (Plus, they can use the jar after!)
• Make gift tags from old Christmas cards or even birthday cards.

 

 

List of Cheap Christmas Gifts That They’ll Love!

This list of gift ideas includes low-cost items that still make great gifts for all different ages! 

Be sure to scroll through the different gift categories to find what you need.

DIY / Handmade Gifts

• Adventure Coupon Book – coupons for things like: movie night of their choice, stay-up-late pass, one chore-free day, pick dinner night, etc.
• Personalized Storybook – write a short story where they are the main character (or even a pet is the main character). Print it, including pictures of them, and make your own book cover.
• Homemade Playdough or Slime Kit – make a kit with small mason jars, ingredients to make the slime and and instruction card with steps on how to make it.
• Treasure Hunt Kit – make clues and hide small treats. (My daughter always has a blast with this!)
• Activity Jar – fill a jar with fun ideas that they can choose from once a week (Build a blanket fort, Bake cookies, Game night, etc.)
• Memory Photo Album – Make a homemade scrapbook with pictures from the last year.
• Put together a Snow Day Survival Kit for fun winter days or cold days inside (or out!).

 

Cheap & Low-Cost Store Gifts

• Grab some puzzle books or coloring books from a dollar store. Include a pack of crayons or markers.
• Give a pack of glow sticks and a link to a playlist for a glow party.
• Pick up a pack of playing cards and then print out 10 different games they can play with just a deck of cards.
• Put together a DIY baking basket with baking ingredients, printed cookie recipe, and cookie cutters.

 

 

Experience Gifts

• Host Backyard camping night. (LEARN HOW HERE)
• Give a coupon for a one-on-one special day with you.
• Check the library calendar for a cool event. Pack a lunch and get free library entertainment and then have a picnic (in the library or out) after. 
• Put together a movie party package with homemade movie tickets, popcorn packets, and fun movie snacks for a DIY movie night at home.

 

DIY Games & Activities

• Homemade Board Game Kit – include foam board cut into rectangles (or thicker poster board), markers and dice for kids to make their own board game. You can even thrift random items to be used for the game.
• Make a Discovery Box – fill a box with nature items (pinecones, rocks, leaves) and other interesting items and include a magnifying glass from the dollar store.
• Origami Kit – printed origami instructions and include paper sheets.
• DIY Fort Kit – include clothespins, twine, mini flashlights, and sheets or blankets (all can be thrifted).

 

Cheap Educational Fun Gifts

• Make a library book passport – print out a list of books for them to read and a fun log book with reward stickers they can put by each book they read
• Make DIY science experiment kits – print out science experiments and the supplies needed to do the experiment 
• Make growing kits – get cheap seed packets and containers for a mini garden growing kit.

 

Winter-Themed For Solstice Gifts

• Hot cocoa mix with mini marshmallows in a jar. (GET THE RECIPE FOR THE HOT CHOCOLATE IN A JAR GIFT)
• Snowman-building kit with marshmallows – here’s how to make a Do You Want To Build A Snowman Kit (they were a huge hit at our party!)

 

Cheap Christmas Gift Ideas for Family

Sentimental Gifts

• Jar of Kind Words – write 52 notes (one for each week) about things you love about them.
• Family Recipe Book – compile favorite recipes from relatives and print them and put them in a binder.
• Photo Calendar – print photos and make your own calendar layout.
• Custom Playlist – make a fun playlist of songs that remind me of you or the family.
• Make an “Open When…” Letter Set like Open when you’re sad, Open when you need motivation, Open when you need a laugh, etc.

 

Almost Free Experience Gifts

• Family game night kit – thrift them! I regularly see NEW games and puzzles (still in wrapping) at Goodwill for under $3!
• Walking/hiking at night with hot cocoa.
• Digital Declutter Assistant – offer to help them organize digital photos or files.
• Homemade dinner and candles for a fun restaurant at home night.
• Year of Experiences Jar – 12 folded paper slips that you draw from at the beginning of each month.
• Family Time Coupon Book – make a coupon book and take turns where each family member can use a coupon from it. For example: no phones dinner, pajama day, family Game night with prizes, movie choice, etc.

ALSO CHECK OUT MORE EXPERIENCE GIFT IDEAS HERE

 

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

I hope you have fun with these budget friendly Christmas gift ideas!

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