Gifting on a budget: $10 and under
There’s no proven connection between the cost of a gift and the satisfaction of the recipient. I expect that deep down you believe this too, because you yourself have been moved by the smallest thoughtful touch or let down by a grand gesture (like the person who bought diamond earrings for their partner who didn’t have pierced ears—yikes). Our culture has normalized “the more you spend, the better the gift.” That’s too bad, because oftentimes great gifts are well within reach, and life’s small triumphs go uncelebrated because we believe gifts need to be a big deal. Let’s agree to end all this high-cost, high-pressure gifting business and just get back to brightening someone’s day. Deal?
Here are a few tips to inspire thoughtful gift ideas without stretching beyond what you’re comfortable spending:
Quality over quantity
Regardless of your budget, aim to gift someone the very best of something. If you have only $10 to spend, resist the temptation to give as many trinkets as possible. Instead, give a nice pen, an artisan chocolate bar, or specialty shoelaces. Adding a ribbon and gift tag easily amplifies the value and elegance of the gift. You save the recipient the guilt of discarding the trinkets, plus, they will likely enjoy something of higher quality.
Hard-to-get gifts
I have good news for you: There are gifts that will be perceived as more valuable with no added cost… but they take more time and effort. Gifts that are hard to acquire show you made an extra effort to bring joy to the recipient. Like cupcakes from that place across town that always has a line out the door. Or a historic photo of a place significant to the recipient. Nowadays, anything you couldn’t buy with one click while laying in bed half asleep can feel more special. “What?! You actually got out of your jammies and traveled through time and space to buy this in person? You shouldn’t have!”
Personalized gifts
No, I’m not talking about keychains from Disneyland. Stationery , pencils, makeup bags, or luggage tags, for example, with someone’s name or initials on them are inherently more thoughtful because they require a bit of pre-planning. If you’re feeling crafty, DIY personalization is a great option too. I’m lucky enough to have a professional calligrapher for a sister-in-law. She created a beautiful (yet affordable) gift that I gave fellow friend-couples with new babies: a mat board with each baby’s name below the photo opening. The recipient could then choose a frame and photo to hang on their wall.
Personalized mat boards created by the talented Ellen Sontra of Letters By Ellen.
Out of the blue gifts
One of the easiest ways to instantly add more value to your gift is to give it when the recipient least expects it. Why? Because they know you did it just to be nice and not because it was expected of you. One of the best gifts my husband ever bought me in the 14 years we’ve been together was lip balm because it wasn’t for any occasion and I knew he wasn’t at that store for any other reason—he just thought I’d like it and made a special trip to get it.
Thought starters
Before you reach for that five-pack of Starbucks cards in the Gift Card Mall, consider an equally affordable alternative. A few thought starters for you:
