If you buy something from the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?
Having a large family or friend group is wonderful, but it can make gifting on special occasions and during the holiday season a bit challenging. Since birthdays and Christmas seem to come faster each year, your budget can start to feel the strain. Affordable gift ideas are a perfect solution to ensure everyone receives something they’ll love without depleting your bank account. We understand the need for budget-friendly gifts (that don’t look cheap), and are here to help you navigate this cost-effective journey.
If you’re not a DIY pro and have nothing new and of value to regift, you must plan ahead to select the perfect present. Don’t forget to set a budget. Determine how much you can afford to spend and do your best to stick to it. If you’re shopping for multiple people, allocating a specific amount for each person can help you stay on track financially.
To simplify gift shopping, we’ve curated a list of the best cheap gift ideas, organized by different price ranges. Whether you’re shopping for the best gift for a book lover, your favorite roommate, or a picky coworker, we have options that suit every personality (and spend!). From a desktop vacuum cleaner and wine chiller to a thought-provoking card game, these fantastic finds are all under $50 and will make you the ultimate gifting hero.
Budget-Friendly Shopping Tips
When it comes to picking affordable yet meaningful gifts, we believe it’s essential to look beyond price tags and focus on value. To create this guide, we carefully selected items that are thoughtful, versatile, and appealing to a variety of tastes, hobbies, and age groups. We prioritized quality, usability, and charm while picking products that don’t look cheap at all. Whether it’s a small luxury item or a practical one, each gift on this list was handpicked to ensure it feels special and is built to last.
Under $10
TOYMIS Mini Funny Positive Potato
Sometimes the best gifts come in the smallest packages. This positive potato stands 3 inches tall but comes packed with so much good juju and uplifting info. The knitted cutie holds a sign that reads, “I may be a tiny potato, but I believe in you. Go do your thing!” Give it to someone who can really use the positive vibes.
This gel eye mask provides rapid relief for puffy eyes, dark circles, headaches, and tired eyes. Thanks to its reversible, double-sided design, it can be used for both hot and cold therapy. One side is soft plush for extended comfort, while the other is silicone for an immediate cooling effect. An adjustable strap will ensure it fits snugly. It also comes with a resealable bag for easy storage.
Gift this handmade PU leather heart bookmark set to a bookworm you love. These durable, elegant, and practical reading companions are inexpensive yet appear to be higher in value. Featuring a chic heart design in six colors, these bookmarks protect book corners and remind readers where they left off. Consider giving it to book lovers, students, teachers, and coworkers.
This personalized leather keychain — crafted from 100% natural full-grain leather — offers quality without the price tag. Choose from several colors and customize with your gift recipient’s name or even any word you choose (think: motto, a word to live by, or something sentimental). They will appreciate its sleek design and natural texture, which gives it an elegant, high-end vibe.
More: Best Engraved Gift Ideas
The RAYONNER Electric Candle Lighter offers a safe, flameless alternative to matches or regular lighters. Safer for households with small children, using plasma arc technology to ignites candles without harmful chemicals like butane is the way to go. With a USB-C rechargeable battery, windproof design, and double safety switch, it’s efficient, eco-friendly, add this gift to their arsenal for everyday use.
You might think this is a gag gift, but a scalp massager will be a welcomed useful accessory. This scalp massager provides the ultimate relaxation and stress relief. With rubber beads over each spindle, it glides smoothly over the scalp, providing a euphoric sensation. Perfect for promoting blood circulation and reducing tension, it’s easy to use and portable.
This one comes in a bulk of four so you can gift it to one person as a set or disperse among multiple loved ones, ensuring more of the soothing benefits.
We love countertop organizers that also happen to be adorable. This petite lotus-shaped container will not only sit pretty by their bathroom sink but hold up to 30 cotton swabs at a time. Plus, the cover keeps them from getting dusty or gross, which is a must in bathrooms.
tweexy Wearable Nail Polish Bottle Holder
Give her a helping hand with this wearable nail polish holder to make DIY manicures way more manageable. It holds the bottle snuggly, so there’s no fear of spillage while she’s perfecting her mani. Pair this budget-friendly gift with some fast-drying nail drops, and you’ll have a quick mani kit.
Tech gifts can get absurdly expensive, but the PopSocket is a cheap gift and affordable phone accessory to please them while keeping extra pennies in your pocket.
It grips onto the back of their device for easier holding and handling, so selfies and streaming can become more seamless. If you have a newer iPhone, you can get a MagSafe version, not an adhesive like the one shown.
Under $15
Your favorite hostess will flip out over this party-perfect set of six coasters. They’ll keep tables free of unsightly water stains and stack up like a cactus to add an extra festive touch to any celebration. And, if they aren’t great at plant parenting, this is a touch of green without the responsibility.
More:Stocking Stuffers That Are Small, Sweet, and a Total Steal
Glocusent USB Rechargeable Book Light
When the kids are in bed and she has time to relax, she can whip out this USB-rechargeable reading light to keep her hobby going. It has five brightness levels and three color modes (including an amber mode to reduce blue light and minimize eye strain). Finally, she can read without disturbing others. With flexible angles and a compact, lightweight design, it easily clips onto any book and is also perfect for travel. It also lasts up to 80 hours on a single charge, so no rush!
Epielle’s characer skincare masks offer a fun and skin-friendly way for kids to enjoy skincare and play “spa.” Featuring playful designs like cheetahs, llamas, unicorns, and pandas, each mask is infused with botanical extracts, collagen, and fruit extracts to hydrate, calm, and brighten the skin. These cruelty-free, vegan masks are free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, so they’re a gentle option for little ones’ self-care fun.
The neat freak in your life will appreciate this desk vacuum cleaner. It’s compact, cute, and convenient. Perfect for keeping desks and countertops clean, this handy device features additional filters and suction nozzles for versatility. It runs on two AA batteries.
Gift it to a loved one to simplify their cleaning routine and make tidying up small debris, eraser crumbs, and snack bits fun and efficient. This practical gadget enhances any workspace, providing a unique and enjoyable cleaning experience, but it can also be utilized for other surfaces.
These cult-favorite facial sprays are outrageously popular cheap gift ideas for a reason: They hydrate and refresh tired skin, instantly giving it a fresh and dewy glow. They’re also a pleasant little pick-me-up during an afternoon slump. Just spritz this mist for a burst of energy!
You never know when someone will need a wine opener, pair of scissors, pliers, or screwdriver, so why not gift all of those tools in one? This multitool comes with 14 different functions, making it a useful yet cheap gift.
This stainless steel item is a great choice for the outdoorsy person in your life or for anyone who likes to be preemptively prepared.
OXO Single Serve Pour-Over Coffee Maker
Perfect to keep at a desk, this OXO Brew Single Serve Pour-Over Coffee Maker serves rich, flavorful coffee with minimal effort. Its auto-drip tank ensures perfect water flow, while the included lid retains heat and doubles as a drip tray. This sleek, practical gift is also easy to clean, so you’re gifting convenience in a cup! Coffee, not included.
bodum Bean Cold Brew Coffee Maker
This French press coffee maker will make both cold brew or iced coffee with easy and in small batches. Get rich, flavorful iced coffee with every time using it’s two lids—one for sealing in flavor overnight and one with a plunger for brewing in the morning. The BPA-free carafe is dishwasher-safe so you can clean it easily after brewing for one or sharing with others.
Williams Sonoma Herbes de Provence in Ceramic Crock
If you’re not familiar, Herbes de Provence is a fragrant blend of dried herbs (thyme, basil, savory, fennel, and lavender). They’re traditionally used in French cooking to enhance the flavor of meat, poultry, sauces, and soups (think roasts, stews, and more).
This ceramic crock of Herbes de Provence from Williams Sonoma is crafted in the South of France, providing authentic, aromatic seasoning that elevates a wide range of dishes. The home chef in your life will love it because it makes their dishes taste magical. They’ll appreciate the combination of earthy and floral notes served from this herb mix, adding depth and complexity to everyday meals. Plus, they can continue refilling the adorable jar it comes with for years.
