10 Gifts You Can Make for $10 or Less

Let’s face it, as fun as the holiday season is, it definitely comes at a price. If you want to be able to get your friends, family, significant other, secret santa, etc. some awesome presents without breaking your wallet, here are 10 gifts that you can make for $10 or less.

Everything used could be purchased at Walmart, thrift stores, or The Dollar Store.

1. Themed Gift Basket - This gift basket can include anything you want in it because the theme of it is completely up to you. You can base it off of a show, movie, color, or even an inside joke between you and the person receiving the basket.

2. Cookies in a Jar - Bake some homemade cookies and stack them nicely in a mason jar. You can make the cookies interesting by using a holiday cookie cutter or spice up the jar with ribbons.

Photo Courtesy of Pixaby

3. Decorative Picture Frame - Purchase a cheap picture frame, either plain or already decorated, personalize the frame, and add a sentimental picture to show how much you care.

4. Bundle of Candy Wrapped in a 5 Dollar Bill - Candy AND money? What a perfect combo! This gift is best done with candy bars because they’re easy to wrap. Buy 2-4 candy bars of your choosing, bundle them up and tie it with string or an elastic. Then wrap a 5 dollar bill around the bundle, and top it off with a bow so it stays in place. What a treat!

5. Hot Cocoa Set - Purchase a mug, hot cocoa mix, and marshmallows. Pour the hot cocoa mix into a clear plastic bag and tie it off with a bow to make it look pretty. Do the same with the marshmallows and place both bags into the mug. You can also add a candy cane into the mix to add a hint of mint.

Photo Courtesy of Pexel

6. Mini Spa Kit - Put together a basket with a face-mask, nail set, bath salts, and other spa related products. You can purchase most, if not all, of these items at a dollar store or Walmart without going over budget.

7. Wreath Of Candy - Buy various kinds of candy that the recipient of this gift enjoys. Then, using a hot glue gun construct the candy into a wreath. You can add other elements to the wreath to make it pop, such as sparkles or a bow.

8. Mini Emergency Kit - This gift is one of my favorites because not only is it cute, but it also comes in handy. You can purchase a cute little coin purse from the dollar store to hold all of the contents of the kit. Remember the goal is to keep it small enough that it can be carried anywhere. Here are just a few things that you can include in your travel-sized emergency kit: bobby pins, hair ties, clear nail polish, q-tips, earring backs, a tampon, Chapstick, and loose change.

Photo Courtesy of Aliis Sinisalu

9. Personalized Sharpie Decorated Mugs - Buy a plain mug and sharpies of any color and design the mug any way you want. Some ideas include the receiver's initials, a meaningful picture, fun pattern, etc.

10. Sparkly Slime - This gift is my favorite because it’s so untraditional. It may seem strange, but playing with this slimy concoction is great for stress relief. The ingredients necessary for this gooey surprise are as followed: Elmer’s glue, Borax, food coloring, glitter/sparkles, water, and a bowl. In the bowl, mix 1 oz. of glue (about ¼ of the glue bottle) with ¼ cup of water. Next, add the food coloring and glitter. Then, add ¼  of the Borax to the glue and water and stir slowly. After stirring for a while, knead the mixture with your hands until it isn’t as sticky. Just be sure to keep the slime in the freezer in a sealed plastic bag when it’s not being using.

These gifts are simple and inexpensive, making it easy to put a smile on someone's face. Keep in mind that everyone appreciates a nice handmade gift!


Cover Photo Courtesy of Annie Spratt