Mother’s Day may be over by the time some may read this post, but this can still come in handy for Father’s Day. I know it is a little too far away, but it’s better to be prepared. In both occasions, you have to remember one thing – big things come in small packages. To make that day as special as possible for your parents, all you need to do is show your love. You don’t have to give them a Porsche – although your dad would probably be really happy – but giving a simple card isn’t going to cut it either. As much as possible, take a day off from your frugal life and give your mother a special gift; or you can always give her a token of your affection without having to spend too much. Frugality, after all, is mostly about being creative.
To hit the spot, you have to think about any of these three – what your parent wants, what your parent needs, or what your parent will be surprised with. It doesn’t have to be just one of the three, since you can always go all in. At any rate, here are a few frugal gifts for your parents depending on which route you go.
Want
If you’re going for what your parent/s want, then there are less chances of you not keeping your frugal stance on things. It’s not a bad thing, since you will want to give a really special gift. In any case, you will want to know what they want without letting them know you’re fishing for information.
Once you get the information that you need, simply create or buy something that’s close but just as good as the real thing. For instance, if your mom always wanted a particular kitchen utensil, you can try looking for a set of cheaper ones – but not cheap enough to a point that they won’t be of much use after two weeks.
Need
Man always knows what it wants, but he rarely knows what he needs. When giving something that you parents actually need, this can actually cross over into the “surprise” portion, which will be discussed in a little bit. “Needs” include apparels, especially if the parent you give them to has lost or gained weight. One thing you can do is to make them yourself if you know your way around the sewing machine. As for making it special, you can even put a little embroidery on the shirt, pants, or sweaters so as to personalize them.
One thing you will want to keep in mind is that when you give something that your parent “needs”, it may take a little while for him or her to accept. Given the example above, your parents may get hit a little hard with the reality that they have gained weight after you give them a bigger-sized pair of pants.
Surprise
When it comes to surprise, you can let your imagination grow wild; not that you don’t need to do the same with the two aforementioned scenarios, but you can let your imagination go wilder, at least. At any rate, giving a surprise gift would be better since you can get as cheap as possible, but the present remains special.
For instance, if your dad is a fan of “hair metal” bands, then you can compile a couple of songs and burn them into a CD. If your know what your dad’s favorite video game is, then you can find something like it.
Giving gifts don’t need to cost you a lot of money. Your parents will be happy with simpler gestures, so you won’t need to think like you’re attending a wedding or any other similar event that requires a really expensive gift. With your parents, the important thing is to show your love. The best part is that you get to stay frugal.
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