Oct 30

Oct 30 Affordable Gifts under $50

Finding affordable gifts that family and friends will really like can be challenging, so I gathered this list of ideas. I will continue to update this list as I find more great and affordable gifts. Please share any ideas you have in the comments below.

My Top Gifts Under $50

Books

Books are great for almost everyone and a very affordable option. Sourcing is key. You can shop at a local bookstore or on Amazon. Shopping at a second hand bookstore or a thrift shop is another option. Re-gifting a book that you have if it is in like-new condition works well. While you have to be a bit more flexible, check out a Little Free Library or other community bookshelf to find a book in good condition.

Something Personalized

A personalized box or ornament from Susabella. Personalized ornaments also make a great gift for a family. For a hand painted option, Hello Marilu has fun and festive baubles. She’s in the UK, so make sure to check shipping times.

More personalized ideas: A mug with their name on it, a picture of their pet (or favorite plant!), or from a school they attended are also thoughtful gifts. Check out Shutterfly, Etsy, or the school’s bookstore website. Another fun idea is to add their name to a candle from the Little Market.

Gift Cards

A Starbucks or Amazon gift card in any amount are often appreciated. Even $5 or $10 will pay for a fun treat. Also consider gift cards to small and local businesses, including restaurants, bookstores, and craft stores, as they could really use our support this year.

Beauty

Nail polish

For anyone who likes to paint their nails, this is a fun gift. If you want to go high end, give one of the Tom Ford nail colors. Butter London has a six color set that will look great on everyone. Zoya has several options of four color sets.

Makeup

When I was in school, a friend and I knew what makeup the other wore most often and would buy a replacement of our favorites for each other at the holidays. If you know what your family/friends wear, it can be a thoughtful gift. If you don’t, here are a few suggestions of gift sets that I will be gifting:

Charlotte Tilbury 4 piece Pillow Talk lip set.
Mac mini eyeshadow pallets. I have two of these and they are small, but fun for sampling colors and creating different eye looks. I like that they take up a reasonable amount of space for storage, too.
Sugar Lip set of 6.

Skin Care

A set of sheet masks is also nice. Gift one or go for a five pack or 8 pack of sheet masks.
Mini oils or deodorant from Meow Meow Tweet. My favorites are the lavender lemongrass oil and the rose geranium deodorant. My husband likes the unscented deodorant in a jar.

Food

Seattle Chocolate

Seattle Chocolate Company has the most beautiful packaging on their holiday candies. The designs were created by local artist Frida Clements. Available in single bars, trios, small packages, and larger care packages.

Steep Café by Bigelow

Bulk boxes of tea from Steep Café by Bigelow are a thoughtful treat for a tea lover. Each box has 50 tea bags. My favorites are mint, earl grey, and jasmine.

Coffee Beans

Gifting 1 - 3 bags of coffee beans is a perfect for coffee drinkers. Brands I enjoy are Cafe Vita and Stumptown, but you can find fun coffee options at almost any grocery store. If the person you are gifting the coffee needs a bean grinder, I’ve had a Krups grinder for too many years to count.

Fancy Sprinkles

Fancy Sprinkles are great for anyone who likes to bake, make candy, spruce up pancakes, or add a creative touch to a winter drink. Whether you prefer sprinkles or edible glitter, individual jars and sets are available.

Penzey’s Spices

Purchase individual intriguing spices or a set that starts around $17. Penzey’s Spices are for cooking, grilling, baking, and much more, including delicious hot chocolate.

DIY Cheese Basket

Cheese and crackers with dips is a Christmas day tradition in our family. One year I bought a few different kinds of cheeses, spreads, and a fun lavender honey from Whole Foods and gifted them to my dad. It was easy, affordable, and a big hit.

S’mores Dip Kit

S’Mores Dip Kit includes a 6.3 inch (16 cm) cast iron skillet filled with chocolate morsels and small marshmallows.

Technology

Clip-on Light for Phone

I received this Clip-on Light in my stocking last year and it helps when I have to be on video calls on my phone or make Instagram stories.

Wireless Keyboard

The Logitech K380 is multi-device, so you can easily connect to your computer and phone to type, like, and comment.

Gamer Mouse Pad

This mouse pad is backlit and features 10 lighting modes. It is also large - 31.5 x 12 x 0.2 inches.

ELEGOO UNO Project Super Starter Kit

Learn electronics and programming with the ELEGOO Starter Kit. Recommended for ages 10 through adult.

Home

Soft Blanket

I have the Nordstrom Bliss Plush Throw in purple and red and use them all the time. There are a variety of colors available. The blanket is sold on both the US and Canadian Nordstrom websites.

Candle

There are so many great options for affordable candles that are scented or unscented. I like the style and smell of the Voluspa Crushed Candy Cane for Christmas.

Ornaments

Macy’s has a variety of styles at affordable prices and often has good deals. Local plant nurseries often have a fun selection of Christmas ornaments as well. In the Seattle area, check out Molbak’s, Swansons’, or Sky Nursery.

A Fun Print

Etsy and Society 6 have tons of great prints. Also check out small companies like Kiriska, Frida Clements, David Seidman, Albertine Press, or Ladyfingers Letter Press.

Glass Drinking Straw

DrinkingStraws.Glass has extensive options for sizes and designs. Choose from plain, Santa hats, avocado, rainbow, cherry, apple, animals, a Sasquatch, and so much more. Add a carrying case for use outside of the house.

Garden

Seed Packets

Whether you want to gift vegetables or flowers, seeds are a fun gift for anyone with an outdoor areas. Also, check out a local nursery or even a grocery store for local varieties. Floret Flowers has beautiful seed mixes available in November, but they sell out quickly and their individual seed packets are only available starting in January.

Indoor Herb Garden Kit

This Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit comes with organic potting soil, peat pots, as well as basil, cilantro, parsley, sage, and thyme herb seeds.

Mason Bee House

Mason Bee houses help attract the perfect pollinators giving you more fruit, vegetables, and flowers. The link is for the bee house. You can check with your local garden center to find out where to buy bees locally or check out a Mason Bee specialist like Crown Bees and pick an appropriate shipping date for your region.

Games

SET

Players try to find as many SETs as they can and the player with the most SETs at the end of the game wins. This game is great because you can play alone or with as many people as you want. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Loonacy

Players race to empty their hand of 7 cards by matching images on the piles in front of them. Loonacy is recommended for ages 8 and up.

Unlock! Heroic Adventures

The Unlock! series of games is fun for anyone who likes solving mysteries. Players use quick thinking and deductive reasoning to progress through each Adventure. The free UNLOCK! app supports integrated gameplay by having players input codes, interact with machines, and receive hints. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Bold Maid

A modern twist on the Old Maid card game. Bold Maid isn’t about getting stuck with a card. Players win by collecting a team of bold women past and present.