Budget Friendly Mothers Day Gift Ideas

Have you been trying to come up with some perfect, budget friendly Mothers Day gift ideas, but you’re not sure if your pinched budget can afford it?  Whether it’s your mom, wife, mother in law, grandma, aunt, sister or just a very special lady in your life, that you would like to honor on this special day, I have come up with a few budget friendly Mothers Day gift ideas that are sure to please.  How do I know this?  Because I would LOVE to receive any of these myself!

In my opinion, it isn’t the cost of the gift that matters, but the love, effort, thought and preparation that means more than what money can buy.  Not all of theses gifts are free, as some do have a little cost associated with them, but most are minimal.

If you feel like you need to spend something, it’s early enough to plan a little ahead and work them into your budget.  It really does pay to think ahead!

*Updated*

18 Awesome, Budget Friendly Mothers Day Gift Ideas

Here are 18 affordable, budget friendly Mothers Day gift ideas that any Mom would love.  Hopefully, you’ll find the perfect one for your Mom or special lady in your life.

Family Photo

If you can get the whole family together, take a pic and have it enlarged and framed.  This is something I have been wanting for a long time.  We usually can’t get everyone together at one time, so when we are lucky enough to do so, like we did at Easter, we made it a point to get a few pics.  Even if the pic isn’t perfect, it’s a precious memory that will last.  Send it to Costco or Walgreens for very inexpensive enlargement, then find a pretty frame to put it in.  Hobby Lobby has some beautiful ones and are usually 50% off. 

 

Lunch or Dinner Out

If it’s in your budget, treat her to her favorite restaurant for lunch or dinner.  We all know that lunch is usually cheaper than dinner and if you go online, you may be able to find a coupon AND some restaurants have Mothers Day specials, as well.

Flowers

I’m not talking about the standard grocery store or floral shop bouquets.  If she loves flowers, give her a perennial that she can enjoy for years to come.  One of my mother’s favorite gifts was the Knock Out rose bush I gave her a few years back.  It’s a very hearty plant that have survived the Texas heat and some pretty cold winters.  Each year it comes back more full and beautiful than the last.  Check out your local nursery and find out what perennial best suits your climate and her taste.  A potted plant is also another great choice.  It’ll be the gift that keeps on giving!

Hand Painted/Drawn Pics From the Kids/Grandkids

What mom or grandma doesn’t love original artwork from her babies?  Put a pretty frame on them and VOILA!  A treasured gift from the heart that money can’t buy.  My youngest daughter, who is now 27 and a mom herself, painted my mother a couple of darling pics with watercolors, when she was about 10 years old.  We framed them, very cheaply, I might add and gave them to her one Mother’s Day and she still has them hanging in her spare room, to this day.  She won’t take them down because they mean so much to her.  (Be sure to have the child sign and date them.)

Something She Won’t Give Herself

If she’s frugal or on a tight budget, there’s probably some things that she would love to have, but just won’t spend the money on.  I’m so guilty of this.  Some of my favorite budget friendly Mothers Day gift ideas that come to mind are:

A mani/pedi...either/or, depending on your budget.  If you’re budget is super tight, give her a mani/pedi yourself.

A nice box of quality chocolates Who wouldn’t love a box of Ferrerro Rocher Hazlenut Truffles?  Yes…a little more expensive than a bag of Hershey kisses, but still a frugal, yet indulgent, gift.

A High End Shampoo/Conditioner Instead a $2-4.00 bottle of shampoo/conditioner, splurge and get a salon quality shampoo/conditioner.  It doesn’t have to be super expensive to be good.

Detail Her Car!

I love a clean car, but sometimes life is just too busy and hectic and my car gets overlooked.  A good washing and vacuuming would be a great gift!  All you need is a bucket, a sponge, some soap and a vacuum cleaner.  Don’t forget the windows! :). Throw a car air freshener in, in her favorite scent, maybe fill up the gas tank and she’ll be in heaven!

Clean Her House

Send her off somewhere for a few hours and while she’s out, clean her house and maybe throw in a couple loads of laundry.  Dust, vacuum, change the sheets, clean mirrors and windows and whatever else needs tending to.  Psst…this is a great gift from husbands/dads.  Throw in the car detailing and you are going to score huge brownie points!!

A Day To Herself

I probably should have put this one first because every mom dreams of this, especially when the kids are small.  Time becomes a precious commodity to moms everywhere and the thought of having a few hours to do exactly what she wants to do…well, you can’t put a price on it.  Take the kids for some fun and leave Mom to do whatever she wants, whether that’s sleeping, reading, visiting girlfriends, or whatever.  She’ll be happy, refreshed and ever so appreciative.

An Outing

Spending the day with her can benefit you as well and there’s so many fun things to do that don’t cost a lot of money.  The best gift you can give is the gift of time.  Just being together is usually enough for our moms’.  If you need some ideas for some frugal fun date ideas, check out my post on Fun and Frugal Date Ideas That Wont Drain Your Wallet.  Most of these are fun for everyone.

Cook For Her

Most moms and wives would love a night (or a day and night) off from being in the kitchen.  Make her a wonderful brunch, lunch or a yummy dinner.  Be sure to do the clean up.   When I say the day off, that includes everything.

No Sew Fleece Blanket

I have made several dozen of these wonderful blankets.  Everyone in my family and most of my friends have at least one.  They’re easy to make, don’t cost much and there’s no sewing involved.  What’s even better, you can totally customize it to her taste.  Here is a link…No Sew Fleece Blanket…showing step by step instructions on how to make it.  Once you do one, you’ll want to do more!  These make great gifts for all occasions.  Besides Mothers Day, think birthdays, baby showers, Christmas, graduations, etc.  They wash really well and will last for years!

Baked Goods

Everyone loves food!  If you have someone who seems to have everything or doesn’t really need anything, think about baking something really special.  There’s not too much that you can’t find on Pinterest.  Make something that she would love but probably wouldn’t make herself.  My mom loves my Melt In Your Mouth Sugar Cookies.  That was part of her Christmas gift, this past year.  I gave her a couple of dozen in a pretty cookie tin and she still tells me how much she enjoyed them.  A good choice might also be her favorite pie or cake.  So many possibilities, here!

A Subscription

Does she have a favorite magazine that she may buy each month at the grocery store?  Pay for a year (or two) subscription and have it delivered right to her mailbox.  Maybe she would like to meal plan.  E-Meals is a very affordable subscription that not only provides you with customizable meal plans, but also the ingredients and the shopping list.  They’ll even give you 14 days to try for free!  Does she like to watch movies?  There’s Netflix for that!  Think outside the box!

Online Courses/Community Center Courses

Is there a new craft or subject that she’s interested and would love to learn?  Ask her and then google to see if it’s offered in a course, either online or at the local library or community center.  I’ve seen courses that are no more the $15-25.  There are actually sewing classes offered at my local library every Saturday morning. Maybe she’d like to learn ball room dancing.  Yep!  Community Centers offer this.  You might be amazed at what’s available, these days.

DIY Gift Baskets

I love making these because you can truly tailor them to an individuals personality.  I usually head to my local Dollar Tree and load up.  If you’ve been following my blog, you already know that Dollar Tree is one of my favorite places to shop.  You can spend less than $10 and get some fabulous items to fill a gift basket.  Here are some ideas:

Personal Care Baskets – Candles, favorite candies, lotions, hand sanitizers, loofahs, body mist/perfume, shower gels, compact mirrors, nail polish, manicure kits, tote bags, make-up bags, eye/facial masks, socks, coffee/tea mugs, journals, pens, picture frames, cookies, eye glass cases, sun glasses, ELF makeup and accessories, lipsticks/glosses.

Cooking/Kitchen Baskets – Oven mitts, pot holders, Betty Crocker cooking utensils, mixing bowls (use the bowl as the basket), cookie mixes, place mats, dinnerware, glassware, spices/seasonings.

Gardening Baskets – Seeds, garden tools, gloves, kneeling mats, yard ornaments, wind chimes, small flower pots, potting soil, watering cans.

Get creative!  The skies the limit!

Wine/Glasses

Treat her to her favorite kind of wine or introduce her to something new.  Wine doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be good.  Pair it with one or two wineglasses (from the Dollar Tree) and BOOM!  You’ll have her grinning from ear to ear.  If you’d like to get a little crafty, get some FolkArt glass paint (available at Walmart & Hobby Lobby) and paint her a special glass.  You don’t have to be an artist to do this.  You just need a little imagination.

Gift Certificates

This one is probably my favorite.  The giver can choose the amount they’d like to spend and the receiver can have the fun of purchasing exactly what she wants.  Personally, I ask for certificates for things I love, but normally won’t purchase for myself.  Some of my favorites are Hobby Lobby, Amazon, James Avery, Kendra Scott (Couple with the 50% discount on one item, that they give you in your birthday month and you can indulge and get some very high end pieces for little or next to nothing.)

Massage and mani/pedi gift certificates are also very high on my list.  Other ideas may include grocery stores, garden centers, hair salons, car washes, favorite restaurants and theater/tickets.

A Spa Day at Home

This sounds like heaven to me!  Some of my favorites in this department might include a good, old fashion foot massage, a head and back massage, (make sure it last longer than 5 minutes) 😉  fix her hair, do her makeup, a facial (either store bought or make your own…Helloooo,Pinterest!), paint her nails, all the while, serving her favorite snack and beverage.

Finally…

I always tell my girls that motherhood “aint for sissies!”  It’s one the hardest, yet most rewarding jobs you will ever have.  Coming up with a special gift that shows how much you appreciate your mom or any special lady in your life, might seem difficult, especially if your trying to fit it into a tight budget, but fortunately, giving a thoughtful, heartfelt gift is easier than we think.

All of the suggestions above reflect that and there is literally something for every budget, in this list.

In most cases, when it comes to Mom, it truly is the thought that matters the most to her, so never let your checking account keep you from letting Mom know how much she truly means to you.

Do you have any suggestions for budget friendly Mothers Day gift ideas for Mom?  Be sure and comment below.

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