Affordable Fathers Day Gift Ideas That Dad Will Love

Here we are, almost half way through the year and we all know what that means…Fathers Day!  Fathers Day is a day, set aside in June, to remember Dad and show him how much we appreciate all of the self-less things he does for his family.  If you need some gift ideas that don’t cost much money (some don’t cost at all), here are some of my favorite frugal Fathers Day gift ideas that any Dad would love to receive.  How do I know this?  Because many of these ideas were taken right off my own list and were given to my Dad and my husband.

Most of the time, when I would ask my Dad what he would like, he would smile and say, “You don’t have to get me anything.  I have everything I need”.  Have you heard that one before??  Realistically, we all know Dads’ like to receive gifts, just like the rest of us.  What’s even more important, there are so many creative, special ways to show him how much you love him without breaking the bank.  While some may take a little planning ahead, all of these fathers day gift ideas are easy and definitely affordable.

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Frugal Fathers Day Gift Ideas That Dad Will Love!

Here are my choice picks for some creative, thoughtful and frugal Fathers Day gift ideas that any man would love and appreciate.  I hope you can find the perfect one for that special Dad.

Gift Cards

This is my husband’s personal favorite gift to receive.  Gift cards allow the giver to pick the amount that he/she can afford and the recipient gets the pleasure of picking out exactly what he wants.  To me, gift cards are a win-win and you can also get very specific if you take into consideration what his hobbies and likes are.  If he’s a sportsman or an athlete, Academy, Bass Pro Shop are perfect choices.  Does he have a favorite restaurant?  Is he a motorcycle enthusiast?  How about a gift card to Harley Davidson?  The possibilities are endless with this one!

Coupon Booklet

If you don’t have any money to spend, make your own gift cards in the form of a coupon booklet.  Think outside the box.  What does Dad enjoy doing?  Maybe, one coupon a month, to spend time with him or go for a hike, play a game of basketball, have a movie night together (his choice, of course), do chores for him.  This is a super fun idea where you can get creative, have lots of fun and not spend a dime.

Tools

This is one area where you can spend a little or you can spend a lot.  Most men love their tools and this time of year, most home improvement stores have gift sets that are very affordable.  You can also find some great deals on Amazon.  Whether it’s a screwdriver set, wrenches, sockets or a homeowner’s tool kit (pic below), you almost never can go wrong with this one.  If you find something a little more pricey, have the kiddos split the cost. One nice gift of tools is just as much appreciated by Dad as several smaller ones.

He might like:  Cartman 39 piece tool set

Food!

There’s an old saying that says “A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”.  Most men love food and this gift idea can take many forms.  The most obvious would be to take him out for lunch or dinner to a restaurant of his liking.  Many restaurants have specials for Father’s Day.  This is great if there’s room in your budget for this, but if not, there’s other fantastic choices.  Make him his favorite meal at home.  This is so much cheaper than going out AND you can even get the kids involved. They can help prepare the meal, set the table and wait on Dad, just like servers in a restaurant.

*Tip* – Check out Love To Frugal’s recipes for a whole menu of ideas.

Gift Baskets

Holy smokes!  So much can be done with this one!

Food Gift Basket

Fill a basket or a box with his favorite snacks.  Cookies, chips, candy, popcorn, jerky, protein bars, protein shake mix, cheeses, summer sausage, fruit bars, napkins, fruit, nuts, favorite beer or wine, just to name a few!

Movie Themed Gift Basket

Popcorn, candy and soda put into a basket or a popcorn bucket, along with a ticket to the theater or a homemade coupon for a Redbox movie night at home.  Also, check out Walmart’s $5 DVD bin.

Sport Gift Basket

For the golfer in your life, a golf ball bucket filled with golf balls, golf tees, a golf towel and maybe a nice golf shirt.

For the baseball lover, put some Cracker Jacks, a couple of bottles of root beer, along with a t-shirt of his favorite team, a couple of tickets to a local game.

You get the idea, here.  Whether it’s fishing, camping, working out, or those listed above, you can make these baskets as simple or as elaborate as you’re budget can afford.

Subscriptions

Handyman, Texas Monthly, Forbes,  MotorTrend, Mens Health, Muscle and Fitness, Wall Street Journal, This Old House, Golf Digest, Money Magazine;  If you know what his favorite hobbies are, this should be easy…and chances are, he probably wouldn’t buy these himself, but sure would enjoy reading them.

Check out these subscription ideas:  Men’s Magazines

E-Reader

Does he enjoy reading?  This might be a little more pricy, but might be something that older children could go in together and split.  Once he has it, he can either purchase books of his choosing or pick from a number of free choices.  I personally subscribe to BookBub (free…of course!). Once you register with them, you let them know what kinds of books you’re interested in and you’ll receive an email everyday with their picks for you.  Some are free and others cost just a few dollars.  I have read some great books, this way.

He might like:  Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet

Detail His Car!

Who doesn’t love a clean car.  But, sometimes, Dad is so busy, he doesn’t have time to get to it.  Get out the washing bucket, a sponge, some soap and the vacuum cleaner and give it a good scrubbing and vacuuming!  Hang an air freshener in it and maybe even fill his gas tank!  This is one Fathers Day gift idea I know he’ll appreciate!

Yard Work

This is one chore that has to be done, if you live in a house.  Mow his yard, weedeat/edge, weed the flower beds and/or rake the leaves.  This will give him a break that he surely deserves.

Clean His Garage

Every garage needs a good cleaning and organizing, every once in a while.  I use to do this for my Dad.  He was a mechanic and tended to be a little messy, at that.  I spent a couple of days organizing and labeling his tool boxes, de-cluttering, picking up trash and sweeping.  I tried to make it easier for him to find things by making a place for everything, as much as I could and I know he appreciated it…although I had to stay on him to try and keep it that way.  Let me tell you…much easier said than done! Lol!

T-Shirt With Handprints

This had to be one of my best fathers day gift ideas because it was a hit with my husband, when the kids were young.  I bought a red (his favorite color) t-shirt and 3 different colors of acrylic paint from Walmart (or Hobby Lobby), painted the palm of each child’s hand and very carefully had them place it on the front of the shirt.  I then wrote their name and age under their print and let it dry.  That shirt turned out to be one of his favorites that he wore for many years.  And you can imagine the pride that the kids had when he would wear it.  The shirt didn’t even cost $5, but you would have thought it cost $500.

Framed Pic

Always a great choice!  Have the kids pose for a special picture, send it to Walgreens or CVS and have it developed for about $1.00.  The frames are where you can have a lot of fun.  If you want a more creative touch, buy an unfinished frame from the craft store, paint it and have the kids put their handprints or thumb prints on it the same way they did the shirt (above).  And while you’re at it, be sure and write the date on the back of the frame so you’ll know what year they did it.

If you don’t have time to get your crafty on, check out the beautiful frames at Hobby Lobby.  They put their frames on sale every other week for 50% off.  If they’re not on sale and you can’t wait, use your 40% off coupon.  This is a gift that he’ll show off with pride whether he takes it to work, puts it in his man-cave or on his desk, at work.

Photo Album

Do you have several pics of Dad, over the years, just sitting in boxes?  Wouldn’t it be great to make him a photo album of his life?  Oh, the memories!  He would be able to reminisce by seeing family and friends and I’m sure it would definitely bring a smile to his face.  And what’s more, this would be a special gift that money could never buy.

Coffee Mug

If Dad enjoys a cup of coffee, head to the Dollar Tree and get a plain white mug.  Buy some Folk Art Enamel paint (Walmart craft section or Hobby Lobby) cheap brushes and have the kids create a masterpiece.  If there’s more than one child, give him a set…one from each kid.  Once they’re finished painting, put the mugs into the oven (following instructions on the paint bottle).  Takes about 30 minutes of baking then letting the oven cool down.  Add a pound of his favorite coffee to go with the mugs and you have a thoughtful, creative and frugal gift that he’ll treasure.

As you can see, this list is rather eclectic and goes from spending no money to spending a little more.  Most dads, like mine, truly do have everything they need, so any amount or gesture will definitely be appreciated.  In fact, just remembering the day and spending quality time with him is often enough.

BTW…Almost all of these would make great gifts for all occasions, like birthdays or Christmas.  If you need some great gift ideas for the women in your life, you can also check out 18 Awesome Budget Friendly Mothers Day Gift Ideas that also make great gifts for any occasion.

What are some frugal Fathers Day gift ideas that you have come up with for Dad?  I’d love to hear them.  Just leave a message in the comments below and don’t for get to subscribe to Love To Frugal so you never miss a post!

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