10 Birthday Gifts for Kids for Under $20 and Other Money-Saving Tips

Expanding families and social circles may find their budgets in a pinch when it comes to birthday gifts for children. Consider the following ideas and tips to save some money and still make the kids in your world feel special.

10 BIRTHDAY GIFTS FOR KIDS FOR UNDER $20

Craft Kits: Fill a decorative bag with a few inexpensive art supplies. Try to keep a theme in mind - painting, scrapbooking, drawing, etc. - as you fill the bag. Try more unique supplies, such as modeling clay and charcoal pencils for some extra fun. Be sure all supplies are age appropriate.

Classic Paperbacks: Kids eight to twelve might enjoy books for J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, etc.), C.S. Lewis (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), or abridged versions of Charles Dickens (David Copperfield, Great Expectations) and Louisa May Alcott (Little Women).

Diary or Journal: Many discount stores and bookstores carry beautifully-bound journals. With any leftover money, be sure to include a nice pen.

Trip: Take the child or children out to eat or to the park or zoo for the day. Plan activities that are age appropriate to keep kids busy. So the child has something to open, have a stuffed animal or picture that is themed around the activity (an elephant for the zoo, a bird for the state park, etc.).

Jewelry Box: Craft stores sell inexpensive, unfinished wooden boxes. Add some paint and personalize the box for a young girl to enjoy as a jewelry box.

Magazine Subscriptions: Chose an age-appropriate magazine that the child will receive all year. Children love getting mail. Subscriptions typically range from $9.99 to $19.99.

Personalized Gifts: Key chains, picture frames, card decks, and compact mirrors can all be engraves with a child's name or initials for less than $20.

Gift cards: A picky child always enjoys a gift card. If you know a kid is saving up for a video game, try a gift card to Best Buy or Circuit City.

Lessons: If you know the child will be receiving an instrument for his or her birthday, buy a lesson from a local musician. Lessons usually range from $10 to $20.

Board Games: Chutes and Ladders, Checkers, Chess, Monopoly, etc. are hits with kids of all ages. Very young children might enjoy a matching game or go fish.

5 MONEY-SAVING TIPS FOR CHILDREN'S BIRTHDAY GIFTS

Re-gifting: Each birthday, have your own children chose one or two inexpensive gifts that they don't need or particularly care for. Set these items aside and use them for other kids' birthdays. (Be sure not to re-gift to the person you received the gift from.)

Buy in Bulk: If your local wholesale stores has a great deal on art supplies, pens, photo albums, etc., then stock up and dole presents out as needed.

Group Gifts: Go in on a more spectacular gift with other friends or relatives. A friend of mine once got a CD player for their car after four of his uncles combined Christmas gifts - $80 goes much further than $20.

Postage Considerations: When mailing a gift, gift cards or cash can save you on postage than having to ship a bulky package.

Reuse Gift Bags: Save on the wrapping by reusing gift bags and tissue paper. You can also buy a large roll of brown packaging paper and decorate it yourself with stamps and paint to save.