Cheap Stocking Stuffers for Teen Boys

Every parent knows it's a challenge to come up with stocking stuffers that are both cheap and like-able - especially as your kids approach the teen years. Here are some cheap stocking stuffers that have been (or I hope will be)successful with my teen boys.

1. Unusually Shaped/Decorated Soda Bottles ($1) - while the novelty of soda has probably worn off for your teen boy, soda in a cool shaped bottle should still get a smile. This season, Walmart is offering perfectly round bottles (about the size of a softball) for $1, making this a great stocking stuffer by being both cheap and bulky (anything that takes up stocking room is a good thing).

2. "Power" bar candy bars ($1-$4) - Energy bars and drinks are very popular with teen boys these days. I lucked out and found Snickers Charged bars on clearance at Walmart for 38 cents each, which is about as cheap as you'll find for stocking stuffers.

3. Lip Balm ($1-$4) - Even teen boys get uncomfortably chapped lips, especially during the dry winter months. Look for "manly" colored tubes of lip balm for your teen boy, such as plain Chapstick which comes in a black tube and retails for about $1 each. In my family, lip balm is practically a stocking stuffer must-have.

4. Foldable Reusable Plastic Cup ($5) - This novel cup is cheap and useful - no doubt your teen boy will love using it at school if only for the attention it gets! Made by Orikaso, the foldable reusable cup can be found with several online retailers. Your teen boy may also enjoy a similar product called Flatterware (also found online) as a cheap stocking stuffer if you can't find the Orikaso cups.

5. Thumb Drive ($5-$15) - A very useful stocking stuffer item, this is also known as a Flash drive They are small devices used to store information from a computer. They are very handy for teens these days both for school and personal use. Your teen boy will be able to have all his homework, personal photos, and even music files on a device small enough to fit on a key chain. Once a pricery 'executive' type item, you can find these fairly cheap around the holidays.

6. Harmonica ($5) - Teen boys ARE still boys, so appeal to that side of your teen and give him a harmonica as a stocking stuffer (and a challenge to figure out how to play "Jingle Bells" by the end of Christmas Day).

7. Ticket Stub Journal ($2-$10) - This is a cheap stocking stuffer you can actually make (or rather, assemble) for your teen boy. All you need is a bound (meaning not spiral) notebook/journal with blank, unlined pages and (if possible) some pocket pages. If you cannot find a journal with pockets, include double-sided tape or a mini stapler with the book. You may want to include a letter or "directions" on how to use the journal - tape or staple a ticket stub or receipt to a page and write a few words about the experience (for example, "saw White Stripes with Janey, Eric, Marissa, and Paul.") This will serve as something of a diary/memory book for your teen boy without seeming overly girly.

So that's my 2008 list of cheap stocking stuffers for teen boys. I hope you've found something useful to add to your teen boy's stocking, and feel free to leave your favorite cheap stocking stuffer for teen boys idea in the comments section!