Father's Day on a Budget -- Gifts for the Gadget-Lover

It can be difficult to find a good gift for gadget-lovers on Father's Day. Or maybe I should say that it is tough to find a good, affordable gadget to get your loved one on Father's Day--electronic devices can be quite pricey. Some guys, though, are really into gadgets and electronics--that's their hobby, that's what they like. Any other type of gift wouldn't really be appropriate for this type of man--after all, you want to give a gift that he will appreciate and enjoy, right?

So if you need a gift for your father, grandfather, uncle, or other special man in your life who is a gadget-lover, how can you find one that is within your budget? Are there any decent electronics out on the market that you can give as Father's Day gifts without breaking the bank? Yes, there are--but since they can be challenging to find, I had done the work for you. Here is a listing of several different gadgets you can purchase online to give as Father's Day gifts--and all of them are less than $25.

--Outdoor LCD Window Thermometer: This electronic device is actually very useful. It easily mounts to the outside of any window and the LCD screen displays the current outside temperature--no more having to go open the door to see how it feels outside. It runs on 1 AAA battery and can be detached from the window whenever necessary. Best of all, this gadget costs only $14.99.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/86ff/

--Dashboard Sticky Pads Set: Yes, I know--these are not electronic. But, they would make a perfect Father's Day gift for any guy who needs to keep track of his gadgets in his vehicle. It comes as a set of 2 pads, and the pads conform to the way that his dashboard is shaped. They are non-adhesive and non-magnetic, yet somehow they work to hold pretty much anything in place--cell phones, sunglasses, MP3 players, and more. These sell for $19.99.
http://shopping.discovery.com/product-60430.html

--Desktop Air Conditioner: Sounds pretty pricey, but this is surprisingly inexpensive--only $23.99! How can it be so cheap? Well, this doesn't run on Freon like ordinary air conditioners do...this cools the air because of a frozen bottle of water inside the back chamber. All you have to do is fill the included bottle (or most any pint-sized bottle) with water, freeze it, insert it in the chamber, and turn it on. This would be a great Father's Day gift for any guy who spends a lot of time working at a desk.
http://www.kleargear.com/1902.html

--USB Heated Gloves: Or, if you need a gift for someone who gets works in a chilly office, try these USB Heated Gloves. They work just like the name suggests--simply plug each glove into an empty USB port (these work with any PC or Mac) and put them on. The gloves are made so that the tips of the fingers stick out, so no worries about having trouble typing with these on. And, they also have a fold-over mitten that can cover the fingers in case your guy gets really cold. These cost $22.99.
http://www.perpetualkid.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1706&dc=fg

--Sidewinder Emergency Cell Phone Charger: This handy gadget is a great Father's Day gift for any man who has a cell phone. He can keep this in the car or in his briefcase, and if his cell phone runs out of power, all he has to do is plug it into the Sidewinder and turn the handle for about two minutes--that will give him about six minutes of talk time. This product weighs only 2.5 ounces, but is much more powerful than a standard charger. It includes adapter tips for most types of cell phones and a carrying case, and it even has a built-in emergency flashlight. The price of this is only $24.95.
http://www.cgets.com/item--Sidewinder-Cell-Phone-Charger--sidewinder

--Door Mounted Automatically Activated Message Center: Mount this with double-sided tape (included) to any door, and record a message. Then, the next time the door is opened, your message will play automatically! No more having to get out a pen and paper and worrying about whether or not someone will see the note you are leaving--they will hear your message for sure, and they can manually play it back if they need to. This would be a great Father's Day gift for any guy who has to leave notes for his wife, his kids, or his secretary or office assistant. It runs on 3 AAA batteries and costs only $19.95.
http://www.buymebuyme.com/retail/customer/product.php?productid=44485&cat=284&page=1

--Discovery Parking Timer Keychain: Are you looking for a Father's Day gift for someone who has to use parking meters frequently? Then look no further--this is the perfect gift! This key chain has a countdown for a parking timer, up to 24 hours, and it also gives early warning alarms at 10 minutes, 5 minutes, and 1 minute before the meter is about to expire. Plus, there is a 10-second memo feature that can be used to record your parking location. This thoughtful gift will only cost you $9.95.
http://shopping.discovery.com/product-61598.html

--Sony 8-Device Universal Remote: Universal remotes are nothing new, but this one is a pretty good one. First of all, it is made by Sony, not some off-brand, so it will definitely be reliable. It has a liquid crystal display along with 44 buttons, with the main buttons being centrally located. There is also a sleep function that you can program--this will turn the television off after a set amount of time after you fall asleep. Because a lot of guys have a lot of electronic devices in their entertainment centers--televisions, VCR's, DVD players, digital recorders, cable boxes, and more--the capability of this remote to control up to 8 different devices will surely make this a much-appreciated Father's Day gift. And, it has a reasonable price, too--only $19.99.
http://www.directonlineshop.com/cgi-bin/ISStore/store?action=view&RO=dellis&dep=&cat=413&sub_cat=&prod_id=8862

--Wall-Mounted Key Holder: Who doesn't lose their keys sometimes? Save your favorite guy the hassle of constantly looking for his keys by getting him this wall-mounted key holder for Father's Day. It is chrome-plated and has the raised silhouette of a man figure on it (though there is also a female version available). All he has to do is add a special key that is included to his regular keychain, and when he comes home he inserts that special key in the keyhole on the key holder. His keys will hang from the holder, never to be lost again! The price of this is $23.99.
http://www.perpetualkid.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1673

--Electronics Charging Station: Many guys have cell phones, MP3 players, handheld video game systems, PDA's, and other small devices that are always needing to be charged. Make it easy on your guy by getting him this charging station. It is a 10-amp station with an inner surge protector that plugs to any outlet with a 6 foot cord. On top are adjustable dividers to hold up to 3 devices to charge at the same time, and the flip-top compartment keeps all the wires and cords hidden. This is only $19.98, and it comes in either black or gray.
http://www.lillianvernon.com/catalog/product_display.jsp?pdId=3317&name=Electronics+Charging+Station&parentCatId=1029&catId=773

I'm confident that one of these ideas will make a great Father's Day gift for any gadget-lover in your life. Or, if not these exact gifts, perhaps they will spark an idea in your mind for another gift that would be just right. You can also surf around on the websites from which I found these gift ideas--many other really cool gadgets can be found on all of them I'm sure that any guy will appreciate that you took the time to try to find a Father's Day gift that he will enjoy.