Great Homemade and Recycled Gifts You Can Give on a Budget

With the economy going downhill, I have heard more than a few people complain that they will not be able to give gifts for the holidays this year. Even if you have little or no money, however, you can still give great gifts for Christmas and birthdays.

Almost everyone loves getting edible goodies. Cookies, pies, homemade breads and candies are all excellent choices. To gift wrap your items, place them in an old tin or put them in a clear plastic bag, tie the top with ribbon, and place them into a gift bag. For ideas on making gift wrap from recycled materials, see my article: How to Make Recycled Christmas Decorations.

Handmade IOU coupon books are a great gift that you can give for free. Some coupon books include a free car wash, massage, moonlit walk, or a trip to the park. Adjust the coupons to the age of the person.

Handmade candles are always a wonderful gift. Instead of just regular candles, however, how about making treasure candles this year? Treasure candles contain small treasures such as jewelry, gemstones, crystals, or coins which appear as the candle burns down. You can fill the candles with items you already own or you can purchase them for next to nothing at a craft supply store. For ideas on how to make treasure candles, see my article: How to Make Treasure Candles.

Homemade bath salts are easy and inexpensive to make. So are bath bombs. You can find many different recipes for making them online. Pour them into an old jar. To decorate the lid of the jar, lay a piece of fabric over the top of the lid and glue id town around the sides. Once it is dry, put the lid on the jar, pull the edges of the fabric down around the jar, and tie with a ribbon.

Handmade soaps are also an excellent gift. Soap is not easy to make, but it is very inexpensive to make it. See my article on How to Make Soap From Scratch.

Do you sew or knit? All kinds of wonderful things can be made from old clothing and sheets. Simple quilts are not at all difficult to make and are wonderfully received. If you knit, you can unravel old unwanted sweaters and knit new and beautiful items using the reclaimed yarn.

If you have children, you can make a very simple and fairly sturdy dollhouse from a plain cardboard box. Depending on the size and type of box, you can create different styles. You can even create a dollhouse that closes up with a carry-along handle on top. Use old wallpaper scraps or gift wrap to paper the insides of the house. I also have great detailed instructions on how to make a toy castle from recycled materials.

Another of my favorite ideas is to give an older item as a gift. This is a tradition in our family. If you have any family heirlooms, consider passing them down to someone who is old enough to love and appreciate them. Old jewelry, clocks, watches, pocket knives, jewelry boxes and other antiques make wonderful gifts.

Regifting is also a great way to give. I often receive items that I do not want or need as gifts. Instead of getting rid of them, I save them to give to someone else for a birthday or Christmas gift. This way, it does not cost me a thing and I don't have a bunch of extra things lying around my home that I will never use.