Mother's Day Shopping on a Budget

So you have a budget of about $20 to purchase a gift for your Mom. Times are really tough for many of us. What do we do? Well many dollar stores have great buys and close out items. You can find many great bath and beauty products possibly along with some jewelry or something simple and useful like a recipe organizers, grooming products etc. Get creative and don't be afraid to combine multiple items in a nice gift bag. Try to pick out items that are of good quality though and don't appear to be super cheap.

If you still have enough time; a great place to shop online is always Ebay. One of the great features of Ebay is that you can do an advanced "buy it now," search and specify the max amount you would like to pay. This will only turn up gifts within your chosen price range. This is a very helpful feature when you're on a budget. You also have so much variety on Ebay that you're sure to find something you like. LiveSimon is another site that you might enjoy shopping on.

If you don't have the time to wait for your item to be shipped; Craigslist might work. On Craigslist you will find local people offering deals. The jewelry section is a great place to look for local artisans and original one of a kind pieces at great prices. Other sections are the clothing and accessories section; and the electronics section. In those places you can usually find some good deals too. Also many sellers on Craigslist are willing to bargain with you and will accept the best offer just to move their product. You may also find something in the books for sale section of the site as well.

Another great gift to consider $20; is a gift card to a casual dining restaurant like Applebee's or TGI Friday's or something along those lines. $20 can often pay for a 2 person dinner at one of these fun establishments if the people choose the right items on the menu and don't order any pricy drinks. Or your Mom can take the gift card to one of these restaurants and use it specifically for the bar and can enjoy a few drinks with Dad or a girlfriend on you.

Finally, another fun gift to give is the gift of pampering. $10 can get you a manicure and pedicure in most places. It can also get you an eyebrow plucking or a haircut in some salons. This is a thoughtful gift that Mom will enjoy. There best way to give the gift that any Mom would be clamoring for is to make sure she gets her gift on time; and that in the card you make sure you tell her how you truly feel about her and how lucky you feel to have her in your life. An additional phone call wouldn't hurt either. For your gift to her; just using a little creativity will go a long way to getting her something she'll enjoy when you don't have a lot of money to spend.