The Top Mother's Day Gifts on a Budget

As a kid, I often had to divide the cash I managed to save from babysitting jobs seven ways so I could get everyone a gift they could value. These ideas for Mother's Day recognizes that we all have to pinch pennies. The best gifts always match a person's interests. When you give a Mother's Day gift to mom, be sure you give her a gift that recognizes who she is and what she most wants. Mother's love their children for who they are, and children owe their Mother's the same gift. Here's some budget conscious gifts for Mom's with a variety of interests. They all use a handmade card and a paper gift bag.

How to Buy a Budget-Conscious Gift Bag for Mother's Day

Buy the prettiest but lowest cost gift bag you can find. This time of year they might have sales on the Valentine, Easter and St. Patrick's Day bags. At Fred Meyer's they often sell low cost plain gift bags.

How to Make a Budget-Conscious Gift Card for Mother's Day

Get into MS Word, most local libraries have it in case you don't have it at home. Open a New Document, selecting a gift card template. They warn you that the template will download, don't worry about this, it doesn't cost. Pick the card template that best meets your tastes, alter the text and hit print. The library charges a dime or quarter per page.

Gift Bag Bouquet for a Mother that Adores Flowers

Making a low cost bouquet need not set you back all that much. First by a Big Gulp or other soft drink that comes in a plastic container and enjoy yourself. Then, find a grocery store that sells flowers by type. Dig through the buckets of flowers and find the ones that look prettiest such as carnations, mums and daisies, and baby's breath but cost the least because the flowers are readily available. If you have a little extra, splurge on one flamboyant stem such as a rose or lily. Don't buy greens, cut them from your yard. To assemble, rinse out the plastic cup, insert it inside the gift bag. Inset the greens on the edges. Insert large flowers, then little flowers in the center with the flamboyant flower in the middle. Fill the glass with water, but dump if you have to carry it to Mom's house.

Reading or Game Materials for a Mother that Likes Escape

Most grocery stores have magazines available for sale. If your Mother is into crossword or Sudoku, buy her the latest. If she loves crafts, buy her a knitting, crochet or craft magazine. If your Mother reads, buy her the latest top ten best seller-Danielle Steele often works if you don't know her tastes.

Supplies for a Mother that Likes Crafts

Michael's is often an inexpensive source of craft supplies. Some ideas to look for include ribbon which is often on sale. Stamps for a Mother that makes her own cards. Yarn and a new pattern for a Mother that likes to Crochet or Knit. Silk Flowers will work for the Paper Bag Bouquet, too.

Bath Salts and Lotion for a Mother that Works

Three scents are pretty much favorites for most women-lavender, vanilla and rose. Find an inexpensive bath salts and scented lotion and she will know that you know how hard she works. Put them into the gift bag with a single rose.

Prayer Book Mark(s) for a Religious Mother

Find a prayer on the internet or in the bible and paste or type it into MS Word at the library or at Kinkos (the better choice in this case). Format it so that it fits in a 2.5 inch column. This is done by selecting Page Layout in MS Word and then Columns and Selecting Three columns. Select a pastel colored paper to print on. You can do three prayers on one sheet of paper. Print it. Then ask to have the prayers cut out and laminated. Put them in the gift bag with a candlestick and candle holder.

Sugar Free Candy Bowl for a Mother that Likes to Snack and is Dieting

Buy bags of Werther's, Baskin and Robbins Cookies and Cream, or Jolly Ranchers individually wrapped candies. Buy a plastic container from the kitchen supplies department in the grocery store. Fill it up with the candies and place in the gift bag.

Or try them all, most likely your expenses won't exceed twenty dollars and your Mother will know how much you really love her and appreciate her for being the person she is on Mother's Day.