Top 8 Cheap Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Christmas

Need some ideas for cheap Christmas stocking stuffers? Here are some of my favorite picks that are easy to get, cheap to buy and fun to receive.

One: Earrings

Usually during the Christmas season, Claire's and Icing stores have earrings on sale for a buy-two-get-one-free special. If you have more than one girl's stocking to fill, this is usually a great stocking idea that costs less than $7.00 altogether.

Two: Lip Gloss

You can buy lip gloss from anywhere between $3 and $15, depending on the quality you're looking for and the age of the person you're buying it for. Candy-flavored lip gloss is always fun for Christmas break, but a professional lip gloss is a great addition to an older teen's stocking.

Three: Energy drink

For less than $5, you can stuff an awesome, caffeine-loaded energy drink, such as Venom, Monster, or Nos, into a stocking. Not only will it take up a lot of space (making it look like there's more in the stocking than there really is), it also goes over great on Christmas break.

Four: Starbuck's Gift Card

Load up a Starbuck's gift card for $5 or $10, and you can multiply this number out across several family members' stockings for cheap. Even if they're not big coffee drinkers, they can still enjoy a non-coffee Starbuck's pastry and milk-based frothy drink for a special occasion.

Five: Make Your Own Gift Certificate

If you have a computer and a printer, you can make your own gift certificate and personalize the amount and the gift. For instance, you could offer a gift certificate for one free batch of cookies, a massage, or a small shopping spree to get more school clothes or shoes. You could make it a novelty card or a useful card - it's up to you.

Six: Gloves

Christmas is a great time to give gloves, but they don't have to be fuzzy and frumpy. Fingerless gloves, sports gloves (for things like paintball or baseball), or inexpensive leather/suede gloves for all-purpose use are all great ways to stuff a stocking for less money than buying a new electronic toy for someone.

Seven: Sunglasses

Sunglasses are another of those accessories that come for cheap if you go to places like the Sunglass Hut or Pacific Sunwear in the mall. Other places, like Target, also carry less expensive glasses. And believe it or not, they're just as necessary in the bright winter snow as they are in the summer heat. Plus, who doesn't love to receive a new pair of shades?

Eight: Series Book

Books from authors like Frank Peretti, Tom Clancy, and similar authors usually sell for less in paperback than hardcover and are great for stocking stuffers. Buying the next book in a series (or the first book in a series the receiver hasn't started yet), are ways of giving semi-productive yet fun gifts in an inexpensive way.

These gifts are all ways of stuffing a Christmas stocking on the cheap without actually looking like a cheapskate. What could be better?