Gift Giving On a Budget (And Gifts Ideas Under $25)

I don't know about you, but my spare cash is very limited at the moment. It's one of those things where I technically have money saved (not an impressive amount, no need to ponder about the pathetic amount of savings I'm harboring), all of it is delegated towards whenever I move. So, the spending money portion of my bank account is...dismal. Sad. Almost non-existent. This is, understandably, a struggle during the time of year where gift-giving is normalized and almost expected.

It's not to say that I don't like to give gifts. I love giving gifts in the form of my presence...juuuuuust kidding. I do like giving people gifts, it makes me smile and it makes them smile and there's just a whole lot of love and happiness going on that it makes it all kinds of fun. But, alas, gift giving adds up and as the years go on, the list of people to buy presents for tends to increase. Then, you become stuck in a situation where you want to buy for a lot of people but don't know where to start because gifts cost money and, if you're like me, a decent disposable income might not be present.

Fear not, for over the years, I like to think that I have somehow learned to master the art of gift giving on a budget. Truly, it is not the price of the gift, but the meaning behind it. I do honestly believe in this and it's definitely something to take into account this season, especially if you're on the struggle bus when it comes to finances. Trust me, I feel you guys. I feel you.

*This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.* 

First thing's first, get a cute card. Cards can be unbelievably expensive and they add up. But, sometimes a cute card with a genuine message on the inside can be one of the best gifts of all. Not to be cheesy, but I really do read cards first and I've had friends write the loveliest messages on them that make my heart feel warm and fuzzy like they had their own personal latte.

Personally, I like buying gift sets and splitting them up. There are plenty of gift sets at Sephora, Ulta, Target, anywhere you can find beauty products that come with quite a few deluxe sample sized products. Sure, you could give it all out as a gift to somebody because they are priced decently. Or, you could buy a few sets, mix and match as you please, and split them up into separate mini kits that you can give to multiple people for a more personalized touch to their preferences. 

Now, I'm not suggesting that you regift, but I'm also not not suggesting that you regift. Look, it's a hard knock world out there. Sometimes you have to pass some things along that you haven't used. I don't see anything wrong with not using something that somebody else has given you and giving it to someone else who will get better use out of it. Sure, any time of year you could do this anyway and just be a good person. But sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures and you need to add a little something to spice it up. Obviously, if you are going to regift something, make sure it makes sense for a person. Don't give your friend who outwardly hates lotion a bottle of lotion that you didn't want. That's just not cool.

I have a few of my favorite gift suggestions all $25 and under below. Some are sets, some are singular items. Also, some of them say sold out but they're actually not (at least, at the time of writing this blog post), just throwing it out there!