Thoughtful and Affordable Group Gifts

I think it’s important to let the people in your life know how much you appreciate them. I also think it’s possible to do so without spending hundreds of dollars! There are so many gift guides and teacher appreciation ideas online, but many of them cost more than I spend on my entire Christmas budget.

Here are three of my favorite gift ideas from things I’ve put together over the last year. These are so much fun to put together and can easily be made to fit your budget. Click the picture to view each project’s details.

Halloween Treat Bags – these would be great for co-workers or your children’s teachers and are perfect all season long. They cost $1.30 each to make and are so cute! This would also be a nice little treat to leave for your mail delivery people!

Personalized Monogram Ornaments – these cost less than $2 to make! I like to use these as party favors or co-worker gifts. I picked up some really cute chevron ribbon at Dollar Tree that will be perfect for the next time I need to make a few of these.

Homemade Granola – these are a little more expensive to make, but still come in well under $10/each. I’ve done a summer version and a Christmas version of these granola bundles, so it’s easy to get creative and make it work for any season or holiday.

BONUS IDEA: set out a box with bottled water and individually wrapped snacks (granola bars, cookies or even halos) for your mail delivery people. I did this last December and got a sweet thank you note from our mail carrier!

It made me so happy every time I saw a few snacks or bottles missing. We don’t have to wait until December to thank them – especially since most of us get packages and deliveries every week.

One way to make sure you stay within budget is to plan ahead. Start stocking up ahead of time on the supplies you need for whatever you’re making. Pick up a few things each week or watch for them to go on sale!