Be it an office party, a neighbor or service person there's many small gift needed that can overwhelm a budget. What to do? Here's 15 holiday gifts for many people for under $10. Often there are office exchanges or other reasons for an under $10 budget. Keep in mind that with many Americans in serious debt 10 gifts at $10 is $100 - so even saving is relative. Prioritize your gift list and charge less. Don't be lured into more debt and yet still give things people can enjoy. Without delving into personal lives figure personal interests. What is on their desk gives clues as to interests and styles. Do they have pictures of pets or family? What scents do they like or are they allergic to scents? Are they a reader and if so what do they enjoy? It doesn't have to be an interview! Observe, ask a few questions. Do they like a certain music style or group? Are they the medatative/reflective sort? These things can give a better idea as to making the gift fit. Some gift ideas take little time and can be made much cheaper than purchased. 1. Potpourri jar. This is a very easy, very inexpensive project that even most children can do. If it's a bathroom project consider using a wide mouthed plastic jar especially if there's children in the home. A cleaned out plastic clear food jar works great. For the one pictured I used a glass vase. Using dried potpourri (there's many colors and scents available) and a short strand of Christmas lights - 25-50 light strand depending on the size of the jar.
Keep the plug end out and start by putting the other end onto a handful of potpourri placed in the jar, looped around on the potpourri and simply layer the dried potpourri and lights until you're left with the last 6-8 inches of cord. Take a contrasting or matching bit of cloth and secure with a rubber band, topped with a piece of ribbon. Typical cost - the one pictured was $1 for the vase, $1 for potpourri, $1.50 for lights. The cloth and ribbon was on hand. Time - 5 minutes. These are easy to put together and when lit gently warm the potpourri just enough to release the scent, and also provide and accent light for the bathroom, desk or bookcase.2. Bath basket. Get a small basket, tray or container ($1-2). Stock with some bath salts (made for about $2-3), bath brush or cloth, scented candle, pedicure items and it's a contained but useful gift for at or under $10. 3. Is the person a reader? Search for a couple books at amazon.com or thrift/used book stores. Often you can find books on many topics that are like new or gently used for $2-3 tops. Amazon has a large selection that is very reasonable, offset by the shipping cost. Pay attention to conversation - is the person interested in a craft or new venture? Find a book to suit that venture. Pack the book or books in a gift bag with an inexpensive mug, tea or cocoa and decorative bookmark. 4. Does the recipient bemoan needing more organization at their desk? Search discount stores for bins, baskets and other items - I've found clear, colored snap lid containers for $1; baskets of several types for $1, small wire baskets for less than $1. Don't overlook thrift stores - a nice wire basket can be cleaned, painted and good as new. Inside put small items - one of the paper clip holders, decorate a plastic frosting tub for a pen holder. Use your imagination and keep a sharp eye. Keep an eye on closeout sales before the holidays and walk through places like Dollar Tree. I found a magazine holder for 50 cents and a wire basket for 30 cents - both very useful and on my desk along with two different sized baskets, one for an "inbox" and one for small items. 5. Does the person clip recipes or magazine articles? Get a 1/2" three ring binder ($1 at office stores), some clear plastic sleeves and a few interesting articles to put in the sleeves to get it started. 6. If they display photos of family and pets on their desk they like pictures - consider some frames from a dollar store - there's often clear plastic stand up frames that hold 4X6 or 5x7 photos for about $1 each. A half dozen of those may be much appreciated. If they print photos at home (easy to discreetly find out - "what nice pictures - where do you have them done?") add a package of photo paper or a gift certificate for some photo printing.7. For the person who loves their tea - a funny or inspirational mug can be found in many outlets for $1-8 (the latter are the Leanin' Tree mugs which vary from inspirational to comical). Put it together with a few boxes of herbal teas. If coffee is more their thing use special coffee samples. Or consider making chocolate spoons - very easy to make but expensive to buy. Get the heavy plastic spoons - simply dip in melted chocolate and drizzle a contrasting color over it. For example, dip in white chocolate and drizzle sweetened chocolate over it. As they stir the coffee it adds flavor. 8. Each interest has collectible items. For those who love horses the Breyer horses are always a treat. New in the box the full sized ones are often $20-40 - but you can find places online that sell gently used ones for much less. Or consider the "Stablemate" sized - $5 (sometimes less on sale). I grabbed a whole set of the collectible rodeo bulls for $2-3-4 each on clearance, much less than the $7.98 sticker price. Car people sometimes collect the Matchbox cars. Almost any sport has items and a search online can find some great deals. 9. Personalized calendars. Find pictures that suit the recipient's interest. There is software available to help you easily lay out and print calendars yourself on your printer. Getting them in order can sometimes be a little tricky but it's a personalized gift that can be enjoyed all year long. If you don't want to bind them get the small circular connectors (less than $1 each). Cost - your paper, ink and time. 10. Don't overlook service gifts. If the person is a single parent and mechanically challenged an oil change can take not a lot of time on your part and often materials under the $10 limit. If the person is on a budget and you raise your own food that extra ham in the freezer doesn't "cost" you a great deal but can be a meal with plenty of leftovers for a person struggling to make ends meet. The person who loves baking may love a few dozen fresh eggs. Things that aren't often seen as valued - and many consider it "quirky" to raise one's own food - but not only cost you little but save them money. 11. If you are aware of any food allergies consider a baked good assortment. Some quick bread, coffee cake, low-fat cookies, no sugar candies and other diet aware treats can be much appreciated. Someone who can't have sugar might be able to have goodies made with honey - and not miss out as much on the tempting treats of the season. If you're buying ingredients anyway the cost is minimal. 12. If the person recently moved into a new home consider a new home package - a rug for the entryway or wreath for the door makes a welcome to the home, not just a house. Rugs can be found inexpensively at Dollar General and materials to make a wreath are much cheaper than purchasing a made one. Use holiday colors or get creative and have removable goodies where they can change the wreath for all four seasons. Information can easily be found online for many homemade gifts. Combining these with key purchased items stretches your dollars and can provide gifts that are beyond a $10 value to the recipient. By Jan Hoadley
Keep the plug end out and start by putting the other end onto a handful of potpourri placed in the jar, looped around on the potpourri and simply layer the dried potpourri and lights until you're left with the last 6-8 inches of cord. Take a contrasting or matching bit of cloth and secure with a rubber band, topped with a piece of ribbon. Typical cost - the one pictured was $1 for the vase, $1 for potpourri, $1.50 for lights. The cloth and ribbon was on hand. Time - 5 minutes. These are easy to put together and when lit gently warm the potpourri just enough to release the scent, and also provide and accent light for the bathroom, desk or bookcase.2. Bath basket. Get a small basket, tray or container ($1-2). Stock with some bath salts (made for about $2-3), bath brush or cloth, scented candle, pedicure items and it's a contained but useful gift for at or under $10. 3. Is the person a reader? Search for a couple books at amazon.com or thrift/used book stores. Often you can find books on many topics that are like new or gently used for $2-3 tops. Amazon has a large selection that is very reasonable, offset by the shipping cost. Pay attention to conversation - is the person interested in a craft or new venture? Find a book to suit that venture. Pack the book or books in a gift bag with an inexpensive mug, tea or cocoa and decorative bookmark. 4. Does the recipient bemoan needing more organization at their desk? Search discount stores for bins, baskets and other items - I've found clear, colored snap lid containers for $1; baskets of several types for $1, small wire baskets for less than $1. Don't overlook thrift stores - a nice wire basket can be cleaned, painted and good as new. Inside put small items - one of the paper clip holders, decorate a plastic frosting tub for a pen holder. Use your imagination and keep a sharp eye. Keep an eye on closeout sales before the holidays and walk through places like Dollar Tree. I found a magazine holder for 50 cents and a wire basket for 30 cents - both very useful and on my desk along with two different sized baskets, one for an "inbox" and one for small items. 5. Does the person clip recipes or magazine articles? Get a 1/2" three ring binder ($1 at office stores), some clear plastic sleeves and a few interesting articles to put in the sleeves to get it started. 6. If they display photos of family and pets on their desk they like pictures - consider some frames from a dollar store - there's often clear plastic stand up frames that hold 4X6 or 5x7 photos for about $1 each. A half dozen of those may be much appreciated. If they print photos at home (easy to discreetly find out - "what nice pictures - where do you have them done?") add a package of photo paper or a gift certificate for some photo printing.7. For the person who loves their tea - a funny or inspirational mug can be found in many outlets for $1-8 (the latter are the Leanin' Tree mugs which vary from inspirational to comical). Put it together with a few boxes of herbal teas. If coffee is more their thing use special coffee samples. Or consider making chocolate spoons - very easy to make but expensive to buy. Get the heavy plastic spoons - simply dip in melted chocolate and drizzle a contrasting color over it. For example, dip in white chocolate and drizzle sweetened chocolate over it. As they stir the coffee it adds flavor. 8. Each interest has collectible items. For those who love horses the Breyer horses are always a treat. New in the box the full sized ones are often $20-40 - but you can find places online that sell gently used ones for much less. Or consider the "Stablemate" sized - $5 (sometimes less on sale). I grabbed a whole set of the collectible rodeo bulls for $2-3-4 each on clearance, much less than the $7.98 sticker price. Car people sometimes collect the Matchbox cars. Almost any sport has items and a search online can find some great deals. 9. Personalized calendars. Find pictures that suit the recipient's interest. There is software available to help you easily lay out and print calendars yourself on your printer. Getting them in order can sometimes be a little tricky but it's a personalized gift that can be enjoyed all year long. If you don't want to bind them get the small circular connectors (less than $1 each). Cost - your paper, ink and time. 10. Don't overlook service gifts. If the person is a single parent and mechanically challenged an oil change can take not a lot of time on your part and often materials under the $10 limit. If the person is on a budget and you raise your own food that extra ham in the freezer doesn't "cost" you a great deal but can be a meal with plenty of leftovers for a person struggling to make ends meet. The person who loves baking may love a few dozen fresh eggs. Things that aren't often seen as valued - and many consider it "quirky" to raise one's own food - but not only cost you little but save them money. 11. If you are aware of any food allergies consider a baked good assortment. Some quick bread, coffee cake, low-fat cookies, no sugar candies and other diet aware treats can be much appreciated. Someone who can't have sugar might be able to have goodies made with honey - and not miss out as much on the tempting treats of the season. If you're buying ingredients anyway the cost is minimal. 12. If the person recently moved into a new home consider a new home package - a rug for the entryway or wreath for the door makes a welcome to the home, not just a house. Rugs can be found inexpensively at Dollar General and materials to make a wreath are much cheaper than purchasing a made one. Use holiday colors or get creative and have removable goodies where they can change the wreath for all four seasons. Information can easily be found online for many homemade gifts. Combining these with key purchased items stretches your dollars and can provide gifts that are beyond a $10 value to the recipient. By Jan Hoadley
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