Inexpensive Gifts for the Graduate

By Amy Allen Clark

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The end of the school year means, for many of us, lots of high school graduations and open houses to attend. To go along with these events, comes the obligatory gift for the graduate and spending money to show appreciation of their hard work. Just what is a frugal mom to do when the gift-giving season is upon her? What do you purchase for these graduates without breaking the bank?

This is the time to really let your creativity shine through and create gifts that are both memorable and affordable. These gifts do not have to be expensive; in fact, I find that the truly practical graduation gifts require very little money.

Here are a few of my favorite gifts to give that are affordable and thoughtful….

1.       College Coupons- One of my favorite things to ever get in the mail, when I was in college, was a care package…from ANYONE! Giving the graduate coupons for care packages can be a very frugal gift and one that they can enjoy throughout their first year in college. Coupons can be assembled with a self-addressed stamped envelope. I like to provide a menu of choices and let them write on the coupon what they would specifically like. I include simple family favorites that can easily be packaged and enjoyed by them. Cookies can be shipped to them in empty Pringles containers or in Christmas tins. Bar cookies are very good choices for your menu options because they hold up well in the shipping process. You can download a template on my website to fill in with your own menu choices. I mount these coupons on cardstock and tie them together with ribbon. They are a fun & creative gift and it is a gift that the graduate can look forward to throughout their school year, instead of just one day.

2.       Gift Cards- Gift cards, while not the most inexpensive choice, are something that a broke graduate can truly appreciate. I love to give gift cards to their local supermarket so that they can stock up on food while they are at school. Other good choices for gift cards are the gas station (if they have a car while they are at school), the local salon, the campus bookstore, local eateries, or the movie theatre.

3.       Useful Gifts- Try and think of the things that the graduate will need to take with them when beginning college. Some of the things that come to mind are a backpack, an umbrella, alarm clock, a shower tote (filled with toiletries they might need), a small lamp, bed linens, towels & washcloths, school supplies (cheap during the beginning of the school season), luggage, or zip drives & disks.

4.       Food Kit- I assemble the food kits inside of a dish tub. Within the dish tub, I provide a set of four place settings (plastic forks, knifes, spoons, bowls, & plates) and a sponge & dish soap for doing their dishes. I also put in any foods that I can find that can easily be prepared in their room. Just tie a bow on the outside and know that this is a gift that they will actually use. All of these items can be purchased at your local dollar store.

5.       Laundry Kit- This is one of my favorite gifts for a graduate. Just assemble everything in a laundry basket and tie a bow on the handles of the basket. Inside stick a roll of quarters, a mesh laundry bag, detergent, fabric softener sheets, a fabric softener ball and you can put together a tutorial for them on how to treat stains and easy directions on how to do their laundry. Step-by-step instructions, for the newbie to doing laundry, (as many graduates are!) can be found by doing a quick search on the internet. If you are even more ambitious than that, you can include your own tips and tried & true recipes for getting stains out. These can be assembled in a binder or laminated with a magnet to be put on their dorm fridge.

6.       First Aid Kit- What graduate is actually going to remember to stock a first aid kit before they leave? Put together a container of items for their medicine cabinet so that they are prepared when they leave home. Fill it up with aspirin, band aids, stomach medications, ointments, cotton balls, tweezers, and sun block. Include anything & everything they might need for an emergency.

7.       Journals & Address Books- Gifts for a graduate who is not planning on attending college or who will be attending a community college can be a challenge. Many of the gifts, traditionally given to a graduate, are made for those who are going away to school. For these graduates an organizer or a journal can be a wonderful and thoughtful gift option. Address books, so that the graduate can record where all of their friends are going, are also very thoughtful. These can be purchased at your local dollar store or found at local card retailers.

The important thing, in my opinion, is to offer a gift that they can actually use. I can’t tell you how many books I got for my graduation- the infamous Dr. Suess book, Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and coffee table books. These are nice, but are usually read once and put away. I rarely reread them and they ended up collecting dust on my shelf.

I am disappointed when gifts I give are not used because, to me, it is like money going down the drain. Don’t be afraid to ask your graduate what they are in need of so that your gift is actually used.

Finally, if you are the mother of a graduate, I wish you congratulations on making it this far with your child.  It is an accomplishment for you both and you should be very proud!
 

About Author:
Amy Allen Clark is a stay-at-home mother of two wonderful children. She is founder and creator of www.momadvice.com.  Her web site is geared towards mothers who are seeking advice on staying organized, living on a budget, and for those seeking work-at-home employment. The author resides in Granger, Indiana and her hobbies include reading, writing, and cooking. Please visit her web site for more information on these various topics for mothers.