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When my father passed, I became the recipient of amazing hospitality from friends, family and strangers alike.
While saying “thank you” goes a long way, sometimes a simple, thoughtful expression of gratitude can last even longer.
With the holidays rapidly approaching, there will be many occasions where we’ll want to express our thanks, but how can we do that meaningfully AND frugally? From overnight stays to teacher appreciation, I’m sharing five of my favorite ways to say thank you inexpensively.
There are just a few keys to making gifts like these work:
- Pick something to give that represents the recipient’s personality
- Wrap” the gift in something reusable
- Stock up on gift bases while on sale (gift boxes, candles, frames, etc)
5 Ways to Say Thank You Inexpensively
1. Gift for when you’re going to someone’s house for dinner/party
- A pretty plate charger with homemade cookies
- Wine wrapped in a hand towel
- A mason jar filled with candy
2. Gift for after you’ve stayed at someone’s house
- Something that represents your hometown (“Thanks Y’all” towel wrapped around local popcorn from Batch Nashville)
- A frame with a handwritten note or gift card inside
3. Gift for Teachers
- Send your child’s teacher a “My Favorite Things” letter for them to fill in, then email to all the parents in the class and assign each parent a day in December to bring in one of their “little happies”.
- A fun ramekin with a candle
- Stationary & Pencil Set
- Buy notecards from Michaels and put their initials on it (you know you can always find Michael’s coupons for 20-40% off!)
4. Gift for Someone New to the Neighborhood
- A frozen dish or breakfast components in a casserole dish
- Pretty storage box with household essentials (which can be found BOGO free at your local grocery store)
- Print address labels for them (sometimes you can get them FREE from Shutterfly)
- A magazine subscription with their new address
5. Gift When Someone’s Sick or Sad
- A cute mug with healing tea and whipped honey
BONUS: Gift “Just Because”
- Grab a Groupon online and put in a card or frame
- Next time you have a girls’ night out, consider an activity where you make something (pottery, painting) and design it to be given away to a friend or family member
- Subscribe to their favorite magazine and put the gift receipt inside a copy of the actual magazine
Many of the items you saw me show on TV or read about above were from Batch Nashville for under $20 (most were right around $10). I love Batch because they curate a majority of their gifts from right here in Tennessee.
You can also find inexpensive gifts at a craft store (like Michaels) for 40-50% off, which is why it’s great to stock up on items like candles, ornaments or storage boxes when you come across these sales.
