Frugal Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

We all want to celebrate and honor our moms on Mother’s Day, but you may be stumped for frugal Mother’s Day gift ideas this year. Giving Mother’s Day gifts doesn’t have to break your budget if you use one of these ideas.

Many restaurants offer discounts for mothers on Mother’s Day; some even allow moms to eat for free. You can check your local newspaper to see if there are any local restaurants offering this type of deal.

If you can’t find a restaurant that allows mom to eat for free or a reduced price, that doesn’t mean you can’t take mom out for the day. You may be able to find a museum or concert that has a Mother’s Day special. Check local colleges or universities, the newspaper, or online to find a venue offering a special for Mother’s Day.

You can also plan a picnic for you to share. It’ll give you time to enjoy each other’s company, can be healthier than restaurants, and will be much cheaper.

How long has it been since your family had a family portrait done? If it’s been a long time, you may want to find a relatively recent photo with everyone in it. Take the photo or negative to have it enlarged. You can also find a nice frame for the enlargement and it doesn’t have to drain your pocketbook.

Think about the things that your mom likes but rarely splurges on. Maybe she has a favorite magazine she used to read but hasn’t lately. She may enjoy good quality chocolate but feels it’s an indulgence she can’t afford. Splurge a little and buy that thing for her for her special day. You may find that she appreciates this gift more than any other you’ve given because it shows that you listened to her, recognized her self-denial, and then gave her what she wanted.

Cut flowers can be expensive and they die within a week or so of receiving them. You can find a nice flowering perennial that can be planted in her yard and enjoyed for years to come. Why not make a certificate offering to plant the perennial at a time that suits her?

Consider finding old family photos and putting them into a memory scrapbook for her. Yes, it’ll take some time to complete this task, but she’ll love having access to family photos she hasn’t seen in years.

Remember, you don’t need an expensive gift for it to be meaningful. It’s reallythe thought that counts much more than the amount of money you spent for the day.

Let’s move on to the kids. Here are a few ideas for things they can make and give mom or grandma.

* Set the table for dinner
* Give her a red rose and place it in her favorite vase
* Make her a special breakfast
* Take her to the park for a picnic lunch
* Bake her a cake and sing Happy Mother’s Day To You
* Take her to a movie
* Buy her favorite scented candles
* Burn her favorite CD
* Offer to do a specific chore for a week such as washing the dishes
* Make a huge Happy Mother’s Day Sign
* Give her a picture of you in a specially decorated frame
* Make a bag of potpourri using dried flowers from the garden
* Put together a scrapbook with her favorite recipes
* Make a jewelry box for her using spring ornaments
* Buy packs of herbs or flower seeds your mom could plant in the garden
* Clear out the flower bed for mom to prepare for spring planting
* Rake the leaves and make a compost pile
* Make mom a bracelet using beads from a craft store
* Make a sign for a t-shire that says “I love my mom” with an arrow pointing to the right or left
* Wash the car
* Clean your room

There are so many inexpensive ideas for Mother’s Day gifts, all of which will be appreciated no matter how small. The fact that you took the time to make a present or buy something really special says it all. So whatever you decide to do, know that it will be a keepsake mom will treasure forever.