Your mom deserves the best, and you could probably make an argument that you should sell all of your belongings and buy your mother some priceless diamonds. But your mom is also sensible, and she’d probably prefer you look for frugal gifts for Mother’s Day. Especially if your mom is a bargain shopper, she would be thrilled if you find her something nice but frugal for Mother’s Day.
So if you’re looking for a physical gift for your mom (as opposed to our list of ideas of how to spend the day with mom at a low cost), and you don’t want to break the bank, we’ve got some ideas for you. Cheap doesn’t have to mean thoughtless.
(The prices listed reflect the prices shown on the seller’s site as of the date of publication.)
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Something to Spice Up a Future Meal
While actual spices might work well, olive oil is trendy, especially with the Mediterranean Diet being popular. Toxyfree has premium, raw, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil “hand-harvested from meticulously nurtured olive orchards,” according to its website. It retails for $17.
Something for the Beauty Regimen
Moms like face and body lotion, right? If your mom is also a Gwyneth Paltrow fan, this gift, featured on the actress’s lifestyle website, Goop, might be even more fun: Kenyan Hibiscus and Moroccan Rose Body Butter. It’s from the brand 54 Thrones. Goop describes it as: “A bonanza of deeply-hydrating oils — sweet almond, jojoba, avocado, and more — melt into the skin, leaving even dry patches feeling nourished and supple.” It retails for $24.
Something That Smells Good
You could get your mom a scented candle from Homsolver Store, available on Amazon.com. It retails for $19.99, and while a candle sounds like a pretty clichéd gift, what makes this gift fun and perfect for a mom with a sense of humor is the simple message on the candle that reads: “Mom’s Last Nerve. oh look… it’s on fire.”
Something for the Wardrobe
Walmart has a lot of matching mother-daughter outfits. Especially if you have a younger daughter who still thinks her mother is cool, this could be a lot of fun. Walmart sells the PatPat All Over Dots Pink Cross Wrap V Neck Ruffle Flutter-sleeve Dress for Mom and Me for $18.99.
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Something to Sip
If your mom likes tea, Target has an impressive organic tea gift set, which has four different organic tea varieties and a reusable glass infusion bottle with a strainer. It retails for $39.99 and is only available through Target.com and isn’t in stores.
Something to Put Mom’s Credit Cards In
The Travelambo Store sells a women’s wallet for $15.99 on Amazon, and it’s certainly well reviewed — over 67,000 reviews with 4.5 stars. It has 16 slots for credit cards, and the leather wallet comes in a lot of different colors.
Something to Put Mom’s Wallet In
If you bought your mom a wallet, and you feel like going all out, you could get her a purse. This Maria Antonietta purse is made in Italy and retails for $79 but is only sale at T.J. Maxx for $49.
Something to Put Flowers In
You probably should buy her flowers, too, but T.J. Maxx also has a nice empty striped vase that retails for $16.99 and is currently on sale for $12.
Something to Fuss Over
You could get your mom a bonsai tree. Amazon sells quite a few for under $40. You could buy a Brussel’s Live Harland Boxwood Outdoor Bonsai Tree. It’s four years old, and 8 to 10 inches tall with a decorative container, humidity tray and decorative rock. It retails for $24.73.
Something to Water
A watering can seems kind of ordinary, but a plant mister? Now, we’re in new territory. Target sells a 6-inch copper glass plant mister that Smith & Hawken makes. It’s available in stores (at least some of them), but if you buy it online, it’s $10. Plus, if you do get your mother a vase with flowers in it, or the bonsai tree, she could water them with the plant mister.
Something to Help With Birdwatching
Also made by Smith & Hawken (the reviews are good) and sold at Target is a 6-inch ceramic birdhouse. You can get it at a store or buy it online for $20.
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Something to Smell
Macy’s doesn’t seem like a place to get cheap Mother’s Day gifts, but the retailer has wine soaps for $22. These three bars of soap smell like wine, making it a pretty unique gift. If your mom would like to smell soap that smells like chardonnay or merlot, you probably have a hit gift on your hands that will be soon on her hands — and face, elbows and so on.
Something to Put on Mom’s Wrist
Here’s another gift from Macy’s you may want to consider for your mom — a Pavé & Imitation Pearl Slider Bracelet, Created for Macy’s. It’s $24.50, and it’s pretty, delicate and stylish.
Something to Blend
You could get your mom her own personal blender. She may have fun making smoothies with the BlendJet 2 Personal Blender. It retails for $70, but JCPenney is currently selling it for $43.99.
Something She Really Won’t Expect
Let’s end on a weird note. You could get your mother Tibetan Yak Jerky. You can buy it for $11.59 to $19.99, depending how much you want, at MountainAmericaJerky.com. As they say on their website, “Mothers Day is Coming and Moms Love Jerky Too!” The website says it’s fresh and tender jerky and a good option for those on a low-carb diet. Or, perhaps you’ll pass on this and keep it bookmarked for Father’s Day.
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Frugal Gifts for Mother’s Day originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 05/08/23: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
