Christmas on a budget

[Pumpkin]

So I have no money and my sweet boyfriend insists on buying me expensive gifts and saying he doesn't care if I spend money on him or not. But darn it, I CARE. So for his birthday I made him a teddy bear that... isn't the most impressive, but hey, I'm trying. I also baked him a carrot cake.

For Christmas I plan to iron a picture of a character from a comic he likes on to a T-shirt. He really likes t-shirts that have bands/shows/video games that he likes on them, and this is pretty cheap. Just get an old white t-shirt, an iron (which I can borrow from his mom) and that special printer paper (not too expensive) and then I'll just iron it on and TA-DA! A brand new custom made shirt. It's.... it's pretty lame isn't it ;_;. But I'm trying.

What do you do for presents for people you love/care about when you are short on funds?

[Psychotic]

I think that is a really nice present and I think anyone would appreciate a I hope sharky sees this thread because the next bit will blag him. It really is a nice present though, shion! although I wonder about the costs of feeding it. I also don't think they're legal in Britain but I assume they must be over there.

[qwertysaur]

bake some cookies. Everyone likes cookies. :monster:

[Loony BoB]

I agree with the cookies idea and I also think your own idea is a novel one.

Making self-made/drawn cards is nice, as is writing letters and putting them inside, because cards are boring but letters mean a lot more, they tend to be from the heart. Other things you can do are taking certain chores away from him for a certain amount of time. Favours of any kind (obvious what I'm alluding to, isn't it?).

[Dr Unne]

Making presents is usually better than buying presents, if you put thought and effort into it. Good on ya.

[Sephex]

Christmas on a budget. Otherwise known as: Christmas.

Yeah, I get creative here and there. I work in a manufacturing shop that has a laser cutting machine, so I ended up making a Triforce for my girlfriend a couple of years ago. I even had it powdercoated a yellow color, too. She loved it.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Oh, like this isn't extremely tempting! I'll go pretend this thread doesn't exist.

Also, my bear is smurfing awesome.

[fire_of_avalon]

Post pictures of the bear!

[noxious.sunshine]

Yeah. Pics or it didn't happen!

Those ideas are really great. I haven't been able to really afford Giftmas presents for my family for a couple of years now and it's kinda hard to shop for my mom & dad.

BUT. I have my mom's gift figured out and I'm really proud of myself.. She -loves- Frisch's Big Boy Tartar Sauce, but since it's only in a few states, she can't get a Big Boy Burger -or- her tartar sauce. BUT! I found out you can order it! So I'm gonna order that, and a box of Ice Cubes Chocolate for her.

My daaaaddd... I'm not sure yet. At all.

And Parker, I'm planning to send her like 1 little treat/toy a day from New York and then I'll figure something out when it's closer to Christmas... Even though it's only 15 days away. -_-; I may wind up just sending a gift card to Toys R Us so that she can pick out whatever she wants, though I tooootttallly plan on hitting up FAO Shwartz... xD

[Jinx]

I'm actually on a bit of a budget this year, so I was going to go to the Dollar Store and get some cute plastic holiday plates and bake cookies and make homemade fudge and wrap them in red or green cellophane.

I know that doesn't really work well for a relationship gift!

[Pike]

Steam sale games.

Steam sale games are the answer.

[blackmage_nuke]

Find something of his that is easily replacable like a stapler, take it apart and remove a piece before putting it back together it so it stops working (or just steal it) then buy a new one for him and he'll be all "Oh thats just what I needed".

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

This is why I just don't buy people things.
And I insist that they don't get me things.

However, I can never sway my mother from getting me a thing. No matter how many times I tell her I don't want things.
So I accept Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and GameStop giftcards.

[Shlup]

A couple years ago BJ's cousin made everyone marshmallow guns out of PVC pipe. We enjoyed them.

[Pike]

So I accept Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and GameStop giftcards.

Gift cards are amazing. I just tell people to get me Steam/Xbox Live/Nintendo3DS gift cards. Last year I wound up drowning in a couple hundred dollars worth of Steam gift cards and it was basically the best Birthday/Christmas of my life.

[Leeza]

shion, I think your gifts are wonderful. Sometimes, though, even homemade gifts can end up being pricy. Some of the best inexpensive gifts that I have received were drawings from Dr Unne and Skye-chan. Those take more time than money but they are priceless to me. :cat:

[snacks]

I give the gift of love.

No but seriously most of the time me and Pep just get each other something small, and not make a huge deal out of it. Or money if we have it any at all because we don't know what to get each other sometimes.

[Queen Award, First of Her Name]

I am unbreakable
But I do not draw
I am precious
But do I have a flaw?


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[remyqcolson]

You can do DIY crafts. Scrapbook perhaps. :)

[Fuzakeru]

I try to make stuff as much as possible because it can be a ton cheaper most times and because the present is so unique! :) I love getting home made gifts too!

My two favorite presents to my boyfriend were two of the least expensive gifts I've ever made/bought.

He loves Oblivion and this is one of this favorite books from the game. I changed the font, printed it, coffee/tea/paint stained the pages, and bound them in a book with thread and padding glue. I made everything and it cost me about $11.00

49163

This one cost me $1.20 to print. :D

49165

I LOVE the idea of you doing an iron on for him. Another fun one to do is bleaching out black t-shirts with a stencil. :D It is a TON of fun! Here's a link for instructions but there are a ton of them all over the internet: Stenciling with Bleach | Lil Blue Boo (http://www.lilblueboo.com/2012/08/stenciling-with-bleach.html)

[Pumpkin]

Here is the bear I made him for his birthday:
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/2013-12-05204723.jpg

[Fuzakeru]

Awwwwwww! That is adorable! :love: I love the button eyes and I'd make those little arms flap around everywhere!

[Formalhaut]

Your idea is beautiful Shion, do it. I recommend it. It sounds awesome!

As for Christmas I've got a similar-ish problem. My boyfriend really doesn't want me to buy him anything. It's like, he doesn't want me to buy him anything because then he'll feel like he'd be guilt-tripped into buying me a present, or something, even though I keep telling him (and all my other friends) that I never expect gifts in return.

What should I do EoFFers? Sorry Shion for sort of detracting from your own thread, its just I'm sort of wondering: should I not buy him a present? For I really want to.

[Calliope]

Don't buy him a present. If he says not to, then respect his wishes. Make him a card or a mixcd or even frame a photo of the two of you, but don't do anything bigger than that or buy him a gift - you wouldn't want him to feel awkward or like he can't reciprocate your gesture.

[Shiny]

Making someone a video as a gift is like the new "giving them a mixtape". If you have a webcam or smart phone/camera phone this can be easily done.

[Shorty]

Don't buy him a present. If he says not to, then respect his wishes. Make him a card or a mixcd or even frame a photo of the two of you, but don't do anything bigger than that or buy him a gift - you wouldn't want him to feel awkward or like he can't reciprocate your gesture.

I once bought a gift for someone who asked me not to and they made me feel horrendous for it. Now, it someone says, "I don't want you to get me a gift" and they sound like they aren't joking, then I don't do it, no matter how good I am trying to make them feel.

I found this - Christmas on a Budget: 50 presents that cost absolutely nothing | Herald Scotland (http://www.heraldscotland.com/life-style/homes-interiorsgardens/christmas-on-a-budget-50-priceless-presents-for-friends-family.1387190970). I don't know why they name presents for specific people here - these could really be for anyone and everyone.

[Calliope]

Those are great ideas - I'd love some whiskey (although uhh, that costs money??), photos together, a trip to a museum, friendship bracelet, family scrapbook, quilt (omg!!!), drawing, letter, handwritten jokebook...seriously these ideas are all gold.

[noxious.sunshine]

You can't possibly go worse than what my sister got -me- one year...

She bought me a bunch of cheap ass Suave Shampoo & Conditioner.

I can't even -use- that shit. I have to use the entire bottle of conditioner just in one shower to get my hair any type of "normal" + my hair is like 3 ft long literally (speaking of.. I'd like to measure it one day, actually haha...)

[Ayen]

I never know what to get anyone when I have money. Gift cards is pretty much the fallback gift we pass out around here when we either want to save money and/or have no idea what you want. Then we just stick it in the card. Though one time my dad put a gift card in a box on top of bigger boxes and gift wrapped it. Or was that a card? I can't remember.

[Flying Mullet]

Lottery tickets are always a fun gift that doesn't cost a lot. Plus there's a bunch of different ways you can present and gift them.

I've always found that lottery tickets are a hit at white elephant parties and as secret santa gifts when you don't know what to get the person and you don't want to do a gift card.

[Formalhaut]

Don't buy him a present. If he says not to, then respect his wishes. Make him a card or a mixcd or even frame a photo of the two of you, but don't do anything bigger than that or buy him a gift - you wouldn't want him to feel awkward or like he can't reciprocate your gesture.

I once bought a gift for someone who asked me not to and they made me feel horrendous for it. Now, it someone says, "I don't want you to get me a gift" and they sound like they aren't joking, then I don't do it, no matter how good I am trying to make them feel.

I found this - Christmas on a Budget: 50 presents that cost absolutely nothing | Herald Scotland (http://www.heraldscotland.com/life-style/homes-interiorsgardens/christmas-on-a-budget-50-priceless-presents-for-friends-family.1387190970). I don't know why they name presents for specific people here - these could really be for anyone and everyone.


Don't buy him a present. If he says not to, then respect his wishes. Make him a card or a mixcd or even frame a photo of the two of you, but don't do anything bigger than that or buy him a gift - you wouldn't want him to feel awkward or like he can't reciprocate your gesture.

Okay, thanks guys. I'll probably draw him something. I'm sure he'll enjoy some crude childlike drawings. :D

[Mirage]

For the woman in your life

- Pick a bunch of wild flowers with holly and berries and present her with a Christmas morning bouquet

Pick wild flowers
in the middle of nowhere.

Sure thing, equatorial dwellers and australians. You do that.

[Flying Mullet]

Yeah, they'd be looking at a wreath of dead twigs and deer poop this time of year...