Budget-friendly gift ideas for students this holiday season

Christmas is almost here, which means it’s time to prepare your gifts. 

Buying gifts for those you know and care about can often end up being quite costly, which is why as students, it is important to know how to budget during the holiday season. 

There are many ways to give thoughtful gifts while staying in your budget. Here are a few ideas.

Handmade items

Handmade items are the epitome of the perfect gift. For little to no money, you can make a variety of things. If you know how to knit or crochet, making something like hats or scarves for your loved ones can be a great gift, especially considering the winter season. 

You can buy wool, yarn, and knitting sticks at the dollar store for cheap. This can also be a great opportunity to try something new and maybe even pick up a new hobby. 

Baking 

Baking is an affordable, great gift for family and friends. It doesn’t necessarily have to be Christmas related and could be their favourite cookies, cake, or baked item. 

If you find a recipe that you already have all the ingredients for, then it’s basically free. Baked goodies are perfect for anyone to receive, especially if you’re having a big get-together on Christmas Day.  

Photos 

Putting together photos for one of your friends or family members is such a thoughtful gift. It can be in the form of a scrapbook, photo album, or, even better, a single framed photo so it can be on display. It’s a great gift for someone who collects memorabilia. Adding a note alongside each picture can be a nice additional touch as well.

Regifting 

Gifting something from your house that you haven’t ever found a use for and think someone else could benefit from is something many people do. This item could be a book, a piece of clothing or decor, or a gift you received but never used. It’s free of cost, sustainable, and can have thoughtful intentions if you think the recipient would enjoy it more. 

Crafts

Crafting something together like a Christmas card, an ornament, or, if you are artistic, a Christmas painting, can all be perfect gifts. You can buy a large amount of supplies for a small amount of money to make thoughtful gifts for the people you know. It’s also a great way to express your creativity and maybe discover some new skills from doing things that you don’t normally do.

It’s always a struggle to find the right gifts for friends and family, especially when you don’t have an unlimited amount of money. These are a few of the many affordable things you can give to people, making the holidays more festive. Some of these may sound time consuming, but at the end of the day, they carry much more meaning than gifts that are store-bought at the last minute.