The following post is by MPFJ staff writer, Laurie Blank. Laurie is a wife, mother to 4 and homesteader who blogs about personal finance, self-sufficiency and life in general over at The Frugal Farmer. Part witty, part introspective and part silly, her goal in blogging is to help others find their way to financial freedom and to a simpler, more peaceful life.
With wedding season in full swing, some might be a bit overwhelmed with working extra money into their budget for wedding gift expenses. Wedding gift shopping is of a whole different genre; you want to give a gift that the newlyweds will cherish forever. So, how to make that special gift mesh with a frugal budget? Here are ten ideas for frugal wedding gifts that come from the heart and will bring joy and remembrance to the wedded couple for years to come.
Personalized Cookbook
Purchase a blank cookbook and fill it with hand-written versions of your (or their) favorite recipes (if you don’t have great handwriting, print out the recipes and glue them to the book page). You can also use some pages to put photos on or to share memories you have about the couple’s pre-wedding years. Remember to leave at least half of the pages blank so that the newlyweds can add their own favorite recipes.
Themed Gift Basket
Themed gift baskets can cover so many different genres and are a joy both to give and to receive. Here are some basket ideas:
A cleaning supply basket containing:
- A brightly colored cleaning bucket
- Staple cleaning supplies such as window cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, dish soap, hand soap, etc
- Sponges, paper towels and/or cleaning rags
A dinner basket containing:
- A box of pasta
- Your favorite sauce
- Non-refrigerated garlic or other bread
- Croutons (for a salad)
- An inexpensive bottle of wine
- Inexpensive wine glasses
A bonfire basket containing:
- Hershey’s chocolate bars
- Marshmallows
- Graham crackers
- A cozy blanket
A picnic basket containing:
- A picnic basket
- Plates, silverware and napkins for two
- A cozy blanket
- An inexpensive bottle of wine
- Wine glasses
There are a host of other gift basket ideas you can use too; just check online at sites such as Pinterest for more ideas. Wrap the baskets in clear cellophane and use a bow to add extra sparkle to the gift.
Framed Wedding Photo or Wedding Invitation
Purchase a nice but inexpensive wedding frame and use it to frame their wedding invitation or a great casual photo you have of the couple, either from their wedding reception or from another event.
Personalized Stationery
Hook the newlyweds up with a package of personalized stationery designed to fit their personalities, and add a nice but inexpensive pen/pencil set if it’s in the budget. Online sites such as Vistaprint have a host of different types of personalized stationery at affordable prices.
First Anniversary Bottle of Wine
Go to the wine store and find a nice, specialized bottle of wine – maybe something locally produced – and place it in a basket with a nice hand towel, some inexpensive wine glasses, a corkscrew and a note saying that the basket is for the celebration of their first anniversary. Wrap the basket in cellophane and a bow to keep it looking nice for the year.
Photo Scrapbook
If you have access to a dozen or so photos of the newlyweds, consider buying an inexpensive scrapbook and making a nice album for them to hold cherished memories of their life pre-wedding. Take advantage of craft store coupons when buying supplies to save even more money on this gift.
Personalized Christmas Ornament
A personalized Christmas ornament ready for their first Christmas together as a married couple is another great gift idea. Online stores, sites like Etsy and brick-and-mortar stores such as Things Remembered are great venues to find personalized ornaments.
Digital Kitchen Timer and/or Scale
These are two items that I really find helpful in our kitchen but didn’t take the time to buy until years after I was married. You can pick up a digital kitchen timer and a digital kitchen scale for less than $40 if you shop right.
Lawn Chairs and/or a Full-Sized Cooler
This is one of those gifts that your newlywed friends will likely use over and over again. An especially great gift if the couple likes to hang out in the great outdoors.
A Nice Blanket or Quilt
We received two really nice blankets from different people as wedding gifts and we still use both blankets nearly every single day after twenty years of marriage. Every time we use them, I think about the people who gave them to us with fond remembrance for this useful gift idea.
With a little thought, you can come up with a cherished wedding gift for your newlywed friends that won’t break your budget.
How about you all? What are your favorite smart but frugal wedding gift ideas?
Share your experiences by commenting below!
***Photo courtesy https://www.flickr.com/photos/43027029@N00/1078586764/
