Gifts that cost nothing or next to nothing, can you think of any?

We have made t-shirts for dad or grand parents where the kids or grandkids step in paint on a paper plate and then put thier foot prints one the shirt, on the front we wrote " my kids walk all over me! and then I did mine on the back and worte : and so does my wife" my hudband LOVES it. we did the grand parents one that said my grandkids wall all over me on the front and I love it on the back. this year I have spent the past 6 weeks collecting sea shells and I am writing a story of how our family is like the sea shells, (differnt shapes and sizes, how even the tiny ones are so important etc. I will put them in a little mesh bag with a ribbon and a tag that says with love, and send it to my aunts, parents, cousins, siblings who live up north in the ~~SNOW~~ for chritmas cards I printed the candy cane seed story (you can find it online) on cards and the kids and grand kids decotated them, we tape three pepermints to them add a ribbon and then they will be mailed with the shells in padded envelore again decotated with christmas stamps by the kids. We also will make fudge and christmas cookies to share with family and friend in a tin and colored plastic wrap I got at the dollar tree. For my in laws I get a few of thier favorite teas and coffes and cookies and make a gift basket. The kids add home made orniments with pictures for thier tree. We mason jars with cookie or brownie ingredients and a note and cover the lid with a pterry cloth and note with a ribbon. I find mason jars at eithr good will or dollar stores. I also shop consignment stors for clothes that are new with tags and tehn go to the mall and find a kid that matches the size and donate them with a new toy. I also shop and sell some items on ebay, craigs list. I get empty baskets and some items from free cycle to help make gifts baskets some folks will even give new items they dont want. shower gel, purfume etc. Then I get family and friends to donate empty baskets, hotel samples, unused bath and tolitries and such and make baskets for moms at either a homless shelter, or domestic violance shelter. I fill it with lots of freebies I get online, like razors, etc. you would be surprised at what folk will toss out or give away. I also make bath salts and bath soaks that are really easy, and fairly inexpensive and put them in little mesh bags, then in a small plastic bag and tie it with ribbon. great teacher or last minute gifts. Be Well,

I can going to have some of my photos printed off at Wal-Mart and put them into a collage or frame them for a few people on my list. Maybe put some of that person's favorite photos into an album. The coupon books are nice or if you are crafty there are always new craft ideas popping up every year.

I have been making blankets out of old clothes. Just making peices to put together. I am also making extra blankets for our car for emergencies. I have been working to get as much as I can made so there is less to buy. This year Christmas will be tight and a little different, but it will still be amazing.

There are many, poems composed by you pasted in a colorful cardboard. Knitted items, crocheted items, a home made card, a home made organizer, and many more home gifts made up of home made materials. Happy mylotting.

I used to give plant cuttings as gifts a lot a few years back. I'd plant them in clay pots, which I could get rather inexpensively. One year I collected up some of my favorite recipies and made personalized recipe books for people, each got recipies of foods I knew were thier favorite foods, or things I have cooked that I knew they liked.

Last year for Christmas I was broke, so what I did was print out some Mandala's on various printable Coloring pages sites. Then I colored them with Gel pens. They turned out very nice I then put them in frames and gave them as gifts. I have also taken pictures of family and friends and created a special scrap book for them. I usually have the items just laying around as I have 2 children and they always need some kind of crafting item.

You already have some ideas and they are good. You are also making the givcts much more personal by giving something you have put thought into. Aslo in some instances it might be possible for you to give more than one coupon to a person. Coupon sugestions to think about: Baby sitting/child care Car Wash Clothes ironing for however many hours you choose Cleaning the bathroom - or any room in the house A day in the park where you supply a picnic Cook a meal for the family You can also make some biscuits or sweets/lollies/candy Jams and preserves Sauces Nick-nack bags made out of material remnants. My partner makes these and the sizes can vary, i.e. some are small for jewellery and others larger for a whole range of things, She puts a draw string through the top and a bit of lace to make it a little bit fancy. They cost time to make and not that long either. Get some cheap pots and put some cuttings in them, preferably already rooted of course. Plant some herbs in pots, maybe some mint, basil, parsley and thyme If you have a few dollars to spare and have a Thrift shop near you, check it out as often they have brand new stuff for sale very cheaply. Just wipe it down to make sure it is clean before presenting it as a gift. Finally, keep an eye out for any free samples which come along through the year and put them away ready for when you need to make up some gifts. If you don't know any freebies sites, send me a pm and I will let you know a few. Good luck and hope you get lots of good ideas from the members.

The coupon books are always a nice gift to give. Like you said, one free babysitting, one free carwash. I have a recipe for a candy that takes only 1 can of frosting and one bag of chocolate or peanutbutter chips. You melt them together and put them in a cake decorating tool (which I happen to have.) When you press them out, they make little candies that everyone loves!

My aloe is not producing at all, besides everyone I am buying for practically already has that plant..but I do have this viney plant, (have no idea what it is) and I have started many plants from this before and I do have many left over disposable pots, I could do that for the women..The guys, that is where I struggled with until I found the gift in a jar..Even if the guys don't bake, they can find someone to make it for them and they have a nice treat or soup...

You have some neat ideas there with the one free idea! Our next door neighbours have been very good to my children since we moved in and they wanted to do something for them at christmas and their idea is to make some gift boxes or special bags and fill them with homemade rice crispie or cornflake cakes. They will not work out very expensive and will just be a nice little gift. I also thought that maybe I could make some biscuits and give them out as gifts too.

you can also make a scrap book for them without spending a single cent for the decorations through scrapblog.com. that way, they will really appreciate it and never forget you.

Gifts are pracius whether it is cheep or costly.we should not see what gift, we have to see there feelings . if my freind gifts me a rose flower for me i feel i am the happyest person in this world .By the grace of God i will receive lot of flowers as gifts from children,i like this,i feel some attachmnt with thouse gifts.

one my friend give me a present: a ship on the sea,that is a small guy,codt no more than1 dollar.she tell me she hope me will be a continous advanced man,just like the ship,which is go forward against strong wind.i take the costless present as a very great thing for me,and i will never lose it.

Shopping with santa is a popular event in my town. Children of all ages gather at one of our schools where donated knick knacks and crafts of such are for sale. With a couple bucks a child can buy gifts for the whole family. now, they may not be grand presents or even make sense but the idea that the child gets to pick it out is a great and thoughtful gift for its receiver and it makes your child feel like he or she contributed to the holiday celebration. In addition... all the money made is given to toys for tots or some other charitable foundation.

I am sewing bags out of fabric for gift bags. This is free because I am using fabric left over from my Mother in law's projects. I am also making little finger puppets. At the getrichslowly blog, he has listed a bunch of ways to make gifts. I am probably going to do a cookie of the month club for some of my friends - each month they will get a batch of cookies. I'm having a lot of trouble thinking up free gifts or cheap gifts, but so far it hasn't been too expensive.

I signed up at kohls website and recieved a free 5 dollar coupon. I went in the other day and got a pair of earrings and they only cost me a dollar! All I had to do was sign up for emails. i didnt have to give them anything but my email. I dont know if this counts, but it was a next to nothing gift for my aunt.