Budget Busters: Thoughtful Gifts on a Tight Student Budget

By Ian Donnelly

Holiday gift shopping can be a nightmare for college students. Upcoming finals and looming deadlines give you enough to worry about when the most wonderful time of the year rolls around, and if you’re stuck with an air-tight student budget, you can drive yourself crazy trying to cover all the names on your gift list.

That’s why we’ve compiled some of the easiest and most affordable gift ideas that won’t break the bank! So, skip the checkbook balancing act and take a look at these heartwarmingly thoughtful holiday presents that won’t burn a hole through your wallet.

Home-Baked Anything

Ask anyone what gift their wishing for this holiday season, and if they don’t say “baked goods,” they’re just plain lying. A homemade batch of anything will always be a big hit, and it checks off all the boxes on your gift giving criteria as a college student: simple, free, and considerate.  Baking someone a gift adds a personal touch, can be easy to do, and costs much less than the top item in their Amazon cart.

It doesn’t matter what you make! As long as it isn’t burnt and there’s plenty of sugar involved, it’s bound to be a successful holiday gift. And even if you aren’t completely confident in your kitchen skills, you can just follow the instructions on a box of brownies or cupcakes and add some flair like powdered sugar or sprinkles to give it that “my own special recipe” look.

eBooks and Apps

Besides the book purists who may take this gift idea as a personal offense, an eBook or app is a great holiday present. Almost everyone has a smartphone or tablet these days, and they all support eBooks and apps. There are tons of great eBooks available at less than half the price you’ll pay for a physical copy, and you can buy some of the most popular apps on the market with just the change you can find between your couch cushions.

Knowing what your recipient likes to read will come in handy with this gift strategy, but most bestsellers and critically-acclaimed titles are available in eBook form so it should be simple to find something for everyone on your list.  And when it comes to apps, you have endless choices. There is an app for everything. You can get a fitness tracking app for the biggest gym junkie in your family, or a pocket fan simulator app that your Dad will find absolutely hilarious. Plus, when you send their gift as an e-mail, they still get the experience of opening a present!

Fun Novelty Socks

Socks have made an historic comeback in the holiday gift-giving game. Once upon a time they were the most dreaded presents of the season— on par with a lump of coal and Grandma’s insanely itchy sweaters. But in recent years, novelty socks have enjoyed a creative renaissance. There’s sassy socks with sayings such as “Carpe the F@#$ out of this Diem”, and socks that feature classic paintings like the Mona Lisa or Starry Night. There’s fuzzy ones, ones with crazy colors or silly patterns, and even battery-powered light-up socks.

With all these options, you’re sure to find the perfect pair for that special someone you’re shopping for. And the best part is, they’re as affordable as a pack of boring, old socks!

A House Plant

A house plant is a rock-solid holiday present. Not only do plants make for some nice décor—having them around has been scientifically proven to lift your mood, plus they’re very affordable.

Picking up a small house plant, a bag of soil, and a pot won’t cost and arm and a leg, and you can even get those made-with-care bonus points for potting it yourself. If you’re unsure about the recipient’s green thumb, there are plenty of plants that are nearly fool-proof. Just get one that they can stick in a sunny room that doesn’t require too much maintenance such as a cactus or a pothos plant.

Netflix Subscription

We all have that friend who refuses to suck it up and get a subscription to Netflix. They bounce from password to password, hogging up accounts, and throwing your recommended watch list all out of whack. But for a measly $7.99, you can do them and yourself a favor by gifting a month’s worth of Netflix with their very own account. They won’t have to binge watch in fear anymore, and you’ll finally get to finish Stranger Things 2 without any interruptions, making it the gift that keeps on giving.

Finding the perfect gift doesn’t always mean shelling out the big bucks. The key to holiday shopping on a meager student budget is making the thought count where your pennies cannot. As long as you add a personal touch to any of these budget busting holiday gift ideas, your presents are guaranteed to make everyone smile well into 2018!

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