5 Under the Radar Gift Ideas That Don't Cost A Dime

We’ve all been there: money is tight, you’re not sure if you can make it till payday, and you’ve been spending the evenings eating ramen noodles drenched in hot sauce. Throw the pressure of an impending gift-giving event on top of this, and you might be running for the hills and putting your phone on airplane mode.

But what if you could come up with a gift that didn't cost you a dime? There’s no shame in needing to make your dollar stretch as far as you can. Here are 5 ways you can take advantage of discount stores like Dollar Tree and save a little money on your next gift.

Be Sweet

Have a loved one with a sweet tooth? We all have one or two. An awesome, affordable gift idea is to spoil the recipient with a bunch of their favorite candies. From candy bars to classic gummies, a discount store’s candy aisle can be raided for just a few bucks. To tie it all together, you can grab a basket and some tissue paper while you’re there too. Your gift will be as sweet as can be, and you’ll basically be like the Easter Bunny in the flesh.

Go Cleaning Crazy

Gifts don’t always have to be tangible. Sometimes an awesome gift isn’t one you can touch or feel. A great gift for a partner, parent, roommate, or friend is to clean their house — or a little bit of their place. You can stock up on cheap cleaning supplies — from sprays to mops — at stores like Dollar Tree, because there’s no need to break the bank on overpriced cleaning solutions and tools when you can get everything you need for $1 each. From there, you can give the wonderful act of cleaning your loved one’s space. Who wouldn’t love the gift of having someone knocking cleaning off their to-do list?

A good ‘ole fashioned sleepover

Grab your girls, your guys, your family member(s), and/or your partner for a sleepover! Whether it’s just you and them or your whole gang, a sleepover is a nostalgic gift for anyone. At your local discount store you can stock up on snacks — even name brand ice creams and frozen pizzas — slippers, and candles. All that’s left to do is cozy up with Netflix.

Throw a party

Throwing someone a party can be a gift in itself! Dollar stores are a great place for party supplies. From blow-up balloons to helium balloons, and confetti to signs, you can get it all for the low low. Going the extra mile to show your loved one you care so much that you’d go through the effort to throw a party is a dope gift if you ask us.

A heartfelt card

When all else fails, a simple card can do the trick. This gift is just $1, but if done right, can mean the world to someone. If you find a card that truly speaks to the person that it’s for — and you write a wonderfully heartfelt message to go with it — you can truly make the person’s day. This is particularly true because anyone close to you will understand if you don’t have a lot of extra cash. Therefore, going out of your way to vocalize how much you care for them may be the best gift of all.