Creative, Frugal Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for Kids and Adults

Mother’s Day is right around the corner.  If you’re scrambling to find ways to show mom how much you love and care for her, don’t worry.  There are many ways you can do just that without breaking the bank or relying on the same old boring gift of breakfast in bed or dinner out.

Projects for Younger Children

I have one word for you–Pinterest!  Seriously, head over to Pinterest and just search “Mother’s Day Crafts.”  There are so many creative, frugal ideas to choose from.  Here are some of my favorites:

Hand print flower–Paint your little one’s palm, then press their palm down on paper.  Either paint or add flowers to the tip of each finger.  Your child’s hand makes the stem of the “flowers.”  Then, cut out paper to make a flower pot and glue that to the bottom of the hand print.  On the paper pot, write a message stating something your child loves about mom such as, “You make the best chocolate chip cookies,” etc.

Book mark–Does mom love to read?  Cut out a rectangular strip of construction paper, and then glue a small picture of each of your children on the front.  Laminate it; use a paper hole punch to make a hole in the top, and hang some yarn through the top.

Gift Ideas for Adult Children

If you’re an adult, your mother probably has every consumer item she could want or need.  Instead of shopping and spending money on something she may or may not enjoy, why not go the non-consumer route.  Why not give mom a gift from the heart?

A letter–If you haven’t told mom lately how much she means to you, now is the time.  For instance, when I was in high school, my friend and I spray painted our biology teacher’s rocks in his front yard in the middle of the night.  Not the best idea, I know.  I felt so guilty, I woke my mom up at 2 a.m. to tell her.  She didn’t freak out or lecture me; she just told me that we’d need to clean it up in the morning.  I appreciate that she could stay so calm, but I’ve never told her that.  I’d include that in my letter and also all the ways she has helped me grow into the woman I’ve become.  (The spray painting days are long behind me!)

A gift of experience–If you do want to spend some money on mom, why not give her a gift of experience?  My grandma always wanted to ride a hot air balloon.  However, she was a child of the Great Depression and was extremely frugal.  Even in retirement, when she knew she’d have enough money for life, she couldn’t justify spending money on what she viewed as an extravagance.  Instead, her kids chipped in and got her a hot air balloon ride for Mother’s Day.  She talked about that gift for years.  It was one of her favorite experiences.

This Mother’s Day, take the time to plan something special for mom to show her how much you love and appreciate her.  Often, you just need to use some creativity, not money, to show mom how much she means to you.

What’s the best gift you ever gave your mom for Mother’s Day?

MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in New York, where she loves the natural beauty of the area.