Running low on cash, and haven't bought Mom a gift for Mother's Day this weekend?
Get creative with some of these quick, low-cost ideas:
Mother's Day in a jar
Get to your nearest dollar store of pharmacy stat for some inexpensive creams, nail polishes, loofahs and more. Put the items in a glass jar, and paint the word "Mom" on it. Be sure to have a color scheme inside, or at least stick with similar brands. If you need something cheap to help fill the jar out, buy a bag of chocolates and scatter them around the products. (See a jar sample here.)
Picture collage
It's SUPER easy to create digital photo collages and get them printed quickly — and at a low cost. You can even get one in less than an hour at places such as CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and more. On their websites, they offer a variety of collage sizes and products on which you may print photos. Make sure you buy a frame while you're picking up your print (and see if the stores offer pre-made gift bags, complete with the tissue paper already in them).
Replace flowers with their scents
Flowers can be costly and not last very long. Save money by purchasing a flower pot, and instead of filling it with flowers, fill it with things that have a floral scent. Ideas include miniature bottles of perfume, air fresheners, car fresheners, lotions, and even smell-good laundry products such as Downy Unstopables.
Favorite fruits
A fruit basket is a really easy option, so tailor it to the gift recipient to show your effort. Is Mom a fan of papayas? Does she love anything that reminds her of the beach (coconuts, pineapples)? This is an important one to personalize by being selective with what goes in the gift basket.
An IOU
An IOU (I Owe You) is another gift that could appear to be a cop out, unless you make it worth her while. Here's what we mean: Maybe you can afford to give her a night at the movies or an overnight at a finer hotel — just not this week. Pay day is next week. Make a creative IOU with a particular event or price in mind and tell her to cash it in between certain dates. When the time comes, put her adventure on your own debit card.
When all else fails ...
If you just don't have the time to get creative with your cash, you can always fall back on a gift card. Just make sure you pick one that tells Mom you truly know what she likes.
