Frugal Gift Ideas - Gift Giving on a Budget

Christmas is just round the corner and with the state of our economy money is tight for everyone. However this does not mean you have to miss out on giving gifts to your loved ones or spend a fortune on pointless gifts that you neither have the funds for or are gratefully received or wanted.

Just by spending your time and a small amount of money you can make and give fantastic looking and tasting gifts for Christmas that will be greatly appreciated by all that receive them.

I am going to share with you some great ideas for giving gifts on a budget and point you in the right direction to get you making your own great Christmas gifts.

Edible Gifts

Now this is something anyone can make and can be given to anyone.

1. Sweets (fudge, peppermint creams, coconut Ice, truffles, toffee)
2. Biscuits
3. Jams & Chutneys
4. Cakes
5. Flavoured Alcohol

These can be packaged and made to look like expensive goodies just by adding your own printed label and some decorative ribbon.

There are lots of recipes readily available on the web for all of the above but I will share my quick peppermint cream recipe to get you started.

For more great recipes visit my Wigglywoo & Chickens too blog where you will find a page dedicated to all my recipes

Ingredients

1. Fondant Icing, sugar paste or ready to roll icing
2. Peppermint essence
3. Dark chocolate

Add peppermint essence to your icing, just add a bit at a time until you have the taste of peppermint that you require.

Roll out the icing and cut out your shapes using a cutter, or roll in to little balls and flatten with the palm of your hand.

Melt the chocolate and either drizzle over the icing or dip half of your shape into the melted chocolate.

If you can crochet or knit then you can make this simple gift, even if you can't it is very easy to learn. One ball of wool (100 gm) will make an adult sized beanie hat in crochet

Again this gift is suitable for anyone of any age. I have uploaded a video by Bob Wilson who I leaned to crochet with through her youtube videos. I now make up my own patterns and can make anything I put my mind too.

Try making a pair of fingerless gloves using a crochet hook no 6 chain up 25 and then do 7 rows of single crochet and then do 7 rows of double crochet and cast of. You will end up with a oblong shape. Fold in half longways and sew up the side leaving a gap for your thumb.

To make a bigger or smaller pair adjust the amount of chains.

I love nothing than messing about with odds and ends and making something useful and attractive. It does not have to cost a fortune to make a beautiful gift. There are hundreds of great ideas that are available at your fingertips.

Fridge magnets, bookmarks, cushions, photo frames, a scarf a bird feeder, this is just a small taste of what can be made. Lots of bloggers have great ideas for home made gifts

You can make it simple or as complicated and intricate as you wish. To get some ideas on what you can make visit my pinterest craft page where you will find some simple to make gift ideas with items you are likely to have around your home or cost very little to make.