Have you ever noticed how the things you hold the closest to your heart did not come with a price tag? That heirloom that your grandma passed on to you on your birthday or that cute little card that your tiny tot made for you didn’t cost a single penny. The best gestures are priceless. Gifts that don’t cost money are way more thoughtful.
But, what’s a good birthday gift if you have no money? What are the gift ideas to make the occasion memorable without burning a hole in your pocket?
10 Gifts That Don’t Cost Money
- Perform a charitable action in their name.
- Put together a memento
- Make a playlist
- Go for a scavenger hunt.
- Let the words do their magic.
- DIY art supplies
- Issue a housekeeping card
- A Tell-Me Notebook
- Plan a day of free fun
- Hand down your favorite recipes
1. Perform a charitable action in their name.
You can immortalize the memory of their birthday by doing something that holds special significance to them. You can choose to perform a cleanliness drive in your park or locality, donate blood or visit an orphanage with them. We are sure that your cherished one will love this gesture, and you will have a blissful sleep at night too.
2. Put together a memento.
If you are a die-hard romantic and have treasured the ticket to your first movie together, now is the time to show it off. In a small wooden box, put all such priceless things together. You will see tears of happiness in their eyes. If you are good with words, you can also write a couple of sentences about what makes every artifact special.
3. Make a playlist
Haven’t you seen all those romantic Spotify ads? Creating a playlist is a fantastic idea to make them feel your presence. Through the years, there must be some songs that hold significance for the two of you or some songs on which you have shared some inside jokes. If you know their favorite genre of music, you can put together some of the best tracks from it. For a trip down the nostalgia lane, you can burn these songs on a CD. Alternatively, a streaming service will also be a fantastic option.
4. Go for a scavenger hunt.
Who said that scavenger hunts are limited to places outside your four walls? You can hide their gifts all around the house and decorate a room for cake cutting while they frantically and enthusiastically hunt down every item on the list.
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5. Let the words do their magic.
All of us are addicted to desserts and cake jars. We are sure that you might have some of them lying around in your house. Write about some beautiful memories on small chits of paper and place them in a jar. You can decorate this jar and gift it to them. It will make them smile from the inside as they see it every day on their study table.
6. DIY art supplies
Regardless of whether you are an artist or not, everyone loves playing with dough or slime. Here is a quick recipe for making slime at home –
Ingredients
- 2 (4-ounce) bottles of washable school glue
- 1–2 drops food coloring (optional)
- ¼ cup glitter
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 2–3 tablespoons of saline solution (contact lens solution)
Method
- Mix glitter, food coloring, and glue in a bowl. Food coloring is optional.
- Now, stir the baking soda in this mixture.
- Add two tablespoons of saline solutions to this mixture and mix well. You will notice that it has started to thicken and has turned sticky. Continue mixing well till it forms a ball.
- Knead this solution with your hands to smoothen it. If it turns too soft, add ½ tablespoon of saline solution.
And voila! Your homemade slime solution is ready. Let your inner child out and explore your creativity.
7. Issue a housekeeping card
The lockdown has mandated that all of us perform those household chores we dreaded. Perhaps, they hate washing dishes or doing laundry. You can issue a housekeeping card and offer to help them out in doing these tasks. Ensure that you let them know of our availability and the duration for which you will be taking up the onus of these tasks to avoid any misunderstanding.
8. A Tell-Me Notebook
All you need is a simple notebook for this gift, and it promises terrific and engaging conversations in the coming times. You can list questions like “Tell me about your first date.” Or “Tell me about your guilty pleasures” and leave some blank space for them to answer. Remember to frame the questions according to your relationship and the personality of the person.
9. Plan a day of free fun
If all of the ideas stated above have left you confused, you can issue a card entitling your loved one to a day of free fun. Perhaps your loved one always wanted to visit a museum, or they wanted you to spend a day listening to her past stories. This card will not only brighten up their day but will also ensure that they receive a gift that they truly wanted and needed.
10. Hand down your favorite recipes
Do they keep heading over to your house every time you cook a chocolate cake after referring to your grandma’s recipe? Are they die-hard fans of your killer pasta recipe? If yes, just put together a thin booklet of recipes and delight their taste buds. Besides, you will get an excuse to visit their place for a sumptuous meal.
Wrapping up
You might not always have the funds to shell out on an expensive gift. But, what you do have is more special than anything else – loving company. Your present will stand out from all the rest if you truly concentrate on making your loved one feel special on their birthday. Cake Buzz wishes you a great day and year ahead!