Gifts for Men: Frugal Presents He’ll Love

Gifts for men aren’t as hard to come by as you may think. Consider one or more of these low-cost ideas.

Golf balls- Surprise the golf-loving guy in your life with a set of custom golf balls. Just pick up several golf balls from a thrift store or yard sale (to keep the price down), and then decorate them with permanent markers. With all of the Sharpie colors that are available today you can create some really fun designs. Create a set of creepy crawly bugs, use the colors from a favorite sports team, or design funny caricatures of the whole family—the possibilities are endless. For an easy way to package your gift, just place the balls in an empty egg carton and wrap.

Bill pay help- Streamline the bill paying process for your husband or significant other by ordering a rubber stamp with his return address. This will allow him to skip the tedium of writing out addresses, and give him time for more enjoyable things. Custom stamps are available online and at your local office supply store for a minimal fee.

Also considering adding custom postage stamps from photo.stamps.com to your gift. Choose a cute picture of the kids or a picture from your favorite vacation together. Just choose something meaningful, and it’s sure to put a smile on your guys face.

Car-themed gifts- Looking for the perfect gift for that car-worshipping guy? If so, there are several low cost gifts to choose from. Buy a key chain featuring the make of his car; hunt down a magazine ad featuring his particular vehicle (try Ebay for this); pick up a case of his favorite motor oil, or assemble a collection of car cleaning supplies. (Think: car wash solution, carnauba wax and towels picked up on sale or free after rebate).

Bathroom reading- Guys are famous for carrying reading material into the bathroom. Accommodate this odd-ball tendency by picking up a magazine subscription that focuses on one of his hobbies. To keep this gift affordable, avoid buying your subscription directly from the publisher. Instead look online for discount subscribers like bestdealmagazines.com where the prices are low, and they feature a rotating deal of the day.

If the man on your list no longer lives in his hometown, consider a subscription to his hometown newspaper instead. This will be a fun way for him to keep up with what’s going on back home, and an affordable gift to boot.

Coffee basket- Coffee always makes a good gift for a man with a known coffee habit. Just pick up a basket at a yard sale, and fill it with bags of coffee, flavored syrups, and other coffee related treats. To keep this gift affordable and personal, make several of the goodies yourself. You can make your own flavored coffee creamers, biscotti, chocolate spoons and more.

Travel kit- Know a man who travels a lot? Then, consider creating a travel kit. Sample size toiletries including shaving cream, aftershave, hair gel, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and lotion can often be picked up for free. Start requesting free samples by mail, and match coupons to trial size products in the store. Before long you’ll have more than enough goodies to fill a travel bag.

Gifts for men really can be affordable. Think about what your man likes, and then look for a simple, but thoughtful gift that matches his interest.

-Erin Huffstetler

Erin Huffstetler is a freelance writer specializing in frugal living tips and tricks. Her work has appeared in numerous print and electronic publications including Family Circle, Guideposts For Kids and Pregnancy. As the stay-at-home mom of two young kids, Erin is always looking for new ways to live better for less. For fun decorating and craft project ideas check out Erin's "Trash to Treasures" and "Bead Making Basics" courses at Suite101.com.