Hostess gifts are always a nice gesture, but get invited to several parties and the extra expense can really add up. Try one of our low cost gift ideas, and keep your budget under control.

Plant
Surprise the hostess with a beautiful potted plant for her home. Your gift will last far longer than any cut flowers, and with so many plant varieties on the market, you can choose one that meets your budget needs. Don’t want to spend any money at all? No problem. Just take a division from one of your own plants and repot it in a container that you have around the house.

Food
Wine and boxed chocolate are common hostess gifts, but there are more affordable choices. Consider one of the following:

For the gourmand: Buy inexpensive olive oil and infuse it with herbs.

For the chocolate lover: Buy a package of pretzel rods and dip them in chocolate.

For the popcorn lover: Pop some plain, air-popped popcorn and sprinkle on parmesan, cinnamon, etc., for a tasty, flavored treat.

For the coffee lover: Make up a batch of flavored coffee creamer.

Hobbies
Show your hostess that you’ve been paying attention by giving a gift that ties in with one of her hobbies.

For the movie buff: Assemble a basket with a couple packages of microwave popcorn and some movie theatre candy.

For the outdoors: Mix up a large batch of trail mix and place it in a pretty jar or container.