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Hospitality on a Budget

Dessert

Make up a pan of brownies or a sheet cake and invite a family over for dessert. Super simple and you don’t have to worry about a main dish.

Popcorn and Games/Movie

This again skips the pressure of having to make a meal. Make up some buttery popcorn and a batch of kettle corn and pull out a few games to play.

Tea and Muffins

Invite a mom over one afternoon and let the kids play while you enjoy tea, muffins, and fellowship.

Cookies at the Park

Make up a batch or two of cookies (made with butter you bought on sale and stocked up in the freezer) and text some of your friends with kids and have them meet up at a local park.

Simple Meal

If you go for a meal, remember it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Go for easy and affordable. Use what you already have in the fridge or what’s on sale. Soup and homemade bread is one of my favorite frugal options. Pasta also tends to be a budget friendly (and kid friendly) option. Also, don’t worry about sides. If you have them, great, if not that’s fine too.

Simple

Don’t stress about decorations or drinks. Go for less unless you already have things to use. Watching after holiday clearance sales are a great way to add a few decor items to your stash for future events.

Potluck

You don’t have to do it all! Pick a theme and invite a few families over for a potluck. Perhaps Mexican, baked potato bar where everyone brings toppings, Italian, finger foods, or just a good old church style potluck.

Meet up at Free Community Events

Watch out for fun events in your town. Meeting up with friends for the Rodeo Parade or hitting up the ladies’ night out at a local store doesn’t cost either of you anything and it is still fun.

Coffee Shop or Restaurant

This one has the potential to not be budget friendly so plan carefully. Find a local place with some frugal items on the menu – a mug of black coffee or hot tea might cost you under $2. Split an appetizer. To save money, be sure to watch whether you are expected to tip or not.

Picnic table with apples and candle on it. Hospitality on a budget.

Hospitality at my house isn’t elaborate.

There aren’t 5 course meals or grilled steak on the menu. However, no one has gone hungry and the food is always appreciated.

Find simple things to do that work with your budget. Don’t stress. Just invite people in and enjoy their company.

What are you favorite ways to show hospitality on a budget?

If you are an introvert and find yourself struggling with hospitality, be sure to check out this post for encouragement!

For a lot more info on hospitality and learning to just open the door to your home and life, be sure to check out Jen Schmidt’s new book!

Picnic table with apples and candle on it. Frugal hospitality.

Dining room table with sign on it. Hospitality on a budget.

Cheap gift ideas for her

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Great list of cheap gift ideas for her! Perfect for your friend, sister, mom, coworker and they are all under $10 and on Amazon Prime!!! #frugal #gifts #giftideas #presents #budget #christmas #birthday #mom #sister #presentforher

I use affiliate links in my posts. If you purchase through them I receive a small portion of sales. Check out my disclosure for more info.

It can be hard to find Christmas presents on a budget – especially if you have a long list of people to buy for. Cheap is probably not the best word, maybe frugal or budget friendly is better but I have a list of cheap gift ideas for her!

The her might mean mom, sister, friend, or co-worker.

Each of these gifts are $10 or under and they are all available on Amazon prime (or were when I put it together 😉 )! Hooray for affordable gifts that you don’t even have to leave your house for.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Cheap Gift Ideas for Her:

1. Mugs. I love having my tea in a cute mug. There are a lot of cute mugs out there. Check out some of these on Amazon. This pink Do All Things in Love mug, or this on that says Always be Joyful in Hope. Of course there always something like this with polka dots. Target and Walmart should have some cute options in the store as well.

2. Coloring Book for Grown Ups. Countless options out there, so if you know a specific interest you could probably find a book to go with it. There are also a lot of basic coloring books. Check out these two to get you started.

3. Colored Pencils. These would be great to accompany the coloring book. Check out this brand to get top of the line pencils. There is a small set available for under $10. Or you could always go with this package from Crayola.

4. Scarf. A blanket scarf, infinity scarf, or a light weight shawl wrap scarf are all fun options.

5. Socks. Here are some cute owl socks, this pack has geometric shapes, some wool socks, or these that have foxes on them.

6. Wood Sign. You could go inspirational like this or this, get something for the coffee lover, book lover, or use it to tell your friend just how much you love them.

7. Journal. Bullet journals are super popular so something like this would be appreciated or else a hardcover banded journal. You could also go for a more inspirational cover like this or this.

8. Pens. A 12 pack of assorted colored felt tipped pens would go great with the journals or even by themselves – list making will be a lot more enjoyable. 😉

9. Soy Candles. Soy candles are a little more expensive but they are better for you. Here is a woodwick candle, a Mrs. Meyer’s peppermint candle, and a vanilla rose candle.

10. Chocolate. Everyone needs a chocolate stash, right? Be the favorite and replenish your friends. Here are a couple options. If you have a Trader Joe’s I love their chocolate bars. Or check out the natural section of your grocery store for brands like Endangered Species, Alter Ego, and Green & Black.

11. Tea or Coffee. I’m not a coffee drinker but if your friend is, buy local or gourmet coffee beans or ground coffee. If they are a tea lover, a new box of tea is always fun. I enjoy Yogi (one of my favorites is this), Stash (I love this one), and Tazo.

12. Relaxation. Have you ever used a head scratcher? We bought one a few years ago and they feel amazing. This set comes with a back scratcher too. If your friend is a bath lover you could also do bath salts.

13. Books. My sister recently read this book by Emily Freeman and said it was amazing. I read this missionary biography a couple years ago and was inspired by it and I read Unbroken last year and LOVED it. Check out this post for more ideas.

14. Gift Cards. In can be hard to spend money on ourselves, so a gift card is a little guilt free spending splurge. Some ideas are you local bookstore or coffee shop, a favorite fast casual restaurant, Target, Starbucks, or Amazon.

15. Slippers. Don’t laugh, but I bought my first pair of slippers a couple years ago. Super cheap soft soled ones and I wore them out! Last year my husband got me another pair with rubber soles so I could toss mine. I’m a slipper convert for those winter months.

16. Nail Polish. Stuff the slippers or mug with a few little extra items. Some non toxic polish would be a fun little extra.

So, what are your favorite cheap gift ideas for her? Any well loved, budget friendly ideas I should add to my list?

If you are looking for more help on your gift lists, be sure to check out these posts:

Best Gifts for a Preschool Boy

1. Scooter

At 4, my son has been scooting for several years now and can be quite the daredevil. I think learning to ride a scooter helped him learn to bike ride without training wheels easily too.

2. Train Set

Trains. Is there anything else to say. We have tracks at home and when we go to children museums he still goes right for the train table.

3. Dinosaurs

My kids are obsessed with these creatures and we have quite the assortment of dinos at our house. They often make an appearance with the train tracks.

4. Construction Trucks

We can spend hours watching trucks at a construction site and he loves taking his trucks into our yard and creating his own work site.

5. Puzzles

I’m always surprised how much my preschooler loves puzzles – but he can sit there and do one after another.

6. Bike

If it helps him go fast, my son is all over it. He’s always asking to ride bike.

7. Sandbox

The perfect place to put those construction trucks to work. 😉

8. Books

Books about their favorite subjects are always a hit. In our house that means books all about trains, trucks, and dinos with a few other favorites mixed in.

9. Coloring/Art Supplies

The perfect thing to get creative with and practice drawing trains and dinos. If you are brave by some paint. It’s a little messy, but my 4 year old loves it.

10. Building Kit

My guy also loves using a hammer and helping his dad with projects. This kit is similar to the projects that Lowe’s used to offer and he loved.

11. Games

Games with parents and siblings are a favorite. These are the ones that my son says are his favorite – and he really does pick them out the most frequently. Hiss is his number one pick.

12. Bug House

Thankful for my little guy who likes bugs! That means I don’t have to mess with them. 🙂

13. Lego Duplo

When they get going, my preschool boy can spend hours playing Duplos with his sister.

What are your ideas for best gifts for a preschool boy? Anything I should get for my son that he’ll love?

If you are looking for more help on your gift lists, be sure to check out these posts:

These are the best gift ideas for a preschool boy. They are all my sons FAVORITE things. Great ideas for every budget.

Gifts for the Home Cook

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Great gift ideas for the home cook! These will be perfect for lots of people on my gift list. Ideas for every budget too.

I use affiliate links in my posts. If you purchase through them I receive a small portion of sales. Check out my disclosure for more info.

I spend a lot of time in my kitchen and I’d love this gifts for the home cook! I’m all about quality over quantity when it comes to gadgets and love cooking from scratch. If you are good of enough friends with the person (maybe even a family member) in your life that spends a lot of time in the kitchen, you’ll probably have a pretty good idea what sort of items from this list they’ll enjoy.

For even more ideas, be sure to check out these 3 posts where I share my favorite kitchen appliances, tools, and gadgets:

Gifts for the Home Cook

1. Measuring Spoons

Every home cook needs a set of stainless steel measuring spoons that range from 1/8 teaspoon to 1 tablespoons. A lot of sets skip the 1/8 teaspoon, but I use it all the time.

2. Measuring Cups

These are a splurge the home cook might not purchase for themselves, but are so handy. I’ve had handles fall of of several cheaper sets of stainless steel measuring cups.

3. Good Quality Foods

A lot of times, a home cook on a budget won’t splurge to try imported products or excellent quality stuff that’s more expensive. A gift is a perfect way to get the explore new foods.

Think vinegar:

or olive oil:

or spices:

or salt:

4. Fun Kitchen Towel

Look for something that fits their style and would make them smile. Check in your local Target and Wal-Mart too! My favorite cute dish towels actually came from our local bookstore and from Pottery Barn.

Or check out these adorable (and affordable) towels from Hobby Lobby:

5. Cutting Board

Good quality cutting boards – something I still need to purchase. The cheap plastic ones dull my knives so quickly. If you go with plastic, make sure it’s at least well made!

6. Aprons

I don’t use apron often, but I like having one when I’m cooking things that will be splattering grease or when I’m in nice clothes.

7. Decor

Again, know your recipients style – but there are lots of fun options out there. Shop online and don’t forget about Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart, and Target stores.

8. Assorted Cheeses

Give your home cook some fun ingredients they normally wouldn’t splurge on. Trying and using cheese is so much fun.

9. Pizza Stone/Steel

Everyone at least needs a ceramic pizza stone. I’ve broken a few pizza stones over the last years, so someday I want to try a pizza steel!

10. Knife Organizer

I’d rather have a few knives than an entire block of them. This is on my wish list for storing them safely:

Or else one of these drawer knife holders.

11. Cookbooks

I know there’s such a thing as too many cookbooks, but a new one can be a lot of fun! Here’s a few ideas to get you started:

What are your favorite gifts for the home cook?

If you are looking for more help on your gift lists, be sure to check out these posts:

Great gift ideas for the home cook! These will be perfect for lots of people on my gift list. Ideas for every budget too.

Gift Ideas for the Female Fitness Lover

1. Headband

I bought a ponytail headband last year and I’ve loved it. I have to wear my ponytail lower than I typically do, but it’s worth it to keep my ears warm. Make sure the runner in your life has something to protect their ears.