Frugal Living Tips - Last Minute Chistmas Gifts

Christmas is almost here and some people are still tying to put together last minute gifts for their friends and family. When time and budget is limited it can be difficult to find a great gift that you won't feel bad about giving. Here are a few simple gift ideas that anyone can put together without breaking the bank or spending hours shopping.

Gift Baskets. Putting together your own gift basket is incredibly simple and often costs much less than the pre-made gift baskets you can find in most stores. All you need to start with is a simple basket and a theme for the gifts. Check at thrift shops and second hand stores, many have stacks of baskets that you can pick up for only a few cents. Next you only need to fill it. Bath soaps and lotions can be bought fairly cheap for a relaxing spa basket. You can also try your and at making bath goodies to add to the basket, often at a fraction of the cost of buying from the store. Check out this list of recipes for making all kinds of bath items from About.com. Also look for the book Organic Body Care Recipes , it is the one I use to whip up easy yet wonderful bath and body goodies at home.

Of course you do not have to just fill gift baskets with bath supplies. You can just as easily, and for little cost, fill a simple tote bag with simple children's toys, crayons, and coloring books for a great last minute children's gift. Fill a tool belt with a few new tools for a simple handy man gift, wrap a new apron around some kitchen gadgets, or fill a small sewing basket with needles, thread, and pieces of fabric. All you need is to know who you are shopping for and you should be able to put together a simple gift for only a few dollars.

Baked Goods. If you have any talent in the kitchen you can whip up a great gift without needing much. Cookies, pies, and loaves of bread are all great traditional gifts to give that only cost a few dollars to make. With time almost up for getting Christmas gifts baking treats to give is a great, quick idea. Even if you are not a great chef you can still whip up some baked goods to give. If you want to wow your family pick up the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day , with little time or energy you can make several loaves of bread that taste like you spent hours slaving in the kitchen. No one needs to know how simple they really were. Pack the loaf in a basket with a small jar of jam or a coffee mug and a single packet of flavored coffee and you have a wonderful gift that you did not need to spend much money on.

Make Something Pretty. Simple gifts, elegantly put together, can cost very little and look like a million dollars. If you have an eye for color and detail it would not be difficult to put together something pretty to give as a gift. A decorative glass jar filled with colorful candies is a beautiful gift and will not cost much to put together, especially if you check local second hand shops for glass jars to use. I have a beautiful blue glass decanter that I found for only a quarter with no cracks or ships anywhere on it. Coffee mugs can also be great gifts. You can often find beautifully painted ones for only a dollar or two each. Fill them with hot cocoa mix and marshmallows, a package ofbiscotti, or a delicious coffee scented candle.

Be creative and look for simple, low cost items that can be put together and you can have a great gift to give while sticking to your budget.