The Dollar Stretcher is putting together some guides to help those who are struggling to afford the holidays.  So we'd like to ask you to help us to put these together. 

What are your best ideas for frugal gifts?

If a person is on food stamps , there might be enough to give some homemade food gifts. Cookies, breads or for kids maybe a box of cereal, fruit gummies, juice. It would take some budget planning for
SNAP but no cash would be out. Babs

Brandy:

What are your best ideas for frugal gifts?

Homemade jams & jellies, or special spreads.

A roast beef if it is on sale or a gift card to a food store they go to, or give a weeks of food to them this time of year is hard for them I never give cash to them but love to give them food or a gift card to the family.

A few ideas:-

1. If you have nice handwriting, write out a favourite poem, inspirational quote, Bible verse etc on a piece of paper which can then be placed in a dollar store or thrift store frame.  If you want to dress it up a bit, add a pressed flower (picked and pressed for free!).  If you're artistic, frame one of your drawings instead.
2. Have access to broken jewelry?  Round up the beads, pick up some inexpensive elastic cord and jewelry findings like earring hooks and make your own jewelry from them. 
3. Homemade baked goods if you're halfway decent in the kitchen
4. Comb the dollar store - you might actually find some nice gifts there.  Last year I bought a pair of holiday pot holders and a matching kitchen towel - I removed them from their original packaging, tied a lovely satin ribbon (salvaged) around them and voila ... instant hostess gift.  I have also found dishes, tea light candle holders, figurines etc
5. Give the gift of expertise - if you're really good at something, give a coupon for a few lessons in your area of expertise
6. If you are even slightly handy in the craft department - make your gifts instead.  Check out www.dollarstorescrafts.com - there's a $1 or free section which features some wonderful ideas that can be used for gifts.
7. Give "heirloom" gifts - pass on a cherished trinket to the next generation.  When my oldest DD turned 13, I was flat broke - I gave her the gold crucifix my grandmother gave me, along with an acrostic poem I wrote, using the letters of her name!   She loved it.
8. For the children, look online for free printable coloring pages, paper dolls etc. 
9. If you have access to digital photos of your loved ones, turn them into gifts.  You can take advantage of free photo editing websites such as lunapic.com and turn your photos into cool art.  Print and frame in a thrift store or dollar store frame
10. Sign up for Toys For Tots or similar charities to secure gifts for your children
11. Last year, DD18 bought 6 cheap T-shirts and iron on transfer paper (6 sheets per pack), to create her own t-shirts.  For example, she took one of my stepson's favorite "snarky" sayings, printed it on the transfer paper and turned into a customized t-shirt, which he loved and has worn often!  Use one transfer sheet per adult shirt, or print two images to a page for children's shirts.  

Hope this helps

I think bath salts are always nice. Add a little food coloring to some epsom salt and use rubber gloves to blend the color in the salt. Use a few drops of scented oil or spray your favorite perfume on..spread it out and let it dry over night. Store in jars a pretty round of cloth on top of the jar and tie with a pretty ribbon or raffia and hang a tag with the fragrance name on it.

Bean soups are a nice gift, too. Pour different types beans into layers in the jars and top with a beef bullion cube and a bay leaf. You can also give a cornbread mix with this. Put dry mix in a plastic ziplock bag and wrap with pretty material and a piece of ribbon or yarn. Again, decorate the tops of your jars and tie with pretty ribbon or raffia. Tie a "recipe instruction" tag to each.

 One year our daughter used two liter bottles and cut the back side of the bottle unto a U shape so that she could insert some green or red paper grass inside and also candies and little note pads, pens, and other little trinkets. Then used clear tape and a "label" to cover the hole. Tie ribbon on top of bottle (leave cap on bottle) These were a big hit.

Home made food, especially health home made food - last year I gave people at work cookies and dried fruit, and while the cookies were appreciated, the dried fruit went over even better.  I've already made most of it, although I do have a couple dozen apples left to dry.

In the past, when I had more time, I cross-stitched peoples' names onto book marks (pre-edged cross-stitch fabric).

One gift my sister got from me I made her a hat annd scafe one winter sissy still use the wool hat but I have to fix the old scafe she said she loves it to much she goes to the mountains with her herdc of 3 big babies I am making new slippers this year and a afgan for my middle sister but a cheap presant is a poem that has been written or that a person has written frame it frames I get all the time is thrift shop I gave a peom to the ol x the peom is foot prints he like it still sits in the office he works at.

Usually time is just as short as money during the holidays.  If you have a special friend who is buried with projects, make a special dinner for her and her family on one of those harried days.  It's important to give her a days notice and make sure that what you're making will be palatable to the family.  Mannicotti or lasagne is usually appreciated and can be sent over to be popped in the oven before dinner. 

An easy gift if you have a printer....print the meaning of their name on parchment paper and frame it.  Use a fancy font.There are lots of place to find the meaning of names. If they are Christian or Jewish find the Bible verse that goes with the name. I do 5 X 7 size , dollar store frames. You can do an individual or for everyone in a family. Babs