Gift-giving on a budget is an art. Think about the “Christmas Party” episode of The Office where Michael insists on doing a Yankee Swap with everyone’s Secret Santa gifts: You don’t want to pull a Michael and go way over the agreed price limit, but you also don’t want to choose a gift that no one actually wants (like Phyllis’ oven mitt). You’ve got to ride the line: cool gift, but appropriate cost.
Yes, some people possess an innate talent for thoughtful gift-giving on a budget. No matter the occasion (anniversary, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day) or recipient (wife, boyfriend, teens, in-laws), they somehow nail it every time.
Then there are the not-so-intuitive gift-givers who’ve maybe leaned on the same scented candle or gift basket a few too many times. If you’re one of those people, that’s OK! Gift-giving is hard — so we’ve done the heavy lifting for you.
Read on for more than 30 unique gift ideas under $50 that people will actually be happy to receive, including a bunch of products we’ve tested and love ourselves.
