50p gifts!?

richierich052

Hello people,

My girlfriend has come up with a "fantastic" idea where instead of having an advent calendar, we exchange 50p presents each day of December this year (which total's at £12.50).

She has already finished mine and I've haven't started hers yet :S

The problem I have is that I can't find anything gift-worthy for 50p! I can't get her chocolates etc. becuase she is on a diet - the only thing I've found so far is some rubbish nail art lol.

Anybody able to help/have any ideas? I'' keep a record of what I've got her so people can see.

Ta,
Rich

Update

Thanks for all the suggestions, I really can't believe how helpful and thoughtful everyone has been - this is going to make a difficult job into an easy one.

I will also post what she has got me - maybe it can give others some inspiration.

Here are some of the suggestions I will use so far...

1. Bookmark with a picture of us on - LEJC
2. Little picture frame "thing" she can keep in her purse of us - LEJC
3. CD with her favourite songs - LEJC
4. IOU one evening to do whatever you like - newcook, IHateDida
5, 6 & 7. Primark socks - MoaningMyrtle
8. Books (she has a kindle there's loads of cheap ones) - MoaningMyrtle
9. Candles (I'' give them both together) - my3girls
10. B&M Baileys - my3girls
11. B&M teddy - my3girls
12. Claire's Accessories/New Look/Boots sale gift 1 - Hermia, dippydooda
13. Claire's Accessories/New Look/Boots sale gift 2 - Hermia, dippydooda
14. IOU the ironing one night (I never do it and she hates it) - jackieb
15. Multibuy brushes 1 - krlyr
16. Multibuy brushes 2 - krlyr
17. Freebie body lotion/shampoo - krlyr
18. Nail files - minimoneysaver, Pupnik
19. Seed to grow something - good advice
20. Kinder egg - katy721
21. Stationary item - dingdongavoncalling, OrkneyStar
22. Patterned tissues (she never has any) - OrkneyStar
23. Scratch card - LEJC
24. Handwarmers - miss_independent
25. Balloon animals (I think she'll love this) - Owain Moneysaver

Hi dragonette - great that you find this useful I'm sure some of this stuff will help you out too!

Please keep suggestions coming - the list above will probably not work out correctly and might have to change some things. THANKS!!!

newcook

buy a couple of chocolates for the days she lets herself have a treat!

write I O U's such as '10 minute back rub', 'tea on demand' etc

have a scout around pound shops for things that can be seperated into 2

a little box that she is not allowed to open as its filled with love

MoaningMyrtle

Try to put this in the Christmas forum, you'll get more responses there.

Anyway, 50p is not a lot, especially as you can't do chocs, but I'll have a think..

Primark do packs of socks for £2.50, give one pair a day.

Satsuma and apple

Christmas cracker

Candy cane

Lip balm (you can get packs of two/three in 99p store)

Poundland had three books for a pound the other day

Mince pie

LEJC

Perhaps the idea of the 50p gift is to see how creative you can be.....

Is she saying that your total spend on gifts can be no more than £12.50...if so why not make a few gifts so hopefully that will show her you have thoughtfulness and possibly your romantic side..

Maybe you could write her a poem or send her a postcard / letter on one of the days....at most thats going to cost the price of a swcond class stamp if you get it delivered,free if you just hand it over

Make her a book mark....or even print off a picture of the 2 of you together that she can keep in her purse

Theres always the "promise " route to go down ....i will cook tea tonight ,I will run you a bath,give you a massage ....


Could you compile her a cd of her favourite songs ...

Pop into boots or another large department store and ask the make up counters for a few samples...or a miniture perfume...
if you have a LUSH shop near they are usually very good for small pieces of sample soap...
The body shop may also do a similar thing where they allow a free sample product so its worth checking out.

"penny sweets"...or retro ones maybe the threaded candy necklaces or shoestrings..haribo...
a packet of love heart sweets

You dont want to make it too mundane but if she uses something like cotton wool pads ear buds or nail files a pack of those can be quite cheap...

How long have you been together....could you look for a coin that was made in the year you got together...ie if you got together in 2008 could you find a 50p that was minted in that year...or if funds are running low maybe a penny!

Sachet of hot chocolate...options if you want to stay true to the diet...something more decadant if you dont...


Have a look on websites such as taylors of harrogate or twynings for tea or coffee samples....I recently got a couple of fruit teabags and enough coffee to make a couple of cups.

socks....poundland always a good place to look or primark,store twenty one,,,

if you add a few homemade items to the calendar then hopfully that will allow you a bit of leeway to make a few presents more expensive

Whilst I understand she may be on a diet etc...a small chocolate isnt going to break it too much so if I were you I would have a few chocolate treats too.

Years ago we used to do 10 presents each for christmas and set a maximum budget....the ones that were the best were the thoughtful ones where it wasnt about the money spent but the fact that they were creative

my3girls

Like the ideas of vouchers etc

Poundland have a few things 2 for £1, nail varnishes, lipstick, stationary etc

I've seen packs of 2 candles for a pound too you could split up

On the Xmas thread a lot of people have bought a set from b&m which is a miniature baileys and little teddy for 99p, you could have one each for a couple of days.

JJ
X

Hermia

Might be worth looking in Claire's Accessories. Most of their stuff is terrible, but they do have some nice bits and pieces that are really cheap (lip balms, bath products, stationery).

Does she read? If so, you could get some books from charity shops.

jackieb

richierich052 wrote: »

Hello people,

My girlfriend has come up with a "fantastic" idea where instead of having an advent calendar, we exchange 50p presents each day of December this year (which total's at £12.50).

:rotfl:

For some reason the quotation marks have tickled me.

I think the IOU's are a good idea. But I wouldn't do them for things like washing the dishes, as i'd get in a bit of a huff if I got that from my OH - we should both be doing our fair share in the first place!

krlyr

I think Yankee wax tarts are fairly cheap. They'll require a wax burner but this could be a Christmas present.
What sort of things is she into? If she likes makeup, you could get bits and pieces on multibuy offers that probably work out under 50p each
http://www.poundland.co.uk/product-range/health-and-beauty/beauty/
Some of the gift sets could be unpackaged - voila, 3 gifts at 33p each or 2 at 50p

Maybe check out Ebay for some little bits of jewellery - a set of earrings for £1 and give her one earring a day! A charm bracelet with removable charms, you might find one for around a fiver or so and you can take 4 charms off to give separately.

my3girls

I'd be interested to see what she's got you.

For a woman I think it's do-able, beauty things etc, but for a man? I'd be stumped lol!

krlyr

Another idea - check out the low spend/no spend freebie boards on here. Perfume samples, body lotions, mini shampoo bottles etc.

krlyr

If she's into makeup, a brush a day and then the case, 60p each (and some no-spend freebies or cheaper gifts e.g. the 33p ones from Poundland may balance out this slight overspend) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Lydia-black-7pcs-makeup-brush-set-with-black-case-/180668830897?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Make_up_Cosmetics_Make_up_Brushes_PP&hash=item2a10b394b1

Edit: 49p each brushes here (less if you gift the case too)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cosmetics-Make-Brush-Assorted-Brushes/dp/B0047HML2W/ref=sr_1_6?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1352974804&sr=1-6