Guys, I feel like you’ve actually got it pretty easy when selecting a gift for your wife or girlfriend. We’re pretty easy to buy for pretty inexpensively – not that I don’t love shiny things (I am part raccoon, after all), it’s just that I’m just as happy to receive something that doesn’t cost a thing if it has some sentimental meaning to it.

The first Christmas brokeBOYrich and I were together, he was really into photography and light writing and made a light writing photo that said T <3 M. It’s still my favorite Christmas gift so far and it just took him some time and the like .75 it costs to print out a 5X7 photo.

That being said, here are a few other DIY gifts that the men in your life can give a go:

1.)   A Mix CD – seriously, guys, this is very reminiscent of the geeky high school selves that we all still miss a little bit. And it will either remind your lady of being young and how love felt then or it will make up for all the mix tapes she never got. Make sure it is actually your favorite songs and not hers, because the point of a mix CD is to peer into someone else’s soul and grow even closer (at least that’s what melodramatic 16-year old me thought).

2.)   Tote Bag – if you switch the material to muslin you can find it for about $2 a yard and neon paint for about $2 a bottle.

3.)   Lace Votives – you can get a small box of cement for about $5. If you have some lace lying around the house, you can easily make these really cool votives using a larger cup, some lace and a smaller insert cup (shot glass sized).

4.)   Cool Bookends – hit the dollar store or scrounge around the house to find items that your lady would actually like as a bookend. The comments at the end suggest all sorts of different ways to do this craft, but I think if she’s a voracious reader, a brick is the cheapest way to go for the base. If you want to splurge a little, you can purchase some primer (or just ask friends if they have any), neon spray paint goes anywhere from $3-10 dollars, but if you’re not picky on the color and keep an eye out for a few weeks, you should be able to find a can under $5. Bricks are about $.50 each at Home Depot.

Some guys are just totally put off by DIY projects (although, seriously, if brokeBOYrich can do one, I’m pretty sure anyone can), and if that describes you, sir (or ma’am actually, we’re open minded here), here are some cute gift options under $5 for the little lady:

1.)   Gingerbread Men Soap or Bath Bombs – honestly, you can just go to Etsy and enter gifts under $5 and come up with a world of options. I like these cute soaps from GuguSoapCompany and these bath bombs from AmebellaABathBar.

2.)   Cool Stamps – if your wife is a crafter, this person has a lot of unique little stamps, pick one up for her to use in creating really one of a kind cards (this little sperm stamp would definitely be a first for baby showers and bachelorette cards and wrapping paper decoration).

3.)   Multi-Purpose Cable Clips and Aroma Pens – are her cords always sliding everywhere? Does she often bump her head on the table retrieving them? These hand clips will stop those suckers in their tracks at a whopping $2.50 a pack. Since it’s so cheap, you can add 2 Aroma Click Pens to the gift too and stil come in under $5.   

4.)   Game of Thrones Playing Cards, Dr Who Figurines or Plant Bombs – if the old ball and chain is a little geekier than other girls, stop by ThinkGeek.com and check out their under $5 offerings, which include items from popular TV shows like Dr. Who and Game of Thrones, as well as some other cool items like plant bombs (if you’ve got a very eco-conscious wife).

If none of these ideas really tickle your fancy, you can check out some of the suggestions for Mom in this post – a lot could double for your wife.

And if you’re looking for more ways to save during the holidays this year, enter my November giveaway – a copy of Zero Budget Christmas by Jason Anderson.

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brokeGIRLrich readers, what’s the best gift you’ve received from a significant other?