Father’s Day is only a few days away and if you’re like many of us, you’re looking for the perfect frugal father’s day gift idea for your dad. Dads are notoriously hard to buy for, and most dads I know have gotten more than their fair share of ties, socks, sports memorabilia, and grilling gear over the years. If you haven’t come up with a gift for your dad, we’ve gathered some helpful frugal gift ideas to help you tell dad “I love you” without putting a big dent in your budget.
Frugal Father’s Day Gifts For Every Dad
- Food Gifts: Guys love food, and they love their kids more. Why not make his day by baking up a batch of his favorite cookies, baking him some tasty bread, cooking a favorite meal of his or getting creative and making a dessert he’s never tried? Few things are better than home-cooked gifts, especially if they’re prepared by someone you love. Bonus points if you cook him something yummy and then enjoy it with him.
- Photos: Use photo sites like Snapfish to make personalized creations for Dad to display around the home or office. Or, set aside an afternoon to take your dad someplace where you can do a photo session with him and make some memories he can enjoy for years to come. Most of the time you can find coupon codes for a great deal on reprints or gifts from photo stores. A simple Google search can yield coupon codes to help you cut costs.
- Quality Time: Time is one of the best gifts you can give a parent. Offer to spend a day with Dad if you live nearby, doing anything he wants. Go to lunch together, catch a movie, or stay home, cook dinner, and look at old family photos. If you don’t live nearby, set aside a few hours to hang out with him using video chat. He’ll love the opportunity to spend time with you and won’t miss another tie!
- Experiences: Look at sites like Groupon or LivingSocial for deals on new experiences or lessons your dad can enjoy. Maybe it’s a golf lesson, horseback riding, touring a brewery or visiting a museum. There are always a lot of options to explore at discounted rates on these types of sites. If you find something you can enjoy together with your dad, that’s even better!
- Tackle a Chore: It may not be as much fun for you as other ideas on the list, but what dad wouldn’t love a clean garage, weed-free flower beds or gutters that aren’t full of leaves? In the spirit of Father’s Day, you do the heavy lifting and let your dad supervise from the recliner. He’ll love it.
- Movie Marathon: Do some sleuthing and find out what your dad’s top 3 favorite movies are and then make a movie marathon day for him to enjoy. Gather some of his favorite snacks, dim the lights, and let him enjoy watching movies he loves with people he loves. Chances are, he seldom gets to pick the movies in the house, so he’s sure to enjoy this gift!
Whatever you come up with, as long as you put some heart into it, it won’t matter how much you spend. After all, your dad loves YOU way more than he loves whatever you think you have to buy him to make him feel appreciated. What are your best tips for frugal Father’s Day gift ideas? Share them with us in the comments!
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