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40+ Cheap Gift Ideas Under 5 Dollars

Gift-wrapped boxes in the background with text: "Cheap gift ideas that are $5.00 or less"

Looking for cheap gift ideas under 5 dollars? Here’s a list of over 40, perfect for Christmas, birthdays, or other small occasions!

It’s hard to be on a tight budget but still want to bless others with gifts!

Whether it be teachers, neighbors, or co-workers, you want to give them something special but not go broke buying a gift for everyone.

I get it. I have SO many friends here and there; and then there’s Allison’s teacher, the person I said hi to once down the street…

Okay, maybe not that far. But how do you give special gifts on a low budget?

What are some cheap gift ideas?

This list has over 40 gift ideas for smaller budgets. In fact, most of these are $5.00 or under!

Does that seem too cheap? Depending on your budget, you can buy more than one per person.

And some of these can be put together into cute baskets, like these gift basket ideas!

Keep scrolling to find the type of person you want to buy for, and hopefully you’ll find some creative ideas for Christmas, birthdays, or just-because!

Where can I find cheap gifts under $5.00?

Believe it or not, Dollar Tree and Five Below are REALLY good stores for creative gift ideas. Seriously.

Yes, some of the items have a lower quality, and you’ll want to watch out for those.

But for the most part, the items in those stores are just as good as name brand. In fact, some of them ARE name brand!

So definitely keep a look out for those discount stores. They’re worth it!

What about homemade gifts?

Oh, homemade gifts are PERFECT! It’s a great way to show someone how much you appreciate him or her; and a lot of times they can be frugal as well.

Here are some crafts I’ve made over the years:

40+ Cheap Gift ideas That Cost 5 Dollars or Less

A phone taking a picture of food with text saying "Gift ideas for the foodie"

Cheap Gift Ideas for the foodie

Dough scraper

Fruit and vegetable brush

Pizza cutter

Meal prep containers- Dollar Tree actually has name brands!

Snack containers

Leakproof storage bags

Tea towels

Cookbook

Weights and headphones laying on the ground with the text "Gift ideas for the athlete"


Cheap gift ideas for the athlete

Jump rope

Foam roller- I’ve seen some at Five Below!

Dumbbells

Water bottle

Ear buds

Yoga mat

Habit tracker

Cookbook

A white couch with the text "Gift ideas for the lounger"

Cheap Gift Ideas for the Lounger

Slippers

Fuzzy pants

Fuzzy socks

Coffee mug

Book

Adult coloring book

An apple sitting on top of a pile of books with the text "Gift ideas for the teacher"

Cheap Gift ideas for the teacher

Coffee mug

Gift card- Starbucks could be a good go-to!

“Sunshine” basket- a Dollar Tree basket with yellow items- lotion, soap, candy, etc.

Hand Sanitizer

Coffee

Lotion

Book

A child holding up paint-covered hands with the text "Gift ideas for the kids"

SaveCheap gift ideas for the kids

Jump rope

Crayons and coloring book

Markers

Small stuffed animal

Puzzle

Magnets

Stickers

Blind bag– These are perfect for the kid who likes to collect things!

DVD- Wal Mart has $5.00 DVD bins!

Movie basket- A Dollar Tree basket with a Redbox code, popcorn, and candy

A clipboard laying on a desk with the text "Gift ideas for the office worker"

Gift ideas for the office worker

Pen holders

Post-its

Magnets

Paperclips

Notepad

Post-it dispenser

Cute mousepad

Coffee mug

Pens

SaveWhat other great cheap gift ideas have you found? Leave a comment and give us more ideas!

Save

Nina

Saturday 28th of December 2019

I get earbuds for my stepsons every year, these are great and come in a 2 pack for $5.01 ...so $2.50ish each CANADIAN ! Great gift for Teens. They do take a while to arrive so order earlier then normal. Samsung (2 Pack) OEM Wired 3.5mm White Headset with Microphone, Volume Control, and Call Answer End Button [EO-EG920BW] for Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ / S6 / S5, Galaxy Note 5/4 / Edge (Bulk Packaging): Amazon.ca: Cell Phones & Accessories https://www.amazon.ca/Samsung-Headset-Microphone-EO-EG920BW-Packaging/dp/B014DYJ67Q

Jaime

Sunday 29th of December 2019

Cool! I know when I was a teen, I basically lived with earbuds on my head, lol.

Christmas Finder

Wednesday 19th of December 2018

I'm excited for this!! Merry Christmas!!

Jaime

Thursday 20th of December 2018

Merry Christmas to you too! =)

Barbara

Sunday 9th of July 2017

What I failed to mention in my prior post is that there are 4 of us contributing to each stocking, so we each spend $5 toward each stocking. Amazing what you can find for your contribution of $5 per stocking!

Barbara

Sunday 9th of July 2017

My family decided to do $20.00 stockings per person at Christmas. It is amazing what can be bought to fill a stocking for either gender. A bottle of hot sauce for the person who loves spicey food. A bottle of Bath and body product, Emory board and polish. Small LCD flashlight. Scarf, fuzzy sock slippers, The stockings are overflowing with all kinds of useful and sometimes funny items......all for no more than $20 per person.

Jaime

Monday 10th of July 2017

That's a great idea! I may have to consider doing that for this Christmas, for my extended family. =) I love giving practical items.

Heather Serra

Friday 8th of May 2015

Great list! You can really make your $5 stretch at the dollar store. Love that place. :)

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