Nothing says you care more than a unique, homemade present. Plus, it’s great for your budget too.
Why not try making soap or candles as a thoughtful gift or knitting a scarf in the giftee’s favourite colour? Use whatever skills you already have, your friends and family will really appreciate the time and effort you put into their gifts, even if they’re not 100% perfect!
The price of a new fiction paperback book has risen recently, but you can still pick one up for around £10 making it the perfect gift if money’s a little tight. Plus many bookstores offer student discounts. For example, Hive offers 10% off and Waterstones offers 5% off. Of course, you can also pick up books super cheaply if you buy them second-hand at charity shops or online.
If you’ve got friends or family members who are avid readers, why not try a book swap this Christmas? Gift a book that you’ve loved reading and ask them to give you one in return.
Gifting an experience rather than a physical gift is a great way to make this Christmas memorable. There are lots of sites offering giftable experiences, such as Buyagift and Virgin Experiences.
The prices range from £10 upwards so you should be able to find something that fits with your budget. Many of the experiences are designed for two, so they’re perfect for gifting to couples! Some of the experiences on offer include:
There are also many experience vouchers where you can set a price and the giftee can choose from a range of experiences. This is perfect if you’re buying for someone you don’t know very well and you have no idea what kind of experience they’d prefer!
From cheese plants to orchids to cacti, a beautiful potted plant makes the perfect gift for someone with a green thumb. Best of all, supermarkets, like Lidl and Aldi, often have offers on plants throughout the year so you can pick some up at a very reasonable price. To dress it up a little and make it look like a proper gift, you can buy a cute pot or wrap around a festive bow.
Sweets and chocolate are a present you can’t really go wrong with. Although there are fancy chocolate gift sets, your limited student budget might not stretch that far. The good news is that there are ways you can dress up cheaper chocolate and sweets so they make a bit more of an impact. Try layering up different types of sweets in a jar or tin, wrapping it up with festive paper, and adding a bow for the perfect festive touch. You can also try using different chocolates to create a thoughtful message.
If you’re an expert baker, you can even have a go at making your own treats. Things like fudge or truffles will look and taste amazing, and you should be able to pick up the ingredients for around £5.
If you know someone who would love a luxurious spa day, but that’s not within your budget, why not try creating an at-home spa experience?
Depending on your budget, you could include scented candles, face masks, a foot massager and even a comfy dressing gown. Wrap it all up or place it in a gift box with some tissue paper for a luxury look to your homemade gift.
If you’re looking for a cheap Christmas gift idea for students, look no further. Simply, print off a thoughtful photo and buy a pretty frame for it to go in. This might be a cute picture of you and your best friend on a night out or a family group picture from your last holiday, whatever it is you can be sure it will be well received!
A sustainable, eco-friendly gift is the perfect choice if you’re a student who’s worried about the impact Christmas has on our planet. Why not buy something local at a Christmas market so you’re supporting a small business as well as helping the environment?
Here are a few other eco-friendly suggestions:
A board or card game makes a fun gift that you can play with your friends before a night out or on Christmas day with your family. It’s one of the few gifts that will get used straight away!
Here’s a couple of ideas if you want a game that’s easy to learn and fun to play:
If you know someone who could use a bit more organisation, a beautiful planner, diary, or calendar makes a great gift. This will help set them up for a more organised new year! You can pick one up from around £5 onwards, so they won’t break the bank.
Last but not least, if you’re struggling to think of the right, budget-friendly gift, you can’t go wrong with a gift card. It’s easy to choose a specific gift card based on what they like, for example, if they’re a big coffee lover, they’ll be overjoyed with a Starbucks gift card.
You can also choose a more general gift card, like One4all, so they can choose what to spend the card on. The best part of gift cards is that you can choose exactly how much to spend, so there’s no risk of going over budget.
Budgeting as a student can be tricky, especially when you’re dealing with fluctuating energy prices and you don’t know how much your household bills will be each month. The good news is that there’s a simple solution…
Split The Bills is a bill-splitting service that’s trusted by thousands of students up and down the country. We’ll handle all the stress of setting up utility accounts and calling suppliers so you don’t have to.
You can customise your bill package to include water, energy, broadband and even a TV licence if needed. You’ll know exactly how much your portion of the bills will be each month, so it’ll be so much easier to budget for Christmas presents next year. Plus, our water and energy plans are uncapped, so there’s no risk of being charged more if you forget to turn the lights off!
Make budgeting simpler with our hassle-free bill-splitting service. Get in touch with us to find out more about how we work.
The move from first to second year at university often comes with a lot of change as most students will have to start paying bills for the first time. In this feature we discuss how you can keep your finances organised and pay bills responsibly.
The move from first to second year at university often comes with a lot of change as most students will have to start paying bills for the first time. In this feature we discuss how you can keep your finances organised and pay bills responsibly.
The move from first to second year at university often comes with a lot of change as most students will have to start paying bills for the first time. In this feature we discuss how you can keep your finances organised and pay bills responsibly.