Please post your favorite and most frugal ideas.

Thanks!

I make baskets with a lot of the free and closeout stuff I can't seem to pass up, these are some of my most recent:
Sister in law for Christmas: A basket that I picked up at the peir 1 clearance store for 75% off ($2), lined it with about .30 worth of closeout christmas fabric and filled it with bath stuff. A lg peach candle that someone had given me-I can't stand the smell of fake peach and it matched nothing in my house- was the starting point. I picked up peach bath salts(about $1) 2 bars of peach soaps ($1 after sale and coupon) peach colored nail polish (buy 1 get 1 with coup) polish remover (.50 walgreens) one of those $6 refillable razers (free after sale and coupon), moisturizer (.75 after sale and coupon) and a few nail files and cuticle sticks etc. I decided when I got that candle that it would look better in her house, so I started putting together this basket in August for Christmas-It looked professional and she loved it and I knocked out a gift for about $8.
Brother in law got a bucket of car things-fix a flat, ice melt and flashlight, lock de-icer, air fresheners--all stuff he needs and I can get on sales.
One of my staff had her first baby last month so I bought a $3 wicker laundry basket , lined it with a$2 in babyfabric and made a matching fabric covered photo album. I filled it with wipes and bath products that I pick up ever time I can get them with triple coupons and sales, a few onesies that I got when Bradlees went out of business, and nice soft white washclothes that I found for less than $1 each at the Fieldcrest outlet. I bought a single package of diapers that I opened up and slipped between all the other things so there were no empty spaces, added lots of pink and blue ribbon curls. For less than $20 the presentation was one of the nicest of all of her gifts--including boxes of Baby Gap clothes and all the other usual gifts, she loved it and it is really useful.

I made a lot of gift baskets for christmas too.

Sister-Large basket that I got when dd was born 4 yrs ago(FREE)lined with fabric bought at yard sale $1 for about 4 yards.I spray painted the basket red(.97 at wal-mart)and I bought about 12 big christmas bows at ayard sale for $1 and tied it to the top of the handle on the basket and hung and ornament(.50 for 12) with ribbon(.50 at YS) and wrote my sisters name on the ornamentfilled with bath stuff(found pretty bottles at Biglots for .99 ea and a very small canister type jar for bath salts for .59 filled them with bath salts,body wash and bubble bath bought from the dollar store)Also some makeup sponges bought at a yard sale for .25,carebear doll(sis's fave as a kid)bought at yard sale for .50 a hm candle(I used one of those clay pots that holds those insect repeling candles,took out the used up original and put in storage,got FREE used candles at a yard sale and the wicks at Joann's for 50% off.TO make the candles I used an old pot and coffee can and made a double boiler,melted the candle in the coffee can and poured into the clay pot.Very simple and cheap,total spent about $5

MOM-hers was a coke theme basket,I bought the basket this time at a yard sale($2) and spray painted it green(.97)lined it with the same fabric from sister's basket.(about .25)I also found some coke bottle decals for .25 and glues them to the outside of her basketI got a cocacola bear on a bike from a swap on another board(we need to do this by the way)so I paid postage for it,but got other items too so this was about $1.found 3 coca cola mugs for .25 ea,found a coke goblet type glass (.75 at yard sale) and made a candle the same way i made my sister,except to make it look like coke i used cocoa to color it.(wax cost .50)THen I bought a sweatshirt(4.5 walmart) and fabric paint(bought 30 bottles at yard sale for $2)had kids dip hands in paint and put on sweatshirt and wrote in paint"my grandkids have me in the pallm of their hands"Also did the bow and ornament on hers too,actually I did them on everyones.total cost $11.5

Ok I made all the baskets the same and all the candles the same Price range for baskets were free-$3 and most were .50!cost for material ranged from free -.50 a yard.I used red ,green or gold spray paint,I use about 4 cans for 10 large baskets.

More ideas!!!!

I also made fire starters from pine cones and candle wax.You get the pinecones when they are open(FREE and a big surplus here in Georgia)you melt the wax and scent,you can do this with any kind of scented oil or vanilla flavoring.let the wax cool for about 5 min and start turning pinecone in wax until covered.total cost for these baskets are$1-$3 depending on the basket.

For my grandfathers I made the baskets and put their toiletries in them (they loved this)Their baskets were a little more,but hey they have spoiled me rotten for 22 years)

More to put in....

Journal jars-take an ordinary mason jar(I got 32 for $1 at yes another YS)and fill with questions,like what is your favorite childhood memory.ANd add a journal and pen(both bought at $store :))cut pretty fabric in a large circle and tie around top with ribbon.We did this for all my grandparents,everyone in my family participated with the question asking. total cost for me$1.5

cookie mixes in a jar ,or any other kind of mix.There are endless possibilities on this one(did this too,made 12 of them)

wooden bowl potpurri-i bought a bunch of wooden bowls at a yard sale for .10 ea and painted them with spray paint in the same colors as the baskets.put potpurri in them(bought at you guessed it yard sale for .25 a bag) and put a tea light candle in the center(.10 for 12 at YS)wrapped with saran wrap and tied with ribbon-total cost about $1

I also made candles out of tea cups,these were my favorite.

Now on to this christmas.:D

i bought a 5 gallon bushall basket at a YS today for $1 and am lining it and filling it with frugal things for my sister.In it I am putting in The Complete Tightwad Gazette(anyone have one they want to sell or trade):)a clothes line,clothes pins,binder to start a price book(.25 at a YS :))still need some more ideas,thought about some frugal recipes too.

She wants to learn and her and her fiance are getting a house this year and thought this would be a good idea.And about those gift baskets,my dstepmom is recycling hers to use for my sister and painting it the color of my sister kitchen,making a family cook book and putting in kitchen utensils.

I have tons more ideas so just ask and you shall receive.

Amanda

Wow! Thanks for the ideas...I can never get enough, so please, please keep posting. :D

Well my FIl's b-day is coming up and I am giving him a movie basket. my parents bought me all these basketw when they were gone out of town once so I am using one of those. I am putting in it a 6-pack of coke I got for 59cents with a coupon and they were on sale. a box of microwave popcorn I got for $1.25 a box with coupon and it being on sale. A container of peanuts O got on sale after chrismas for $1. A movie that we have that my dh got the DVD to for christmas. (we don't need it on vidoe also.) it is his favorite movie which is a pus. and the only thing I am spending alot of money on is a bottle of Green label Jim Beam that they don;t get dowm in FL. but we know the people who own the store and they will give me a good deal on that too. LOL

Well, when I used to live in Austin,Tx..I used to get so much stuff free after tripling coupons....I had a great time:)
unfortunatly in Canada they don't have coupons or triples like the US:( ..but anyways...when I lived there I sent my SIL a dinner basket for her anniversary..for a nice dinner....all what I paid for was a very nice stainless steel strainer from ROss for $6.99
I filled it with
a package of penne pasta[ free with coupons]
spaghetti sauce[ free with coupons}
italian croutons[ home made]
balsamic vineger[ I had some so I filled her a nice bottle that I have recycled}
italian seasonings { I made a mix and bottled it in a jar}
salad dressing[ free with coupons}
sundried tomatoe pesto{ got it free with triple coupons}
a bottle of extra virgin olive oil [ very cheap with a coupon]
biscotti [ homemade]
I also added a nice recipe card [using the computer], 2 small candles....Iwrapped it with clear wrap and she loved it.
You also can make a fettuchini one woth white sauce instead of red sauce...

Also a great idea for teens or movie lovers { and i have to admitt I read it in a magazine}... a nice bowl fill it with a package of microwave popcorn
a free rental
a bag of candy
chocolate bar
gum
a small pack of tissue paper if the movie was sad:D
and maybe a soda.

I also got so many lotions and creams with coupons while i was there and razors too , so am planning to make some bath baskets using these. Also if you have or find a nice purse for teenage girls , you can fill it with trial size stuff or you can fill a makeup purse with trial size stuff [ usually free with coupons] for somebody who travels a lot and you know that they can use it.

baby baskets or a nice bag filled with trift store {cleaned } toys, baby wipes, lotion , powder, oil, diapers..if they were cheap..

Also make homemade mixes and fill it in nice jars with a ribbon and a recipe card.
you can also give an empty plant pot fill it with seeds and some small flowers that need to be planted with a pair of gloves and other tools if you want to ..give it to anybody who like to grow things.

for somebody who has a cold or is not feeling well.. give them a basket and fill it with soup, a nice book or novel, a package of tissue paper, a bag of halls, a mug and a box of tea..and maybe a flavoured suger..like lemon suger...

Summer is coming so you can make bbq baskets...last year i remember the coupons were great for bbq stuff, most of the stuff were free with coupons...a basket or any container that you like...maybe a servig dish..fill it with bbq sauce..different flavours, marinades [ bottles and pakages], musturd, hot suace, napkines, aluminum foil, maybe paper plates and cups....etc

The ideas can be endless....just take something and build your gift around the same theme.
good luck:D

If you know someone who likes to scrapbook, you can put together a scrapbooking basket......... fill it with punches, stickers, gel pens, die cuts, stamps (if they like stamping in their books), an album, refill pages, page protectors, scissors, templates, a gift card to Michael's or a local LSS, etc.

If you know someone who likes to quilt, put together a basket of basting pins, needles, fat quarters, thread, a rotary cutter, a quilting book, etc.

A chocolate lover's basket........ hot chocolate mix, chocolate spoons, different types of cookie mixes with chocolate chips, small boxes of chocolate candies, etc.

A breakfast basket......... homemade pancake mix, waffle mix, muffin mix, homemade syrup, cloth napkins, cocoa mix, homemade zucchini bread or banana bread, etc.

What I did this last Christmas:

One of my sises graduated from college right before Christmas, and she is a HUGE Tigger fan, so I found a Tigger beach bag, 1.00 on clearance, and filled it with Tigger pencils, a Tigger pen, Tigger stickers, note pads, a scrap note paper holder, Tigger erasers, and a lot of other odds and ends like glue sticks shaped like animals, red grading pencils, and the like. Didn't spend over 10.00, and it was her fav gift of all. That sounds like a lot, but since it was the only gift we gave her, it wasn't that bad. They normally expect a gift from each one of us-there's 4- and that gets really expensive really fast.


This next year:

I picked up Christmas themed plastic mixing bowls at the after Christmas sales- .60 ea, will fill them with Snickerdoodle mix, matching dish towels and hand knitted dish clothes, and wooden spoons, as well as the recipe to complete the cookies. These 5 gifts should come to about 10.00. Makes me smile!!

Just did a nice gift for my favorite BIL. Picked up a really nice carry-on size bag-originally $58, clearance and coupons at JC Penney (If it matched my luggage I would have kept it for myself, that's how nice it was) paid $16. Filled it with a bunch of samples that I've collected for free-deoderant, shampoo, body wash, toothpaste and a toothbrush. I would'nt normally have even spent that much but he was a doll and helped us move so he really deserved it.

:bump: for more ideas...

Great ideas!

I make up baskets with homemade jelly (corncob jelly, mint jelly, various fruit jellies, gooseberry jam- stuff you can't generally buy in the store), a couple loaves of different homemade breads like tomato bread, walnut bread, pizza bread.

One year I gave muffin tins with muffin mix, wrapped it in a dish towel with a card that read "You're getting 'muffin for Christmas"

In 1999, I gave all my neighbors Y2K gift boxes. The card had a traditional Christmas scene on the front saying "wishing you a Merry Christmas" - when you opened the card, there was a picture with a huge spider "and a bug free New Year!" We included things like candles, batteries, hats/gloves, books, deck of cards, bottled water, granola bars, instant oatmeal, jerky and such. Then a couple years ago we updated them for "Disaster" bags, a homemade version of bugout bags.

:bump: some really good ideas here!

This past year I made my MIL a "snowday basket" I put a cd of old Motown songs, nice pancake mix, jams, flavored pancake syrup, nice scarf and gloves and a nice winter theme cake server.
I used a heavy rattan basket and made a huge bow out of plaid flannel and it presented so nice.