7 Best Gifts Under $5: When You’re On A Budget

The holiday season might seem like a tough gift-giving competition when you are strapped for cash. But just because you can’t buy everyone in your family $20 gifts doesn’t mean you have to give them bad gifts. Expensive doesn’t always mean good, right? 

So, here is a list of 7 inexpensive gifts for Christmas this year for less than five bucks. 

Best Unique Gifts Under $5

1. The Original Slinky Walking Spring Toy - Best Classic Toy Gift

Apologies in advance if this gift makes you nostalgic about your childhood. I am sure you have already heard about this one. Drawing from experience, no one can say no to the jiggly-wiggly fun you get with the slinky. Whether it is a child or an adult, this is a super cute and fun gag gift to give to someone to lead to a lot of laughs from the entire group. 

This classic toy walks downstairs, alone or in pairs, and makes a slink-ity sound. Anyone would be happily singing this old jingle while enjoying this small gift and after seeing it in person. 

It stretches and walks, it wiggles and jiggles. And it’s just for five bucks. Who could say no to such a fun little gift? 

Buy it for the nostalgic adult or the uninformed kid, and you’ll surely be thanked for your traditional yet unique gift. 

2. Makeup And Cosmetic Bag - Best For Makeup And Skincare Lovers

Ask any woman around you, and she will surely be in need of a good makeup bag at all times. Thus, the WANDF makeup and cosmetic bag is a very thoughtful gift for someone who loves makeup. 

Made up of soft fabric with a smooth zipper, this makeup bag is very durable. The fabric is water-resistant and has a 0.2 cm thickened foam to protect makeup products from getting damaged. 

It is of ideal size and can fit most of the daily makeup accessories like makeup brushes, eyeliner, lipsticks, foundation, etc. Thus, not only can one use it as a daily makeup bag but also take it on trips with them to store their daily essentials. 

Additionally, anyone can store their toiletries, art supplies, and typical stationery in this bag too. After trying out this product, I’ve found that this is a perfect accessory for a woman! 

On top of that, you can get extremely cute patterns in a variety of colors when you buy this makeup bag. Pretty patterns on a useful gift under $5 that you can easily carry around? I’m sold!

3. Mr. Pen Card Holder - Best For Organization

Know someone who’s always losing their cards? Then this high-quality and lightweight Mr. Pen card holder is a perfect gift for that person. The locking clasp on the card holder prevents anything from falling out accidentally. Additionally, the rounded corners will save you from any potential cuts or scrapes. 

With 7 accordion slots, this cheap card holder can hold more than 9 credit cards or more than 20 business cards. A perfect way to hold your cards and a delightful replacement for a boring wallet, this card holder will not disappoint anyone who receives it.  

4. Yemianju Rose Gold Elephant Keychain - Best Design

A perfect small gift for your friends and family is a keychain. And the Yemianju rose gold keychain is an extremely stylish keychain to give someone. With a fashionable elephant design, this keychain can also double as a beautiful ornament. 

The key ring can fit all kinds of keys, handbags, purses, and bags. On top of that, you can also use it on a car key. So, this is a great gift the recipient can use in all aspects of their life. 

After getting a feel for the product, I can assure you that this is a great gift you can get for this price, with a sophisticated design and finely crafted details. 

Additionally, the brand offers great customer service. Although, I fail to see why someone might require customer services for the purchase of an inexpensive key chain. But it is a good point, right?

5. Rebel Alliance Millenium Falcon Metal Keychain - Best For Star Wars Fan

Made in a galaxy far, far away, this Millenium Falcon Metal keychain is the perfect gift for a Star Wars fan. With its solid zinc alloy construction, it covers all of the actual features present in the Millenium Falcon. So, a real Star Wars fan will definitely not be disappointed. 

Moreover, this keychain will also function as a great bottle opener. Definitely a great gag gift for when you’re going to have a trilogy marathon with your friends in the holidays.  

Star Wars used to be all the rage before, and thus, this would serve as a perfect gift for someone who was a child when the original trilogy came out. Other than that, kids even today are big fans of the Star Wars movies. So, what could be a better gift than Star Wars merchandise?

May the force be with you. 

6. Silicone Stretch Lids - Best For Kitchen Use

The OstWony silicone stretch lids are an extremely practical gift to give someone. The 6 pieces of stretchable silicone covers are made up of 100% food-grade silicone. They have enough flexibility to ensure a sealed container and can also tolerate high and low temperatures. Basically, they will keep your food fresh and safe for a long time. 

After using them for the first time, use boiling water to clean and disinfect the stretchable covers. Be careful not to use anything sharp to clean the covers to prevent damage. 

After putting it to the test, I found that the stretchability of the covers ensures that they will be able to fit most bowls, cups, jars, bottles, and pots. Additionally, you can also use it for cut-up fruits. No more brownish apples. With these stretch lids, be assured of eating fresh fruit every time.

7. HTWORGE Universal Socket - Best For Appliances

Everyone has had problems with socket compatibility before. So, this HTWORGE universal socket is an amazing gift to give someone. This grip socket can adjust to grip hex nuts, hooks, eye and lag screws, bolt heads, and other various sizes and shapes. 

It can fit the standard ¼ inch to ¾ inch and the metric 7 to 19 mm nuts and bolts. 

With its stainless steel construction and 54 individual hardened steel spring pins that retract to the shape of most objects, this durable and universal wrench can be applied to the automotive industry, manufacturing industry, construction industry, and household maintenance. 

Additionally, the package also contains a power drill adaptor which can be attached with a socket wrench, power drill, and ratchet driver. 

Buying Guide For Inexpensive Gifts

You might think that giving inexpensive gifts come off as cheap, or you can only give bad quality gifts that will inevitably end up in the trash. But that’s not true at all! You can buy practical and unique gifts for your friends and family for under $5. 

Whether it’s special occasions, Father’s or Mother’s Day, or it’s Christmas season, whenever you are on a tight budget, this holy grail of inexpensive gifts can always come to your rescue. 

Apart from that, here are a few points you can keep in mind before you go on your budget shopping spree. 

1. Personalized Gift

The best part of giving a gift to someone is the personal happy touch. You know the person you are giving the gift to. Then why give a generalized gift when you can cater to the person’s preferences? A makeup bag for a makeup lover or Star Wars merch for the Luke Skywalker fan. This is how you can get fun gifts for people while staying within a budget. 

Other ideas for personalized gifts are a gift box, scented candles, wine bottle holders, coffee filters, cookie cutters, skin cosmetics, and beer or coffee mug or cup holders. You can even gift a house plant to your friend on their birthday if they’re a plant lover. The point is to personalize the gift according to the person. 

2. Utility

Just because you are getting a gift for under $5 doesn’t mean it can’t have any utility. In my opinion, the best gifts are the ones that are fun and provide utility at the same time, like scented candles or quirky keychains. So, keep in mind that the gift you are giving to someone has some utility for them. 

You can give a bound book to an avid reader or vitamin E capsules to a skincare addict. A box cutter with indie patterns on it. Essential oils or a fun bath bomb for a person who loves to take long baths. These gift ideas are great for making sure the gift you are giving is personalized and has utility at the same time. 

3. Quality

I highly recommend against giving something that you think is unique but is of low quality just because you are shopping on a budget. Giving a $5 gift might not come off as cheap, but giving a low-quality gift definitely will. So, go for gifts that are cheap but also have high quality. 

Basically, go for gifts that are normally available within the set budget. Yes, you might find a gorgeous dress for under $5, but what about the quality of its fabric and its final look? You can’t compromise on that. So, better give a good quality product than an expensive-looking low-quality product. 

4. Setting

The gift you’re giving to someone also depends on the setting. If it’s a White Elephant party, a Christmas party, or a birthday party, the types of gifts you give will change with each occasion. A gag gift is the best option for a white elephant party, while a personalized and thoughtful gift is the perfect option for a birthday party.

Can I buy gifts under $5 for stocking stuffers?

Yes, you absolutely can. The point of stocking stuffers is to fill the stocking with small gifts. So, apart from being given as individual gifts, you can definitely use these gifts as stocking stuffers on a special occasion like Christmas. 

Will I come off as cheap giving gifts under $5?

Absolutely not, unless the person you are giving a gift to is quite snotty. With gifts, it’s always the thought that counts. The price tag does not matter as long as the recipient is satisfied with the gift you’ve given them. Now be it a lip balm for dry lips or a papaya conditioner for the hair, it is definitely the thought that counts. 

This is why I advised you before to make sure the gift is personalized. Maybe the person won’t like the $20 shirt you bought for them, but they will definitely love the ceramide moisturizer you bought for them because you know they struggle with dry skin. This is how you make the gift personalized and thoughtful. 

How do I make sure I am giving a high-quality gift for under $5?

As explained before, go for gifts that are normally available in this price range. For instance, a good quality dress isn’t usually available under $5. So, if you find one that is within that budget, you know it is going to be of low quality. 

On the other hand, keychains, bath bombs, and card holders are readily available within that price range. This way, you can make sure that the gift you are giving to someone is of good quality and won’t end up in the trash anytime soon. 

Verdict

Coming to the end of this affordable gifts list, the original slinky stands out as on the top of the list just because of how silly and fun it is. I mean, who wouldn’t love a fun and classic toy on a special occasion?

The makeup and cosmetics bag is another great gift for someone who loves makeup. Since skincare is a trendy topic these days, this bag will also function as a great organizer for a newbie skincare addict in your life. Talking about organization, another great option is the Mr. Pen card holder. Now you’ll never lose track of a card again!

So, hopefully, this list helped you get some ideas about inexpensive gifts. I also hope it made you feel better about buying gifts on a budget again. I have said it several times, and I’ll say it again, it’s the thought that counts. Have a great holiday season, folks!