Today I am linking up at Money Saving Mom and Simply Rebekah  and sharing my last Frugal Photo Friday 5 for $5 or less themed post.

So far I have shared

5 Dates for $5 or Less

5 Family Outings for $5 or Less

5 DIY Gift Ideas for $5 or Less 

And today I am sharing…

5 Store Bought Gift Ideas For $5 or Less

(Links in this post are affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)

To be able to pull off a store bought gift for under $5 or less and still give something that looks spectacular you really have to channel your inner thrifty person.

The number one rule for saving money on store bought gifts is start buying your gifts early. If you follow that rule you can save some significant cash and give great gifts.

1. A gift for coffee lovers

Follow a deal blogger who shares free sample deals like Money Saving Mom and sign up for all the free samples of coffee. Save the samples up and purchase a mug from your local Dollar Tree or score a great looking one off clearance at various stores. Fill the mug with the coffee samples and give to your java loving friend.

Make it just a bit more special: Save up your Swagbucks and cash them in for a $5 Starbucks gift card code. Include the code in a card to go with the mug and samples.

2. A gift for beauty product lovers

Bath& Body Works sends out coupons several times a year in the mail for free travel size items that require no purchase of anything else. They have free travel offers of new scents with no purchase necessary on their Facebook page several times a year. If your Facebook feed does not show all the stores you follow like mine does consider following a deal blogger like Money Saving Mom who shares the free Bath and Body Work deals whenever they come out.

Over the course of a year I am usually able to get several free sample size items all in one set and then purchase a small cosmetic kit for under $5 and place the items inside to give as a gift.

Make it just a bit more special: Often places like CVS or Walgreens will run sales on cosmetic items such as nail polish where you can get the item free when combining the sale with a coupon. These free items would make great add ins to you beauty product lovers gift.

3. A gift for Chocolate Lovers

If you shop at Kohl’s make sure to sign up for a Kohl’s Rewards Card (this is not a credit card). When you do the club sends out several $5 of $5 coupons per year. Use them to purchase the Godiva chocolate bars found near the front counter. You will have to spend just under a dollar out of pocket for the two bars. Give these as gifts for your chocolate loving friends.

Make it just a bit more special: Sweeten the deal by adding chocolate bought for pennies combining sales and coupons at places like CVS or Walgreens.

4. A gift for candle lovers

Around Christmas time Hallmark Gold Crown Stores release $5 off $10 coupons. I find these coupons in the November or December issues of many of the free magazines I receive. I find out about printable online versions of the same coupons at Money Saving Mom. Use these coupons to buy Yankee candle votive candles or whatever brand of scented candle your store carries. You might need to throw in something small to keep the total at $10 so you won’t go to0 far over the $5 you want to spend.Usually there are Christmas candies or caramels available at the front counter that you can use get to the $10 total but not go much over.

Make it just a bit more special: If you have several of these coupons and have several candle loving friends consider making up a candle bundle gift. Go to your local Dollar Tree and purchase a votive candle holder for just $1 each. Head over to the gift bag aisle and pick up the small gift bags that are 3 for $1 and a package of tissue paper for $1. Place the candle in the holder, place inside the bag, and cover with tissue paper and write on the bags tag “thanks for adding light to my life” or “Keep shinning your light”.

 5. A gift for game lovers

If you have board game lovers on your gift list you can often snag a game for under $5 by combining a coupon  with a sale from Target. These coupons are often found on printable sites or in your Sunday paper. Also keep your eye open at Barnes & Nobles I often find great deals on amazing games in their clearance bins.

Make it just a bit more special: Board game lovers are also usually lovers of game apps. To make your gift just a bit more spectacular include a card where you write down the e-code for a either a $5 Amazon card or a $10 i-tunes card, depending on what device they play on that you earned through Swagbucks costing you nothing but a bit of time.

What are your best inexpensive store-bought gift ideas?