21 Thoughtful And Affordable Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

This list contains thoughtful, yet affordable Mother’s Day gifts that moms and grandmas will love.

21 Thrifty Ways To Honor Mom This Mother’s Day

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1. A Coffee Date

One of my favorite things to do with my daughter several Mother’s Days in a row was to participate in the Starbucks 1/2-price frappuccino sale that always occurred over Mother’s Day weekend. We grab one together, sip, and chat away.

Starbucks hasn’t done this for a while, but even if you get a Venti drink each at full price, you are looking at under $20.

You can make a coffee date even more affordable by earning your Starbucks gift cards using one of these eight places to earn Starbucks gift cards.

2. A Reasons Why I Love You List

I wrote about how a “top 10 reasons why I love you list” impacted my mother over at Money Saving Mom. These lists cost nothing but a bit of time and they mean so much to the receiver.

If you need help, Amazon sells several different fill-in-the-blank books that provide plenty of prompts for expressing your thoughts on paper, including this one titled “Mom I Love You Because: 21 Big (and Little Ways) You Are the Best.

You can find more books like these in my Affordable Mother’s Day Gift Idea list on Amazon.

3. A Bouquet Of Fresh Flowers

If you have a green thumb, you can pick your own; if not, you can buy an inexpensive, great-looking bouquet from Aldi or Trader Joe’s.

If you need a vase, your local thrift store probably has several great ones for just a few dollars.

4. Flowers That Will Last All Summer Long

If your mom loves to garden, you might want to skip the fresh bouquet and opt for perennials or annuals. For several years, every Mother’s Day weekend, my husband and kids would take me to a locally-owned greenhouse and let me pick out annuals for the flower boxes that line our front porch. It was a gift that lasted all summer.

If your mom lives far away, you can still add to her garden by sending her a seed packet in her Mother’s Day card.

5. Pictures

Moms love pictures of their loved ones. Dollar stores sell a variety of simple frames she is sure to love. Pick one and fill it with a photo of her kids or grandkids.

If you want to take this Mother’s Day gift idea further, head to Shutterfly. There, you can personalize just about anything with photos, from a coffee mug to dozens of home decor items like pillows and blankets.

Thrifty tip: Promo codes and cash back offers are almost always available to cut the cost of items on Shutterfly. One great way to find them is to use the Capital One browser tool, which will apply codes and cash back during checkout with just one click.

6. Art Made By Loved Ones

Pinterest has ideas for using little ones’ hands, feet, or fingerprints to make thoughtful gifts for mom or grandma.

But kids are not the only ones who can make crafts for their moms and grandmas; we adults can, too! Homemade items are some of the best cheap Mother’s Day gifts around.

My 20-something daughter made me a portrait of each of my pets using an app on her iPad and had it printed and then put them in dollar store frames. It probably cost her under $10 to make, but I love it more than gifts that others have spent ten times that amount on because it is made by someone I love and features the pets I love.

If grandma’s fridge gets too full of the grandkids’ art, consider purchasing this frame. It displays kids’ art and acts as storage space for older art pieces grandma can’t seem to part with.

7. A New Book

Have you heard of My Reader Rewards Club? If you love Christian fiction or nonfiction, you must join My Reader Rewards Club. They offer free paperback books and Bibles in exchange for simple point-earning actions such as reviewing books at online retailers, signing up for emails and e-devotionals, and filling out short surveys. Trade in your points for a book, devotional, or Bible you know your mom will love (go here to sign up).

For more gift ideas for bookworms, check out this list full of gift ideas for Kindle lovers!

8. Jewelry Made By Loved Ones

I cherish a few necklaces made by my daughter when she was younger. Even full-grown adult children can still make their moms necklaces.

Check out my DIY jewelry board on Pinterest for ideas. If you are low on supplies, you just might be able to find some in your jewelry box.

If your mom loves making jewelry, you could purchase all the essentials to make bracelets together. 

9. Delicious Treats Made By You

Do you have a mom with a sweet tooth? Try out my peanut butter balls, chocolate truffles, chocolate bark, and simple chocolate fudge recipes. All four recipes use simple ingredients and require just minutes to make.

10. DIY Mother’s Day Card

A hand-made personalized card can be a meaningful and budget-friendly way to show appreciation for your mom.

I shared several great quotes and bible verses to put in your card in this post.

11. Home-Cooked Brunch

Making a special meal at home, such as a delicious brunch, can be a heartfelt way to celebrate Mother’s Day without breaking the bank.

12. Memory Jar

Creating a memory jar filled with notes of cherished moments and memories will be a gift your mom will treasure forever. You can make it using items you already have in your home. You only need a clean jar with a lid, a pen, and paper.

Another idea is to fill out this book with your siblings. Your mom will cherish it forever!

13. Handwritten Letter

Expressing your love and gratitude for your mom through a heartfelt, handwritten letter can be a simple yet deeply meaningful gesture on Mother’s Day.

If you need a little help thinking of what to say, this kit can help.

14. Let Her Sleep

When the kids were little, sleeping in felt like such a luxury; it was the best gift my husband could give me for Mother’s Day and it was FREE.

15. Wash And Detail Her Car

I will tell you a secret: moms don’t love their crumb-filled cars, yet they have no time to do something about it. Not sure how to clean those hard to reach places? Watch a few YouTube videos on DIY Car Detailing and head to Walmart for the supplies.

16 . Do The Chore She Hates The Most

What is the chore your mom always puts off? The dusting? Laundry? Cleaning the bathroom? Surprise her by doing it for her.

17. Plan An Outing

Don’t ask Mom where she wants to eat or where she wants to go. As moms, we make thousands of decisions daily; instead, figure out a budget and plan an outing you know she will love by yourself.

Here is a list of 22 activities perfect for Mother’s Day.

18. Volunteer With Her

If your mom has a charity she is passionate about, take the time to volunteer with her there or raise money for it in her honor.

19. Bring The Spa To Her

Here is an article I wrote that shares ways to create a spa experience for moms at home without spending a fortune.

20. Join Her Doing What She Loves To Do

Moms put others first day after day; on her special day, put her first in doing what she likes to do–even if you don’t enjoy that activity.

If she loves to build puzzles, bring one over and make it with her. This thrifty puzzle lover will let you in on a secret: the Puzzle Bug Deluxe brand of puzzles at Dollar Tree that have the “thicker pieces” written on them are pretty decent. They are usually located in the kid’s toy section and are available in 350-piece and 500-piece versions.

If she loves card games, play cards with her all afternoon. Better yet, surprise her by learning a new card game and showing her how to play. Nowadays, YouTube can teach you just about anything.

Perhaps she loves to garden and bring over some annuals to plant with her or help her prepare her garden beds for this season.

Time is a precious commodity–time spent with those you love is priceless.

21. A New Houseplant

If your mom has six or more thriving plants in her home, chances are she could never have enough; therefore, a new plant is always a great gift.

She will also probably love new pots for her plants, especially self-watering ones like these.

Bonus Idea: Anything Off This List

I made a list of 25 inexpensive Mother’s Day gifts. You can view it on my Amazon storefront page. The best thing about the list is if you can’t be with your mom this Mother’s Day, you can get a gift delivered to her doorstep in as little as two days with Amazon Prime.