Frugal Mania

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 10th.

If you still don’t have a gift and money is tight - then here are my top 10 ideas on what to get mom this year that she’s sure to love.

1. Plant her an herb garden -

Fresh herbs are so great to cook with. If all she needed to do was go to the yard or potted plant area to grab some basil, it’s sure to make her smile and enjoy her meals. Check out a Whole Foods or a local nursery to buy these plants.

2. IOU household coupons - Make some coupons with sayings like - Redeem this coupon for a night off from cooking, wash your car, vacuum the house, do the grocery shopping. But the REALLY important thing to remember is if you make this coupon book - Promise yourself that when she goes to redeem them - you will do what the coupon says and without complaining.

3. Cook her lunch or dinner on Mother’s Day - She won’t care if it’s just mac n’ cheese. The thought and quality time together will be meaningful enough. To take it up a notch, pack it as a picnic and go eat outdoors together.

4. Make a donation to an organization - Make a small donation $20 or less, the amount doesn’t have to be mentioned to an organization she may like. If you don’t know of one, some good general ones are The Red Cross or Doctors without Borders.

5. Take her to the movies - It’s hopefully less than $20 for the two of you, and let her pick the movie. Be open and happy to go to whichever one she wants to see. Even if you’ve already seen it.

6. Make a card with a special memory - Sometimes a card is all someone needs or wants. And a home made card is so much nicer than a store bought one because it will be personalized. Share with mom one of your favorite memories together. She will treasure it.

7. Go on a walk together - Maybe it’s a walk around the neighborhood or at a local park, but this time together will allow you to talk without distractions. Leave your cell phone at home or in the car. It’s great to catch up.

8. Call her - This one is simple but so important to mention. If you live out of town, you know a card or gift won’t get there in time. Just give her a ring and let her be the one to end the call. Don’t call and rush off.

9. Rent her favorite movie and get her favorite snack food - Spend Sunday together on the couch, watching her favorite movie and chowing down on her favorite snack food - maybe it’s a soda, candy, potato chips. It’s cheap and shows you put thought into it.

10. A great big hug and I love you - This one is as simple as the phone call. But sometimes it’s the little things we forget to do everyday that mean the most.

On the blog, Mom is Teaching, they listed a mother’s day special from Flash in the Pan.