5 ways to celebrate Mother’s Day on a budget.
Celebrating Mother’s Day when you don’t have a lot to spend can seem like an impossible task, but while you may not be able to give your mum, or your children’s mum the world, there are still ways in which you can make sure that they feel special.
Here at Mad About Money Official we like to make life easier for you, so we have put together 5 thoughtful (and cheap) ways to celebrate Mother’s Day on a budget.
Go for homemade
Homemade cards and gifts are great for any mum, no matter your age, and will be something that she will treasure and keep forever. Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok are full of ideas, so do some research and choose something your mum will love.
Some of our favourite ideas are;
· Make scented candles
· Make bath fizzers
· Bake a cake
· Knit a scarf
· Crochet a glasses case or hot water bottle cover
· Make a ‘Things to do with Mummy’ jar – Fill a jar with fun activities for mum and child to do throughout the year
· Make coupons for mum to redeem throughout the year – helping with chores, driving her somewhere, cooking dinner etc
· Make a family memory book – ask each family member to write their favourite memories of mum in it, add photos and keepsakes.
Get her something to grow
Instead of buying a bunch of flowers at over-inflated prices, why not buy the seeds of her favourite flowers, plants or vegetables, which she can plant and grow. A lasting present, which costs just a couple of pounds. Upcycle an old plant pot – you could ask on your local marketplace groups on Facebook if anyone has any to give away for free, but you will still be able to pick a decent pot up for a fraction of the price of a brand new one, and she then has somewhere to grow the seeds.
If flowers seem too small, why not plant a tree? A great gift for any mum who loves wildlife and the woods, The Woodland Trust have a dedication gift service where you can choose a woodland in the UK and a tree for a suggested donation of £20. Your mum will receive a personalised certificate, map and wood information sheet. The National Trust also have a plant a tree fund, where they ask for donations, starting from just £5. They are hoping to have planted and established over 20 million trees by 2030.
There is currently no certificate with this one, and you won’t know where the tree has been planted, but it is a really cheap way to help the National Trust and a great gift to give to an eco-conscious mum.
Check out the charity shops
More and more people are turning to charity shops to source presents as the cost of living crisis carries on. Not only are stores a great way for you to save money, but they are also full of weird and wonderful gifts.
Bags, scarves, books, vases… charity shops often have some amazing gifts for mum, and often brand new, so make sure you hit the charity shops before any other stores to save some £££’s and help a worthwhile cause.
Make her dinner
And breakfast and lunch too…
Instead of booking a restaurant, get the kids involved and cook a meal at home. You can keep costs low by shopping the yellow sticker aisles, taking advantage of in-store offers, using store apps and by planning what you are going to be cooking and sticking to your list. For more ideas on how to save on your shopping, check out our ‘How do I save money at the supermarket’ post.
If the weather allows, why not pack up a picnic instead and head to the park, a National Trust place or the beach.
Give her the gift of peace and quiet
New mums and mums with younger children may love a day, or at the very least a few hours ‘off’ from mum duties.
Start the day by giving her a lie-in, followed by breakfast in bed, and then take the kids off for a few hours to the park or soft play (or to visit their Granny) and let mum enjoy some time alone. When you come back, make sure there is something tasty to eat for a nice family dinner – which she won’t need to cook.
If Mother’s Day is more of a whole family day, seeing both sets grandparents and older siblings and family, book a weekend in the coming weeks for mum to have some time for herself instead… perhaps making it a regular thing!