By Brendan Clementz

At this time of April, my family celebrates many birthdays in quick succession, which, now that I’ve committed to buying gifts for my siblings, has begun seriously draining what savings I have. For those who wish to save their money as much as possible while still getting something for a loved one, here are some ideas for gifts that mean a lot while costing just a little.

The Lost Art of the Mixtape

Although not nearly as commonplace a practice as it was a few decades ago, mixtapes and, in particular, CD mixtapes were a great way to share music and a thoughtful gift. 

“It’s not just an economic decision,” Bob Parks, Rock and Roll History teacher, said. “The fact that it’s not a purchase as much as it is something that you are making for somebody makes it more sentimental right away, because you’re putting your labor, time, consideration into it.” 

It’s still very possible to create CD mixtapes with blank CDs available for purchase at low prices in office supply stores with a simple label in marker scrawled on the surface, although there’s a slight barrier of entry when it comes to actually putting the mixtape together. For one thing, you’ll need a computer that can accept CDs, which many modern computers don’t accommodate. The tentative solution to this can be to head to a library computer, many of which still have these capabilities. For more information on how to properly burn music files onto a CD, check out this website. 

Pictures and Frames to Go With

Pictures are a moment captured forever frozen in time, and are also a great sentimental gift for others. Printing out a picture is simple enough, since many stores offer printing services online for pickup, but the next step is to give it a frame to go in. Many concepts exist online for DIY picture frames, although some ideas for wooden frames can cost quite a bit — although less expensive than the store bought variety — so you’ll need to commit to it. 

Getting it Cheap, Giving a Lot

What if you’ve got practically no money, or you’re unsure what to get someone else? Forget window shopping and pay visits to thrift stores and dollar stores. In thrift stores, there’s no telling what potential gifts you can find for others, from books to customized glassware to hidden gems of clothes.

Of course, always make sure you choose wisely when buying from a thrift store. For every perfect gift, there’s always something that your recipient wouldn’t want. Stay in tune and observant of what the person you’re buying for would want or need and be on the lookout for it. “I go through every aisle, looking for specific brands looking for them,” Angie Bixler, parent of Bellbrook senior Summer Bixler, said. Keeping brand names in mind may help you find more reliable items, and therefore gifts.

In the same vein, dollar stores are cheap and offer all sorts of probable presents, with the added benefit of being typically brand-new in comparison to thrift store articles. Items like mugs and candles can be found in many dollar stores, and arts and crafts supplies are also available often in case you would like to make something DIY like a homemade card, for example. Senior Jordan Frantz suggests collecting fun dollar store items into a sentimental gift basket for friends.

At the end of the day, what you give as a gift to someone will likely be unique to you and your relationship to the person you are gifting it to. Whatever gift you give, no matter the price, will be important to them as long as you make sure to give it thought.