Happy Friday: Frugal & Unique Birthday Gift Idea
Sent from reader, Joy:
I have a dear friend who is turning 30 this year and wanted to do something special for her. I wanted to give her 30 things for 30 years, but I am on a tight budget. Thanks to Super Collin, I have a bunch of freebies and great deal items stocked up! I received the summer bag just this week and was so excited to have it to put everything in! I can’t wait to give this to her this week!
HAPPY FRIDAY! 😀
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Love this! I am doing the same for a good friend who is going away to college 🙂 I already have about $70 worth of items that I paid only $10 for 🙂
Great idea! Where did you get the summer bag, I want one lol!
@Alexcia, the bag was from a Yves Rocher promotion Collin posted about a few weeks ago. The deal had mixed reviews as a lot of items got sold out and were substituted without Yves informing their customer’s. It was a HOT deal though.
Oh, I must have missed that. What a cute summery bag and your dear friend is gonna love it!
its true they dont send the perfume because is sold out i dont like that its not a serious people
This gives me an idea for my BFF and my Sister. Thank you and your friend is lucky to have you as a friend.
i agree !!!!!
Ha I just did the same for a friend turning 50 gave her 50 things I got free or next to free. She loved it – still talking about to this day!
Love it!
I LOVE THIS IDEA!
What a cute bag! Where did you find it?
It was free with the Yves Rocher deal a few weeks ago. I was so happy I got it before I put this together!
Nice! Great idea for when my daughter turns 20!!
My mom did something similar for her sister doing 40 gifts of 40 items. Ie: 40 jingle bells 40 pipe cleaners 40 lotto tickets 40 paper clips etc
What a great idea!
i would soo love something like this for my bday! super cool idea!
me too….
What a sweet idea!
I luv making gift bags for my family & friends for any occasion!
Cute idea!
I remember once watching Colllin’s video and it was about a big basket she had out for her guest with all the sample items and travel items she got from her couponing. Welll I took that idea and ran with it. But soon my basket began to overflow and I did not know what to do so I began, first wrapping items around the bows or using the sample items to creat a cute bow for any given occassion that required a gift. Then this past vacation we had, I stored up all my samples and we used them in our vacation from shampoos, too sunblock. I brought along with me four cute clear cosmetic bags that I found at bath and body on sale for 1.75 filled with a sponge all I had to do was add for each one of us our shampoos, lotion and sunblock, plus toothpaste. I was so happy I had thought of this. It neatly tucked away in our luggage. There was no spills or big bottles to worry about. Because we used it all we didn’t have to worry about excess spills on the way home.
Thanks Collin for all your ideas and for helping us save money God bless you!
Perfect timing! Right before this post came, I learned it was a friend’s 37th birthday and she was having an awful day. I was trying to figure out what to do for her birthday and to cheer her up. Then the post came. It took awhile to come up with 37 items but we did it! It’s great fun for the person to pull item after item after item out of the bag to see what’s next.
cool
such a good idea! i know i would love to get something like this!
I’m just wondering something… I do enjoy giving great frugal gifts, but am I the only one who would feel wierd giving “sample” products away as a gift? Maybe it’s just me. I’m not trying to be rude, I really am asking if I’m the only one who feels that way?
Agree… I love getting people something great that maybe I couldn’t have afforded, but was able to due to a super deal. But just for me personally, would not gift someone free samples.
She did say “great deal items” so I don’t think it was entirely free samples…look at the picture… a few bath and body works items, candle, gum, not pad…the bag you had to pay something in order to get it. It wasn’t all freebies.
I know they aren’t ALL samples, and I think she really did put a lovely gift together. I was just stating that giving “sample” products as gifts isn’t something I do and I was wondering if I was alone in my thinking. I often re-gift items I get for free or I get a great deal on, so I have nothing against what she was doing. 🙂
Depends the way you package and present the present. For example I did a Lollip with stics and put a sample of each kind. Placed it on the front of the box and inside I gave her free prints I recieved for FREE with a picture frame I got from the dollar store. She loved it as a matter fact she came back and asked me were she could buy one of the samples she tried on the stick. So I strongly believe it is all in the packing and the way you present it.
Getting a product free because of a deal is not the same thing as a free sample (think, “sample – not for resale ” all over it). The question was about free samples.
And again…there were only a few samples in all the 30 items…sheesh!
It is the individuals preference however you want to look at it Dawn, what you think is tacky some one else thinks it is a genuine idea, and as an attorney I very well know the difference between a sample and a product; and as I stated once more to clarify that every individual can think just depends how big your box is in your thinking capabilities! The free sample which obviously are not for resale “Of Course,”that is first grade intelligence; what I stated that she wanted to know since she tried the product where she could purchase it since she was not aware that lotion existing till she tried a sample! As a refresher course to give you detailed information the free product where the prints; I purchased a photo buck and was offered free prints which I used it for my friend made pictures of her and I. On top of it to add to the detail I even added more samples and free products inside. It is everyones preference. My goodness!
No, I would not give samples as a gift either but in this case it’s fine. There are nice items mixed in and it’s a theme. 30 things for 30 years. It’s a thoughtful gift that took much longer to put together then going to the mall and buying something.
Its not about the samples, think of a way they can use them. For example I gave my Pastor’s wife a cosmetic bag with a sample hand lotion, small kleenax, lipbalm, and a small bath and body spray I got for free. The cosmetic bag was for free by target. I placed all the items neatly in their and decorated with a nice card attached, and a mint hanging. She loved it was a small token of appreciation to say happy mothers day. Till this day she carries the cosmetic bag in her purse. I believe it is all in the way you present the gift and decorated not necessarily the samples.
I agree Jen. I do think it’s very thoughtful and I love giving free samples away to friends and family who can use and appreciate them but not in the form of an actual “gift.” I think it’s great to give sample bags/baskets for students going to college etc. but would feel wierd giving an entire gift of free sample items for a birthday or Christmas gift.
well knowing me I would probably hide something gold inside …like a 14 k gold earrings /60 – 100 usd / on a top of that all just 2 be on a safe side…lol
i love the idea but …like a real gift ?? is missing ……
I think this is an awesome idea. I would love getting something like this on my birthday. Even if they are all free samples it is the thought that counts. What a great idea!
I think so too. I will be really happy if someone give me like that.
But have to get 45 !!! things for me!
yves rocher did not send me my perfume because it was sold out
🙁 I’m sorry, Claudia. I’ll have to say the perfume I did receive is not my favorite.
Wow, I didn’t think giving a gift to someone would cause such a controversy with people. This friend and I rarely exchange gifts and rarely see each other, so I thought it a nice gesture for her 30th birthday to be a bit creative. She LOVED the gift. I actually had a few more items than in the picture (a shaving bottle from Walgreens, bag of chocolate, Scentsy item, and Victoria Secret lotion). I guess I’m thankful for friends who don’t think twice about how much I may have spent on them, but the thought I put into putting it together. (30 things is actually kind of difficult to come up with!) I appreciate everyone’s comments. I thought it was a good photo to submit to a “frugal coupon blog” but apparently some of you thought otherwise.
Joy, like I said before… I do think it’s a lovely gift and thoughtful. I wasn’t trying to start an argument about it. We all have different outlooks on things, so I was just wondering if I was alone in my thinking. I know if I received a gift like that I would be overwhelmed by the time and effort you put into it. You’re a good friend!
Please don’t take these comments the wrong way. It’s a super thoughtful and creative gift!! You are a really great friend to take so much time and effort in putting this together for your friend 🙂 🙂 🙂 The “30” for 30 years idea is very creative!
Joy there is no controversery so great or small as a pin that doesn’t come out with some great perspective. I did get some wonderful ideas from this sight and that is what I take from it. Everyone else will always have a different look and opnion and that is all they are opnions. What you do with them is up to you. I read, learn and disseminate information accordingly to what I need and delete all the content out of my mind that I find unneccessary or incorrect. This sight is a wonderful sight to broaden your horizon. Don’t let a few perks ruffle your feathers 😉 !