14 College Care Package Ideas for All Budgets (Some are FREE!)
Need college care package ideas? We’re sharing options for all budgets!
There’s no better feeling for your student than getting one of these college care packages – and we’ve got ideas for every budget!
Don’t miss these college sales & deals and our 2025 college dorm room essentials checklist!
Here are college gift box ideas, and they require little to no effort:
1. Gift a huge snack box perfect for the college kid who loves snacks and candy.
Snack Box Care Package, 120 Count – $69.95
This snack kit is packed with 120 of their favorite snacks and candy. So, if you’re crunched for time and have been wondering what to put in a college care package, you’ll be happy to know it already gathers the top snack picks for you. Best of all, it ships free with Amazon Prime!
2. BattlBox is filled with goodies that will encourage outdoorsy adventures.
BattlBox – $39.99+
If your college student is the outdoorsy type, consider surprising them with a Battlbox. They’ll get a box full of useful items curated for all their outdoor adventures away from home, whether they’re into hiking, camping, hunting, or fishing. Subscription boxes start at $34.99 plus shipping, or choose one of the ready-made gift boxes to send.
3. A GQ box is filled with products any guy is sure to appreciate.
GQ Quarterly Subscription Box $59+
Use code GQSALE for 50% off your first box
Plus, get two freebies – no code needed
Final cost just $29.50 + a FREE swimsuit & Palo Santo kit SHIPPED
A GQ box is one of our favorite splurges for guys. In fact, it’s a monthly service that delivers men’s accessories and products, so it’s a great gift for college students who are just starting to build a more professional aesthetic. Moreover, this men’s lifestyle subscription box is guaranteed to have a $200+ value, and right now, their current summer box is packed with over $300 worth of premium men’s products—including grooming, apparel, lifestyle accessories, and more—all thoughtfully curated by GQ editors.
4. Therabox is the best college care package idea to encourage self-care during stressful times.
TheraBox Self-Care Box – $37.99+ per month
College can be stressful. Help your kiddo make self-care a priority! A Therabox makes a considerate care package gift for college students. Inside each therapist-curated box is 1 happiness activity and 7 full-size self-care products. Each box is designed to promote wellness and is valued at around $200! Buy a single box for $39.99 or sign your student up for a subscription. They have plans starting at just $35.99 a month.
5. BirchBox sends tons of trendy beauty products each month.
BirchBox – $22+ month
The popular BirchBox subscription boxes are filled with beauty products specifically curated for your college kiddo! Simply take a quiz, filling out questions about your hair, skin, and style preferences. Each month, you’ll have the option to customize from a wide assortment of makeup and skincare products. You can even choose if you want deluxe samples or full-sized products, and choose how frequently you want deliveries. From there, your college student will enjoy this gift, starting at just $22/month for an annual membership.
6. The Walmart Beauty Box is the most affordable beauty box on the market at under $7 shipped.
Walmart Beauty Box – $6.98
Walmart also sells a fun subscription box full of beauty and personal care items. When you register your college student for a membership, they’ll get a new box every season (four per year) for just $6.98 shipped! If you need cheap college care package ideas, this is one of the best bangs for your buck!
Hip Tip: Read the perks of having a Walmart+ membership and see how your college student could benefit, too.
7. Gift cards will always be appreciated by any college student.
Discounted Gift Cards – Any price!
Gift cards are great alternatives to college care packages, and it’s easy to control the budget with this option, too. Even better, you can ship a gift card for much less than it costs to send a big box of goodies!
Consider this “open-when” gift box idea that our Hip Sidekick, Angela, shared…
“I did an Open When Box with gift cards or letters in each envelope. My daughter loved it and it felt more intentional and personal sending them to her this way rather than just giving her money or plain gift cards.” – Angela, Hip Sidekick
*Note that some colleges don’t allow gift cards to be used if the restaurant is on campus. Be sure to check the gift card details or contact the school to find out more.
8. Harry’s Shave Club is a subscription box that college guys and even the gals will appreciate.
Harry’s Shave Club Starter Set – $8 (reg. $10)
Imagine your college student’s surprise when they have to buy razors for the first time and they realize how expensive they are. Now imagine their gratitude when free razors just show up in the mail! For $8, you can send the ultimate starter kit from Harry’s Shave Club.
Then, keep the subscription going with shipments as low as $16.15 and cancel at any time! When it comes to college care package ideas, practical gifts are definitely the most appreciated.
9. Cheryl’s Cookies will be a great late-night study snack they’ll never tire of.
Cheryl’s Cookies Sampler Boxes – $14.99+
The Cheryl’s Cookies boxes are a delicious way to treat your college kiddo. Their buttercream-frosted cookies are going to be the perfect late-night snack. The only thing they may not love about this college care package idea is trying to hide them from hungry roommates.
Bookmark our Cheryl’s Cookies free shipping post to know when the next promos are happening!
10. A college survival kit can be affordably put together using Dollar Tree items.
College Survival Kit – $1.25 per item
Make an affordable College Survival Kit! Fill a basket with Dollar Tree items that the recipient will both love and need. Hop over to our college survival kit post to get some ideas for what to put in your kit and download our FREE printable card.
11. Affirmation cards will comfort them on the hard days.
Mindful Affirmations, 52 Cards – $22.39 (reg. $28.99)
A pack of affirmation cards may be the gift they didn’t know they needed—especially during the rollercoaster of college life. Between exams, social pressures, and homesickness, a daily dose of encouragement can be a powerful anchor. Tuck a set of beautifully designed affirmation cards into their care package to remind them of their strength, worth, and potential.
Check out these FREE College Care Package ideas:
1. Make your own sample box using freebies you’ve scored through Hip2Save.
Start setting aside all of those freebies you’ve been scoring from couponing and following our freebies posts. If you’ve been following Hip2Save for a while now, you may already have a stash of freebies in your stockpile! Use them to make your college student a hand-selected beauty or snack box, and pay only the cost of shipping it out to them.
2. Mail them a handwritten card expressing your love for them and simply to say how proud you are.
College students love getting mail of any kind – and it doesn’t have to come in a box! For the cost of a postage stamp, which you likely already have on hand, you can send your love in a handwritten letter, homemade card, or even a postcard to brighten your college student’s day. Get younger siblings and other family members in on the act, and stuff their mailbox full of good cheer with multiple messages on the same day!
3. Make a campus visit to spend the day with them.
The gift of time simply can’t be beaten, and all this gift will require is your time and energy to spend some quality time with them. If you’re close with your college kiddo, they’ll love spending the day showing you around campus, grabbing a bite to eat at their favorite spot, or doing something together that will give them a reset before heading back to campus.
To save on the cost of eating out, you could even pack a lunch and do a picnic nearby, and bring along games you already have to connect. We recommend giving them a heads-up that you’re coming if you think they could be caught off guard. 😉
Don’t miss these 100+ college student discounts!
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