10 Fun and Frugal Father’s Day Gifts

With Father's Day fast approaching, finding a memorable gift that doesn't break the bank can be a chore. To make things easy for you, what follows are a list of Father's Day gifts that range in cost from zero to about $25. And for those fathers reading this article, you'll be happy to know that a Father's Day tie is not on the list.

1. Homemade Greeting Card: Kids just love crafts, and making a card of dad on Father's Day is a memorable time. I've kept every card my children have ever made for me, and they are worth far more than anything they could buy me. Here's a site with some great card ideas.
2. Personalized Coffee Mug: There's nothing better than taking a coffee mug to work that has been personalized by your son or daughter. Unlike that tie dad received last year, he'll use the coffee mug more than once a year. And it's nice to think of your children every time you take a sip of java. Here's a site to show you how to make a coffee mug for dad.
3. Dad Coupons: My daughter gave me a book of coupons years ago that she made. Each coupon entitled me to do some fun activity with my daughter, such as a picnic, playing basketball together and so on. One day I wanted to do something together, but she didn't feel like it. To her utter surprise, I pulled out that coupon book she'd given me years earlier and demanded that she honor one of the coupons. The smile on her face when she realized I'd kept those coupons was priceless.
4. Photo Album: Memorializing the last year in photos is a great gift idea. My wife and daughter make the most amazing albums using Creative Memories. An album on Father's Day would be a great treat. Creative memories supplies can get expensive, but frankly, any photo album will make dad's day.
5. DVDs: Movies make a great gift, and DVD's can be purchased for about $10 to $15 depending on the title. And Amazon is offering over 600 DVD titles for up to 50% off.
6. Tickets to the ballgame: Believe it or not, tickets to a major league baseball game can be had for under $25. In fact, many teams offer a package that includes a ticket, hot dog and soft drink for under $15. Of course, nobody wants to go to the game alone, which will put the total cost above $25, but it's still a reasonable cost for day at the park.
7. Books and magazines: Books are a great gift if dad loves to read and you know what types of books he likes. The same is true for a magazine subscription.
8. Xbox Games: Yes, dads like to play Xbox. Why do you think they were willing to shell out $400 at Christmas for an Xbox for junior in the first place? You can pick up used games at local game stores for reasonable prices. Make sure to buy multi-player games so the whole family can have fun.
9. Food: Dads love to eat. Buy us some good steaks for the grill and treat us to an afternoon of relaxation and barbeque and we'll be happy as can be.
10. 2008 American Eagle Silver Dollar: The U.S. Mint at West Point issues the beautiful American Eagle silver coin. The coins contain 1 ounce of silver and are sold as uncirculated or proof. You can pick up an uncirculated American Eagle for about $25 (proof coins cost about $6 more). One of the great things about this gift is that you'll never forget what year it was given.

Happy Father's Day!

Tagged as: father's day, gift ideas, holidays