Cheap, DIY Mothers Day gift ideas to try today

An anime maid girl offers up a red rose.

You love your mother but don't love spending money. Try one of these cheap, DIY Mother's Day gift ideas! (Photo Credit: CC BY-SA/Kasuga/Wikipedia)

Mother’s Day is almost here, and you don’t have a present. You also don’t have much money, but you’re crafty. Why not try one of these cheap, DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas? Remember, it’s the thought that counts.

Smell your way to potpourri

Homemade potpourri is a great, cheap way to remind mom that when it comes to love, she comes out smelling like a rose. To make a bowl for mom, pick and dry flowers, roots, fruit peels, plants and more that compliment your image of her as a scent-being. Dry them by hanging them outdoors on string or by placing the items on a sweater dryer screen. Ideally, the drying area should be dark. In a pinch, it is possible to do this in a microwave, provided you’re careful not to overdo it. If the smell isn’t quite enough, add some essential oil.

Once the potpourri smells the way you want it to, you’ll need a container. A jar or bowl will do nicely.

Scrub away the tension

Another cheap, DIY Mother’s Day gift she’s sure to love is bath salts. Buy salt from the supermarket, even mix different types for visual appeal. Add essential oils or food extracts for scent and food coloring for added visual interest. Put it all in a decorative jar – it can even be a dressed up jar you have around the house – and there you have it. While you’re at it, draw mom’s bath for her, and set out her favorite book.

Feed her sweet fruit

Aside from the allergic minority and a few odd apples, who doesn’t love chocolate-covered strawberries? Sure, you can have these made professionally and delivered, but that can get expensive. If you’re good in the kitchen, why not melt some baking chocolate, dip some plump strawberries into the tasty goo, then store on a baking tray in the refrigerator? Add candy sprinkles if you like.

Buy her groceries

Mom is like anyone else without a 24/7 wait staff. Eventually, she’ll have to buy groceries. Do her shopping trip for her, even if you’re only buying generics to save cash. She’ll appreciate your effort and having food in the refrigerator.

Labor intensive, low cost

Another practical gift you can give mom for Mother’s Day is a nice house cleaning. For the most part, it only requires a mop, broom, sponge, soap, water and elbow grease. Perhaps some furniture polish will also be necessary. This saves mom time and effort, both of which she’ll appreciate.

Mix up her laundry detergent

Sure, you can make up bath salts to help treat mom’s skin. But what about her clothes? Take two cups of grated soap, a cup of Borax and a cup of washing soda. Mix it together and you can create a cheap, DIY Mother’s Day laundry detergent. If you want to experiment more here or with any of the other ideas listed above, there are recipes aplenty online.