If you find yourself overspending on Mother’s Day, you’re not alone. The average American spends close to $200 on gifts for mom. This year, with social distancing, many of us will be celebrating Mother’s Day at home. Here are a few inexpensive ways to show Mom your love and appreciation.
Give your mother a day off
Arrange for Mom to be completely free of all housework on her special day – no laundry, cooking or cleaning for her today! You can create a homemade gift card entitling her to one full day off of all household chores, and present it to Mom in the morning.
Go on a picnic
Prepare a picnic lunch! Get out a picnic blanket, some balls and Frisbees – and spend the day with the family in your backyard or at a local park (following social distancing guidelines).
Make some memories
Celebrate Mother’s Day with the most enjoyable trip of all: down memory lane. Spend some time gathering and editing home video footage of major family milestones, memorable events and vacations. Put it all together and present your gift to Mom on her special day.
On a similar note, you can give Mom the gift of priceless memories by creating a family scrapbook. Use patterned cardstock, family photos, ticket stubs and other fun mementos.
Look for bargains online
If you want to buy a gift for Mom, search for discounts online. You’ll usually be able to find excellent Mother’s Day deals on Amazon, Coach, and other major retailers, sometimes as steep as 84% off retail price.
Have a family movie night
Spend a relaxing day at home binge-watching Mom’s favorite movies together. Make popcorn and all of Mom’s favorite snacks, and get comfy on the couch. Remember: Mom is in charge of the remote! It’s her day, after all.
Look for restaurant deals
It’s always cheaper to eat your own home-cooked food, but if you want to treat mom to dinner – check online for restaurants offering Mother’s Day specials and get curbside takeout or delivery. To make dining at home extra special, set the table with a pretty tablecloth and centerpiece or Mom’s fancy china! And do the dishes for Mom after you’ve finished eating.
Save on flowers
Ordering flowers can be expensive! Save by shopping around online for the best Mother’s Day deals. Save even more by purchasing your flowers in the supermarket and arranging them in a vase, pitcher or mason jar you already have in the house.
Game night
For a fun family activity that puts the focus on Mom, turn your favorite games into Mother’s Day material. Love trivia? Put together a list of random questions about Mom’s life, hobbies and daily schedule and play a super fun game of Trivial Pursuit. Or pass around the most hilarious pictures you can find of Mom and let everyone take a stab at guessing when and where they happened. Get creative and host the family game night that Mom will always remember.
Showing Mom how much she means to you doesn’t have to strain your budget. With a bit of planning, you can give Mom some priceless memories she’ll cherish forever.
Your Turn: How will you be celebrating Mother's Day this year? Share your ideas in the comments!
