It’s graduation season and that means gift-giving to celebrate the graduate and all their hard work. If you are looking for the perfect graduation gift, but are short on funds, no worries, I’ve got you covered. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to find the perfect gift. Here are some insanely popular graduation gift ideas that will fit any budget. You’re sure to be their new favorite!
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1. Tapestry
Do a quick search of dorm room decorating ideas and you will see a tapestry in nearly every photo. These are incredibly popular among college dorm rooms and almost considered a necessity. Even if your college student isn’t living in the dorm, tapestries are very popular among the college crowd for decorating bedrooms and apartments. You can find them here on Amazon for under $20.00. You will be able to give your graduate a gift they’re sure to use and love without breaking your budget.
2. Hanging Lights
When you look at dorm room decorating ideas and graduate apartments, the other thing you’ll see in each photo is a set of hanging lights. These are possibly even more popular than the tapestry and they’re sure to be a favorite gift. Actual Christmas lights tend to be more popular with the guys. Again, these hanging lights are also very popular with college students for decorating bedrooms and apartments.
3. Decorative Pillows
College students love to be comfortable while doing their studying. Most college students, when not in class or the library, spend most of their time in their bed, having some comfortable and decorative pillows are sure to be a hit. This, not so subtle, reminder to call home is a top pick!
4. Flash Drive
Today a computer laptop is a necessity. Flash drives are a necessary part of computer requirements and somehow they always seem to be misplaced.
You can make this a super personalized gift by picking a flash drive that represents something your graduate is really into. There are so many choices these days, you can find one to fit any personality, just do a quick search for novelty flash drives on Amazon. This multi-purpose pen and flash drive is a perfect gift for your graduate.
5. Cell Phone Wallet Case.
Most colleges require your graduate to carry their ID with them at all times. These cell phone wallet cases are perfect gifts, there is a little slot for their ID and money without having to worry about carrying around a lot of extra stuff. These minimalist wallets are also hugely popular today!
6. Gift Cards
Honestly, you cannot go wrong with a gift card for a graduate. They are always short on funds and they really appreciate those gift cards. Some ideas would be:
Their favorite food place, think Chipotle, Chik-fil-a
Starbucks
Frozen Yogurt
Movies
iTunes
Amazon – you can’t go wrong with an Amazon card, they can use it for anything.
7. Portable Battery Charger
With all the electronics required today, this is such a practical gift that will be sure to get lots of use. In no time a portable battery charger will be their favorite gift.
8. Snack Basket
No matter the meal plan your college student may have at school, late-night study sessions are sure to bring on the munchies, put together a snack basket filled with their favorite healthy snacks. You can even purchase pre-made snack baskets. The nice thing about snack baskets it that they are consumable and you don’t have to worry about them having the room or creating clutter.
9. Bluetooth Speaker
This is a very popular item among graduates. Most graduates listen to their music on their phones these days, having a portable speaker is sure to be on their current wish list. You can find these speakers ranging in various price points. This one here sells for a little over $20.
10. Kindle Unlimited Subscription
A Kindle Unlimited Subscription is a great gift for your graduate. Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service that gives you access to more than one million titles and thousands of audio books.
It can be used on any device, and the recipient does not need to have a kindle. Kindle Unlimited gives you the freedom to explore new genres and discover new authors.
It’s available for $9.99 a month and you can cancel anytime. You can try it free for 30 days.
Click here to give Kindle Unlimited as a gift.
If your graduate doesn’t have a kindle and your budget allows it, the kindle paperwhite is awesome. It’s made specifically for reading. It has a built-in reading light and the battery charge lasts for days not hours.
11. Shower Caddy & First Aid Kit
Okay, these bonus gift ideas are more practical than fun. However, if your graduate is going to be living in a dorm room, they will need a shower caddy. This is a really useful gift. You can make it a little more fun by filling it with some inexpensive flip-flops for the shower, a towel, soap or body wash, and shampoo and conditioner. The perfect gift for under $20.00.
The truth is that one of the first things that college kids will share is germs. Living in close-quarter dorm rooms, many college kids find themselves coming down with more colds than they ever have before. Why not help them be prepared with an emergency kit. Include emergen-c or airborne, some cough drops, tissues as well as the traditional band-Aids and first aid ointment.
12. A Weekender Bag
Okay, let’s be real, this gift is just as much for you as your graduate. You know you want them to come to visit! This weekender bag is perfect for those little breaks when they get a chance to come home! But your graduate will love this bag as well because it’s perfect for the little weekend trips they will take!
I hope this list got your graduation gift ideas flowing and helps you find that perfect graduation gift. Is there anything you would add to the list? Share your ideas in the comments!
