Cheap Christmas gift ideas 2017

Christmas is almost upon us, and that means hitting the shops to buy presents for everyone from Uncle Jim to your new baby niece.

If you're looking for good, cheap Christmas gift ideas for your friends and family, then you've come to the right place. Here are a few ideas from loveMONEY to get you started.

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Gifts for free

Mixed CDs/online playlists: This is a nice thoughtful present for friends and family that is really easy to make and will cost you nothing if you have a few spare blank CDs lying around or have a streaming service that allows you to share playlists.

It's a great way to introduce loved ones to some new music or make them smile with some of their favourite tunes.

Cash in on loyalty schemes: Make the most of all those points you’ve saved up over the year using loyalty schemes and use your points to buy some gifts.

Search out a free gift: Community websites like Freegle, Freecycle and SnaffleUp encourage people to give away things they no longer need, anything from furniture and electrical goods to baby gear and bicycles. Sign up and root around for something that would make a good gift.

Free gifts from cashback: Cashback websites like Quidco or TopCashback can make you money as you spend all year round as well as on your Christmas gifts. As well as earning cashback on your Christmas shopping you could use some of the money you've already earned to ease the cost of Christmas.

Time vouchers: If you have friends or family that could do with your help babysitting or renovating you could offer your services with some vouchers for your time, redeemable throughout the year or within a month.

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Stocking filler gifts

Three for two: Got a lot of people to buy for? Make the most of the three for two deals around at the moment to keep your costs down.

Boots and Very are known for these deals and have plenty on over the festive period. For example, you could get a No7 Youthful Skincare Collection (£20), a VTech Grow with Me Doll (£30), and a Jack Wills Gym Gift Set (£20) for just £50, saving you £20.

Cosmetic bargains: There are a whole host of sweet-smelling and beautifying bargains available on deep discount sites like Fragrance Direct and Cosmetics Fairy.

You can get a L'Oreal Infallible Mega Lip Gloss for just 99p (saving £6) from Cosmetics Fairy, or save £35 on Calvin Klein CK BE by buying it for £23.95 from Fragrance Direct.

Sporty gifts: For the sporty people in your life, check out Decathlon for low-cost practical equipment, accessories and clothes. These Golf Balls are just £3.99 and this kettlebell is just £9.99. For cheap designer brands head to Sports Direct, where you can get this Arsenal boot bag for £4.75.

Sexy gifts: What could be a better stocking filler than some lingerie? Check out ASOS, Myla, Bravissimo, or FigLeaves online to get your hands on some super sexy items, without having to brave the high street. You could go for this Wacoal lace chemise for £15.60, saving £36.

Kitchen gifts: When it comes to kitchen gifts, don’t disregard the almighty online behemoth that is Amazon. Who could resist these four festive cookie cutters for just £3.59? Or these Star Wars R2D2 and BB8 salt and pepper shakers for £8.99?  

For gadgets to help in the kitchen make sure you read the best and worst kitchen gadgets from our sister site loveFOOD. The gadget that comes highly recommended is the Egg-Perfect timer from Lakeland that only costs £6.59.

Miscellaneous bargains: Before looking for bargains on eBay, visit fat fingers – a site which sources items listed on eBay with spelling mistakes. These often have fewer bids as fewer people can find them. Perfect for bargain stocking fillers! Read more in 28 eBay buying tips, tricks and tools.

The gift that keeps on giving: Why limit your festive generosity to Christmas Day? For fans of the short-form, there are plenty of magazine subscription deals out there. Try Magazines Direct or buysubscriptions.com.

You can save 39% on Cycling Plus magazine by taking out a six-month subscription for £19.99. Or you could team a digital subscription with the new iPad or smartphone they’ve asked for this Christmas. How about a year-long digital subscription to Decanter magazine for £33.99?

If you're out on the high street, pop in to WHSmith and check out the vast range of magazine subscriptions available there too.  

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Give an experience

Days out have become a very popular gift idea – with companies like Red Letter Days, and Virgin Experience Days offering a host of wild, wacky or relaxing experiences.

However, these tend to cost an arm and a leg, so why not create your own ‘experience day’ to give as a gift instead?

Build it around what your loved one enjoys doing, and go with them for some quality time together as well.

For example, if your loved one likes a tipple you could take them on a brewery tour for £20. Or petrol heads would surely love the chance to drive a Aston Martin V8 Vantage for £39?

Daily deal sites like Groupon and Treatwell are also handy if you want to save money on experience gifts.

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Cheap Christmas gifts for her

For posh perfume and luxury makeup brands, there are several specialist comparison sites that will check prices at the big retailers and tell you where you can get the one you want at the best price. Try FragrancesCompared and CheapPerfumeExpert for starters.

If you’re after make-up and hair products as well, check out FeelUnique. The firm offers luxury brands at discounted prices and has free UK delivery on orders over £15.

Anyone who needs to buy a lot of beauty presents – or buys a lot for themselves the rest of the year – should take a look at Beauty Pie. This members-only site costs £10 a month to join then you get access to rock-bottom prices on luxury beauty products from eye shadow to face cream.

You can spend up to £100 a month, but rather than pay retail prices your money just covers the manufacturing costs, not the mark-up.

For example, you might get a £30 foundation for £4.95. The products are all unbranded, but rumours are that you are getting some seriously expensive brands without the labels. 

If you’re buying for a fashionista, theoutnet.com is a great place to look for gorgeous designer clothes at rock-bottom prices.

Or if you are sick of hunting around all of the shops for the perfect gift Shopstyle is a website that will save you trawling if you have something in mind. Search for a black dress for example and it will bring up all the black dresses available in all the high street, catalogues and luxury shops.

But if she is more vintage vixen than high street honey you can avoid the dank, oddly-scented second-hand shops and get hold of something unique online. There are a number of great websites like Rokit and Beyond Retro.

You can mix and match with a variety of sellers on ASOS Marketplace, like novelty jewellery from Tangerine Dream or pretty handmade pieces from Fashion Tales.

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Cheap Christmas gifts for him

For the boys, cut out the novelty and see if you can get something luxurious for less from House of Fraser, like these stylish cufflinks for £18.

For gadgets take a look at MenKind. You can get these Golf Ball Finder Glasses for £9.99 or try this handy Whistle Key Finder for £3.99.

Cheap Christmas gifts for children

The real thrill of Christmas giving comes from kids racing down the stairs on Christmas day to open their presents.

A Lego set is a pretty safe option if you want to impress little ones. The Hut, Smyth’s Toys, and Hamleys have good ranges for all ages.

You can get a LEGO City: Jungle Cargo Helicopter for just £14.99 at The Hut.

This Instant Air Hockey set for £9.99 from Prezzybox will keep them amused for hours.

Or you could get them one (or more) Make Your Own Landmark craft kits for £3.95 from the dotcomgiftshop. They feature the Taj Mahal, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower and the UK's own Big Ben.

For kids that have their heart set on pricey games and machines like the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One or PlayStation 4, look at bundle offers or look for pre-owned games and consoles in shops like CeX and Game.

You can also head over to Argos which often runs toy promotions or Amazon where you can find great deals. Alternatively, try eBay or second-hand sites like Gumtree and Preloved. Just make sure that the sellers are legitimate and remember that if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  

Foodie gifts

Let’s be honest, most home-cooked gifts are not to be attempted by the time-poor or the kitchen-phobic. However, some foodie-inspired presents are really easy and cheap to make. So if you’re no Jamie Oliver, what about these:

Chocolates in a mug: Buy a nice mug, fill it with chocolates (Quality Street are perfect because they’re colourful and wrapped), pop cellophane around the whole thing and tie with some ribbon.

Jar of nostalgia: For the little kid in the adults you know – buy a big glass jar and fill it with the sweets of their youth. Jawbreakers and sherbet fountain anyone?

Cookie mix jar: Pint-sized relatives really like this sort of DIY cookery kit. In a nutshell, get all the dry ingredients for making cookies and layer them in a glass jar. Tie a pretty bow around the top and present with instructions on what they need to add, and what they need to do, to complete the recipe. It should end up looking something like this.

Recipe scrapbook: If your loved one likes to cook, you could make him or her a recipe scrapbook of their favourite recipes as well as some new ones to try out.

All you have to do is gather up all the scribbled recipes they have lying around, and collate them in a big attractive scrapbook or specially made recipe binder/folder. For some new recipe inspiration check out loveFOOD.

Creative hamper: Getting a basket and filling it with thoughtful foodie bits can make a great gift. It doesn’t have to be your standard chutneys, jams and biscuits either. If you know someone who loves spicy food you could make a chilli-inspired basket full of a selection of hot sauces, some chilli chocolate and chilli oil.

Photo and graphic gifts

A nice simple gift for friends and family is to get some photos developed and present them in a nice album from somewhere like Paperchase or a cool frame from Not on the High Street.

When getting photos developed, it’s often cheaper to do it online. Generally, the more you print, the cheaper it gets.

If you’re a new customer, websites like to draw you in with a wad of free prints. Snapfish is one of the cheapest places to go and at the moment you can get 50 free photo prints a month (although you'll pay £2.99 delivery) if you download the Snapfish app.

And if you want to go the extra mile you can use your digital snaps to make personalised gifts. These days you can get your pictures turned into anything from mouse mats and mugs to chopping boards and iPhone cases!

Unique arts-and-crafty gifts

You can have a lot of fun making things at home for your friends and family. And what’s more crafting a gift yourself is more affordable, personal and unique.

You could try baking some cupcakes, making a bracelet or even painting a picture.

Check out Easy homemade Christmas presents and decorations for some hints and tips.

Alternatively, if you’re running out of time try getting a unique homemade gift from Folksy, an online market-place for crafty folk.

It stocks everything from jewellery and homeware to book-binding and metalwork and they have a section on gifts for under £10 like a black cat lino print for £8 or these wooden hot air balloon earrings for £8.50. Similar websites include DeWanda and Etsy.

Home and garden gifts

Home and garden gifts can be fun and useful.

For helpful gifts for around the home, Robert Dyas is a good place to look, while Not on the High Street has some affordable gardening treats for the green-fingered folk in your life.

Elsewhere, Urban Outfitters has a varied range of homeware items like these elephant tea mugs for £12.

Oliver Bonas also has some gems. This Estella mini bowl only costs £7. 

Zara Home has a big range of frames, boxes and vases that will suit anyone’s taste.

Entertainment gifts

DVDs, CDs, books or games are sure to go down well with just about anyone you have to buy a gift for.

You can compare prices using Find-DVD, Find-Book, Find-Game or Find-CD to find the best deals on what you want to get.

New releases in time for Christmas include Captain Underpants, Baby Driver and Doctor Who Shada.

This article has been updated from an earlier version.