Gift-giving is a form of showing appreciation and gratitude. It’s a method of letting the other person know just how much they’ve affected our lives and how grateful we are to have them. Obviously, this mindset applies to our family, friends, loved ones, etc. But sometimes, giving a gift to an employee, a coworker, or even a business partner can be just as fulfilling. Not only are we showing them gratitude, but we’re also reinforcing our prior business relationship. In fact, we might even be raising it to the next level if the gifts are decent enough.
Of course, gifts tend to be pricey. Some brands opt for really cheap items, but those tend to be of poor quality, so they create the opposite effect of what they want to do. Is there a way of getting a nice batch of gifts without spending too much money? Well, yes, there is, and this article will list some of the best budget-friendly gift ideas that entrepreneurs may want to consider.
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List of the Best Low-Cost Thank You Gift Ideas
Daily Journals
Employees, much like employers, need to plan their days out. They need a good, analogue place to fill in all of those workdays, meetings, seminars, etc. Alternatively, maybe they simply need a neat little notebook to jot down poetry, jokes, aphorisms, or even to doodle when they’re not doing anything.
No matter the end result, they will definitely love getting a nice little daily journal as a gift. Daily journals don’t have to be hard-cover, leather-bound notebooks. They can be tiny, soft-cover, and contain fewer pages than a typical journal. In fact, such small items will have a bit of charm to them, adding to the appeal.
Morse Code Bracelets
Broadly speaking, bracelets are a cool gift idea. They don’t take up a lot of room, plus we can style them any way we see fit. They can be incredibly low-cost as well, depending on the material.
Naturally, lots of companies are already doing the typical nametag bracelet trend. So, what we can do is spice things up with a Morse code bracelet. This item will spell out someone’s name or a specific word in Morse code. And the employees don’t need to be blind to appreciate the gesture, either.
Handmade Metal Bookmarks
Lots of our employees are avid readers, and one tool that every reader needs is a bookmark. We will cover several bookmark options in this list alone, and they all have one common trait. Namely, they are durable, long-lasting, and quite creative. In short, they offer a lot more than a simple cardboard bookmark.
This entry, in particular, deals with thin, handmade metal creations that will help our employees remember what chapter they were on. Not only are these bookmarks inexpensive, but they also come in beautiful, intricate designs.
Insulator Sleeves
Insulator sleeves have been gaining popularity over the past decade. Lots of employees like to drink their coffee or tea fresh, and “fresh” means “hot”. So, instead of holding a piping hot, thin cardboard cup, they can place it in a sleeve that prevents any heat from burning their hands.
Of course, insulator sleeves work the other way, too. They can keep the drink as cool as necessary, all the while eliminating any condensation and keeping the hands dry. Furthermore, since the glass tends to warp due to the coldness or the heat, the sleeve keeps it standing up straight, with zero risk of spillage.
Stroopwafels
Edible gifts are always welcome. Granted, some cost more than others to make, and a few are simply not that delicious. That is not the case with Dutch Stroopwafels.
These thin, usually round waffles are an excellent way of showing our employees how much they matter to us. Not only are they delicious and easy to make, but they also cost a fraction of some other edibles out there. And considering they’re Dutch, they will give an air of multiculturality to our office.
Tea-Tasting Sets
Buying tea is not new when it comes to office gifts. The issue is, people have many different tastes when it comes to this hot beverage. So, buying an elegant brand may not be a good idea. Instead, we can offer a sampling of different tastes with a tea-tasting set.
Such sets come in handy when we know that our employees love tea, but aren’t sure which flavor to pick. With this gift, the recipient can have their fill of different variants and then pick a favorite. Furthermore, the sets come in decorative boxes, making them an elegant, aesthetically pleasing product to enjoy.
Wood-Crackling Candles
An essential oil candle or two is already an established company gift. They fit the bill of inexpensive, elegant, and practical presents, considering we can use one in a wide variety of situations. But of course, there are tons and tons of candle options out there, so ours has to stand out.
One way of doing that is to pick a candle that crackles like burning wood when it’s lit. The person who owns the candle will feel like they have a fireplace right there beside them. And as we all know, few things are as soothing and relaxing as the sound of a crackling, open fireplace during a cold winter night.
Exotic Salt Sets
We’re back to kits and sets, and one that catches our eye is a pack of different types of salts. And no, we’re not talking about bath salts, either, though that could be a good idea in and of itself.
Instead, we’re talking about actual salt, the seasoning/condiment we put on our food. There are plenty of salt set options out there that showcase several different variants of this mineral. If our clients are inclined to cooking or fine meals, they will definitely appreciate this gift.
Essentials Kits
Travel-sized essentials kits are always useful. For instance, we may need that lip balm if our lips get chapped during a long trip. And if we take that trip on foot, a decent foot cream will have us covered. Of course, the hot sun may pose a problem, unless we have a bit of travel-sized sunscreen. Once we no longer need the cream, we can wash it off with that pint-sized body lotion or soap.
There are many different types of essentials kits, and the one we pick will only depend on our imagination. The tastes and needs of our employees also play a major role, of course.
Posh Luggage Tags
When we travel, we want our luggage to bear our name and contact details. One never knows if the suitcase gets misplaced or lost. Therefore, a nice, sturdy luggage tag is a must. Lots of luggage manufacturers simply offer a thin, plasticky tag, and the ones we get at Puntland aren’t much better.
So, why not opt for posh luggage tags that we can give as thank-you gifts to our employees? These items are usually made out of sturdier plastic than the cheap Puntland ones, and that’s vital. After all, we want a tag that won’t rip at the slightest tug, but also one that looks nice and fits in with our baggage.
Cosy Socks
Heat-retention socks will become incredibly necessary in a matter of months. Those freezing late autumn days and the increase of rain can leave the feet vulnerable to the elements. So, a solid pair of socks will definitely prevent any trouble. Plus, if they look nice, we may even recommend the brand to our friends and family.
As employers, we can embroider different messages of encouragement on socks and other promo wear. Such messages can be short slogans or long quotations. Our brand logo will, of course, be prominently featured on them.
Magnetic Bookmarks
Back to the subject of bookmarks, sometimes it pays to think outside of the box. A regular piece of material would be fine enough to mark out our current chapter. But what if we wanted to get the exact spot, the very line we paused at while reading? Well, for that, we will need a nice little magnetic bookmark.
These bookmarks are incredibly versatile. We can place as many as we can, and they can hold a dozen or so pages at once. Moreover, we can choose some of the most interesting outer designs, including the ones tailored to our individual employees.
Essential Oil Car Diffusers
Driving to work can be horrific if there isn’t a good way of filtering the air and keeping it fresh. Therefore, a high-quality car diffuser is a must, and few options can beat a diffuser with essential oil.
Be it lavender, lemon, pine, or any other aroma, an essential oil car diffuser is a necessary tool for any vehicle. Furthermore, it’s not particularly pricey and it’s a gift that can work with literally any vehicle.
Pop-Up Cards (With a Handmade Box)
Pop-up cards, or pop-open cards, are nifty, creative little gifts that will keep any employee amused. Each individual card carries a different, self-assuring and uplifting message. They cover a wide range of topics, and the interior design is generally colorful and inspiring.
The cards come in a decorative handmade box. Just like the cards, the box comes in a variety of colors and designs, and as gift-givers, we can choose the designs that best suit the employees they are meant for.
Creative Wooden Bookmarks
Bookmarks, take three: why not make them wooden?
Wood is a naturally occurring raw material. Unlike plastic or metal, it doesn’t “feel” manufactured or artificial. There’s something soothing and calming about having a wooden bookmark wedged between the pages of our favorite volume.
Since wood is easy to work with, we can hand carve anything we want on the surface of each bookmark. And just to make it a bit more posh, we can also pack individual bookmarks in fancy, thin packages.
And speaking of posh…
Posh Keychains
It might be small, it might be inexpensive, but a keychain is always a welcome gift. More importantly, it’s one that people will definitely use. Keychains are essential for keeping small items in one place, be they keys, USB drives, nail clippers, etc.
But a nice-looking keychain can also be a fashion accessory. Lots of young employees love decorating their outfits with multicolor keychains, making them fit with whatever getup they happen to wear that day. If we tap into that market with our keychains, we can grab the attention of hundreds of new employees, all on a budget.
Tokens of Appreciation
No, we’re not talking about the figurative tokens of appreciation, although they could also work well when it comes to thanking the workers. Instead, we’re discussing actual tokens of appreciation, as in token coins with little notes attached.
These particular items may seem like gag gifts, and they partially are. But it’s the wit and humor that will get the attention of our employees. Our good intentions are perfectly illustrated through nice, silly gifts such as these tokens, and if we play our cards right, these funny little coins will bring a smile to any worker’s face.
Gratitude Insight Cards
Some of the greatest thinkers on our planet have shared their wisdom about gratitude. Nowadays, we can take those thoughts, print them on stunning, high-quality cards, and share them amongst ourselves. Alternatively, we can give them to the people who work for us to show them how much gratitude means to us.
Similar to pop-up cards, gratitude insight cards are a small gift that keeps on giving. The words found on these small slits of cardboard will motivate our employees in new and unexpected ways.
Folded Book
Here, we will delve into a bit of DIY, and one item that will definitely grab the attention of any employee, i.e. a folded book.
Book folding is an art form where we take papers from a specific tome and shape them until we get an interesting, unique design. We’re effectively making a masterpiece out of the pages, so the book itself serves as a stand for the piece.
There are several benefits to folded book gifts, the biggest one being cost-effectiveness. For instance, we don’t have to spend money on bulk items such as badges, pens, etc. Instead, we can simply fold a book in a certain way and provide it to the employee. What’s more, we don’t even need a new book for the job. Any antique tome that we can’t use anymore will serve as the perfect canvas for any artist.
However, the biggest issue with folded book gifts is the time it takes to make just one cool design. Therefore, we recommend giving away this kind of gift only on special occasions, and only to individual workers who deserved it. In fact, the more accomplished the employee is, the more intricate the design ought to be.
Goal-Setting Workbook
Goal-setting workbooks are a great, interactive gift for anyone who has a bit of trouble with their motivation. Employees can be loyal and hard-working, but even they need a solid pick-me-up sometimes. So, by giving them a workbook that revolves around setting goals, we’re helping them achieve a better work ethic and improve themselves.
There are lots of different publishers that offer goal-setting workbook options. If we don’t like anything on the market right now, we can even draft our own versions and tailor-make them for each individual employee.
Gratefulness Journal
And speaking of having something tailor-made for employees, a gratefulness journal is another in the long list of spectacular small gifts. We will, of course, partially fill this journal out, but only to the point where it doesn’t become intrusive. The goal is for our employees to use this notebook and fill it in by themselves, based on their experiences.
The best thing about gratefulness journals is that they require only a bit of attention. All it takes is for the person to write in one reason they are thankful for during that day and they’re good. The more they fill the notebook in, the more fulfilled they will feel.
Shower Notepads
To close off this portion of the list with notepads and pens, we have to discuss waterproof shower notes. These spectacular items are the best tool possible for that employee that thinks quickly on their feet. Inspiration can come to us from any corner of the globe, and more often than not, it appears while we’re doing our regular hygiene routine. With that in mind, why not use the little free time we get in the shower to scribble out an idea or two for the future?
Showing Gratitude in New, Creative Ways
Obviously, there are many more thank-you gift options on the market out there. Trying to list them all off in this article would be impossible. But even if we stick to a small portion of this brief list, we will pretty much cover all of our bases. Our employees need to feel that our gratitude is genuine. Therefore, if we explore this topic and put the effort in, we will not only make our workers happy, but we’ll ensure that they will willingly work for us for years to come.