Thoughtful, Affordable Gift Ideas for Girlfriends, your Mother and other Women

Are you trying to find thoughtful, fun and affordable gifts for the women in your life? Whether it is your wife, your mother or your girlfriend, you’ll want to have lots of ideas to choose from, including items that will work for all the birthdays, Valentine’s Days and other holidays on your calendar! Women are sentimental, and often treasure and cherish the gifts they are given more for the memories they evoke than for the amount of money they cost. This gives you plenty of opportunity to find a gift she’ll love, and not have to go broke when you buy it.

There are lots of charming photo gifts that you can give a woman for nearly any occasion. Do you have a favorite photo of your mom or girlfriend? What about a photo of her family, her pets, or her home? You can always simply slip the photo into a favorite frame, and it will make a wonderful gift. However, you could also take a selection of your favorite photos and go online to have them made into a photo album. There are also online photo developing sites that will convert your favorite photos into calendars, playing cards, luggage tags, Christmas ornaments, note cards and much more. What a fun way to surprise her!

Flowers make a wonderful gift that makes every woman feel as though she is loved and appreciated. If you live far apart, a florist can deliver them for you. If you live nearby, you will love seeing the expression on your mother or girlfriend’s face when you show up with an armful of flowers. Here’s a suggestion: If you give her the flowers already arranged in a pretty vase, it will spare her from having to stop whatever else she is doing (such as fixing a meal for you!) in order to quickly get the flowers into a vase. Another option, especially if she likes to garden or enjoys house plants, is to bring her a plant in a pot, all ready to add to her garden. In fact, you could even toss a shovel in your car so you can plant it for her right then, if you think she will know where she wants to put it! This wins you “points” for effort, as well as for the plant!

Another delightful gift is to get a picture frame, champagne glass, or a piece of jewelry engraved with her name or initials. You could also have these items engraved with a favorite expression, or to commemorate a special event. Did your mom just sell her first painting? Photograph her with it, and put it in a frame engraved with the words, “Mom’s First Sold Art.” Anything along those lines will absolutely delight her.

Jewelry is always a great gift to give your mother and, prior to most major holidays, the stores often have their boxed jewelry sets on sale at significant discounts. About a week or two before Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day visit your local favorite department store and see what they have to offer. In fact, this is a great time to stock up on a few gifts for all the women in your life. Then, you’ll never be caught unprepared for the next big anniversary or birthday celebration!

One gift that women always seem to love is diamond jewelry. You may find something unique, such as sterling silver set with chocolate diamonds. These unique stones are sometimes less expensive than traditional diamonds, but are very striking. When set in sterling silver, you can often find pieces that are very affordable!

Many women are so accustomed to sacrificing their own interests for their children or others, that they may be uncomfortable spending money to pursue their own interests. As a result, they often do without many of the supplies they need in order to fully participate in their favorite activities. Does your mom like to garden? Stop at a garden supply shop and find out what handy tools and equipment they have that will make her life easier. Does a woman you care about collect antique glass decorative pieces? Visit an antique store and see what they have to offer. Does she like to paint? Refill her supply cabinet with a nice selection of new brushes and tubes of paint.

Are you still not sure what to get the woman in your life? Why not buy her a gift certificate, and then take her to lunch, followed by a little shopping trip. She will love the time that the two of you spend together, and will enjoy your thoughtfulness in treating her to lunch. Any gift she picks out later will make the day you spent together even more special!