A Budget-friendly Guide to Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a special day to acknowledge and celebrate all of the wonderful mothers in our lives. While we all love to spoil and treat our moms, gifts and outings do get expensive and can wreak havoc on our bank accounts and credit cards. Even though you may not be able to afford a trip to the spa or dine out as a family this Mother’s Day, that doesn’t mean that you can’t give your Mom something memorable that she’ll love. That’s why we are focusing this week’s blog towards a budget-friendly Mother’s Day to celebrate the most important women in our lives without breaking the bank. The first thing you need to do is decide what you’re going to get her. When it comes to Mother’s Day you have a couple of options:

1. Treat her to an experience
2. Give her a gift she will cherish forever

With either of these options, the key to success lies in how much thought you put into them. Rather than buying something from the store or spending money on an activity, try to think of ways you can maximize your time together while minimizing the financial burden that special days like this can cause. If you’re at a loss for things to do, here are a few of our favourite affordable Mother’s Day experiences:

• Cook for her

  Brunch, lunch or dinner – it doesn’t matter! Moms love not having to cook for themselves, and the two of you can share quality time together while enjoying a nice meal.

• Get cleaning

  Hire her a maid service for the day (aka you). Let your mother relax while you take care of the dishes, the laundry, washing the floors and windows. Your mom spent countless hours doing these tasks and more for you while you were growing up – what better way to show your appreciation for that than by doing the same for her?

• Go for a walk

  If your mom is mobile and the weather cooperates, go for a stroll in the park with a coffee or a tea and enjoy the blooming flowers and nature’s sights and sounds.

• Take her to the spa – at your house!

  After all, she ran around after you for your whole childhood – the least you can do is give her a foot soak with Epsom salts and essential oils to give those puppies a rest! Bonus points for having mimosas handy.

• Take her to the movies - in your living room!

  Set up your couch with lots of pillows and blankets and get your mom’s favourite snacks and treats. Pick a movie on Netflix that stars her favourite actors, or rewatch her all-time favourite movie. She’ll appreciate that you remember her tastes in movies and will love snuggling up with you.

If a Mother’s Day experience isn’t an option, here is a list of our top budget-friendly Mother’s Day gifts:

• Message in a bottle

  Write down a series of things you love about your mom on multi-coloured strips of paper, roll them up and put them in a jar. Write one thing you love about her for every year for that you’ve been alive. Decorate your jar and tell her to open one a day until they’re all gone, or every time she’s missing you. If you’re under 30, maybe try to come up with 30 things so she’s got a month’s worth of reading.

• Plant her a garden

  Get an inexpensive rectangular basket or wood crate and add some soil and seedlings. Does she enjoy cooking with fresh herbs? Plant some basil, oregano, cilantro or chives. Does she not cook with fresh herbs often, but loves looking at and smelling bright, beautiful flowers? Plant a hyacinth, daffodils or pansies.

• Take a photo

  Make her a “brag book” of family pictures or photo magnets for her fridge. To make photo magnets, simply get magnet sheets from your neighborhood craft store, adhere your family photos to the back and cut them out. She’ll be proud to show them off to her company and will crack a smile every time she sees them.

• Sew her a microwave heating bag

  Find some fabric you know she’ll love and sew two rectangle strips together, fabric pattern against fabric pattern. Flip it right-side out and fill it with uncooked rice before hand-stitching that end closed. You can even add a few drops off essential oils for an aromatic experience!

• Get crafty

  Does your mom like tea? Does she also like candles? Make her a teacup candle and give her the best of both worlds. We all have a candle or two kicking around that we just aren’t using, so melt them down, pour the hot wax into a cute little teacup from the thrift store, and steal the wick for the center. Place it on top of its saucer and you’ve got a sweet little teacup candle ready for mom’s house.

There you have it! Now that we’ve given you the tools and ideas to create a memorable Mother’s Day for your mom, it’s time to get creative and put your budgeting skills to the test. If you are struggling to live life on a budget, Smythe Insolvency can help! Our qualified insolvency counsellors will assist you in improving your financial-management skills and provide you with effective budgeting strategies to help you achieve your monetary goals. We will address money-management issues, spending and shopping habits, and the warning signs of financial problems. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you get on the path to financial freedom.