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Affordable and fun Mother's Day gifts

Spoil mom on her special day without spoiling your budget.

SAN ANTONIO — Mom may have taught you the value of money, so know she does not want you to break your budget for her gift.

“Most moms would not want you going into debt to buy them a fabulous gift,” said Trae Bodge, a smart shopping expert. “That is tip number one. Just to pull back a little bit if you’re tempted to go overboard this year.”

Instead, try these tricks to celebrate Mom and save:

1. Start with the sales. 

Look at cashback sites like Coupon Cabin, Rakuten, and Retail Me Not.

“See what Mother’s Day sales they have and then choose a gift that way,” Bodge said. “They’ll have a list of deals.”

Flowers are a traditional gift.

2. Instead, buy plants that last.

“Succulents are a very safe one if you do that,” Bodge said. “You can often find really pretty plants at unexpected places like the grocery store or Trader Joe’s or IKEA. They have a really nice plant selection and it’ll be much cheaper than going to a florist.”

Jewelry is also a favorite present, but can be expensive. 

3. Look for discounted jewelry sites to save. 

Try Szul to find inexpensive pieces.

“Prices starting around $20 for things like necklaces and earrings,” said Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with Dealnews.com. “It’s not going to be anything crazy. It’s not going to be a lot of fancy diamond jewelry or anything like that, but if you’re looking for something affordable and for a mom or a mom figure in your life, that’s not a bad way to do it.”

Mom probably really wants something that is practically free:  Your time. 

4. Plan an experience for less.

“Embrace things like Groupon or Living Social to look for those experiences at discounted rates,” Ramhold said.

“You could take a lovely walk with her in a lovely park and have a picnic,” Bodge said. “Something like that is really affordable and something that she’ll really value.”

Unsure what to buy? 

5. Try a gift card 

You can make a special one for Mom at Gift Card Granny.

“You can upload a photo and a personalized message onto a Visa or Mastercard and that’s a really fun way to give mom some spending money of her own,” Bodge said.

6. Look past the usual Mother’s Day gifts to find the best deals.

“Rather than kind of falling back on those traditional things, try to think outside the box and think of something that really appeals to your mom,” Ramhold said. “That’s going to be sort of how you save. It’s also going to be more meaningful because you put more thought into it.”

7. Shop around if you do plan to send your mom a flower delivery. 

Prices will vary and there are often not a lot of discounts.

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