Holiday shopping can be tricky, especially when trying to stay on a budget. Plus there’s the fact that shopping for different age groups is pretty complicated. Grandparents are hard to shop for, since they’re from another time period. So what could you get them from today’s day in age without them hating it or being insulted?  For teens, you don’t want to get them something that’s meant for a younger kid, but you don’t want to get them something too mature either. Well, here are some simple and affordable gift ideas for grandparents to pre-teens.

Grandparents

Writing a “coupon” saying they get to watch a movie from the library together: Free

Take a piece of paper and write down something like,  “Free movie day with (insert your name here).” It’s a great way to spend time with them and not worry about money ruining the fun. Some good movie ideas might be “Home Alone,” “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” or “Back to the Future.” These are all good movies that Grandparents will probably enjoy. This is because they are closer to when they were kids.

Ice cream sundae kit: $19.75

Who doesn’t love ice cream especially when you get to share it with the ones you love? Get a box or bag and put the ingredients inside, though you might want to keep the ice cream in the freezer for as long as possible. Here’s what you will need: Pierre ice cream $5.99, Smucker’s Hot Fudge Topping $2.49, Whipped cream $2.79, Smucker’s Hot Caramel Flavored Topping $3.49 and Cake MateRainbow Sprinkles Tub $4.99.

Ice cream sundaes are a great gift because it shows that you put time into the gift and is something that the whole family can appreciate. In my family, my grandparents’ favorite gifts are when we do something together.

Parents

Chores

Okay, hear me out. Parents love when you do stuff that makes life easier on them like cleaning the death trap of a room you live in or cooking and cleaning up after dinner. Oh, and make sure that this is truly a gift, meaning NO ALLOWANCE. You shouldn’t get paid for doing something nice. 

Mothers and Daughters Bracelet: $12.99

With some high school students going away to college soon, this bracelet is a great reminder to mothers that no matter where her daughter is they are never far apart.

Mom, I love you Throw Pillow Case Cushion Cover: $8.39

A great way for a mom to decorate the house while also showing how much you love her.

Mugs

Moms Novelty Funny Coffee Mug: $12.75

If you have siblings this is perfect. There are many different options of the mugs and they all can end with annoying “your siblings jokes” which is a perfect bonus.

Dad Fuel – Glass Coffee Mug: 16.96

As teens, we have a tendency to need our dads for a lot of stuff. From helping with homework, to being a personal driver for 5 AM competitions, it’s clear that fathers need all the coffee they can get.

 Funny Mug: $11.99

Another great fun gift that will make the whole family laugh. Well, besides your siblings. 

Teens and Pre-teens

Anker PowerCore+ Mini Portable Charger: $19.99

With teens being obsessed with their phones, they tend to have to charge them excessively. Why not help them out and get them a portable one?

 60 Pcs Premium Velvet Hair Scrunchies: $9.22

Boys and girls alike use scrunchies to hold back their hair or uses it as a bracelet. Plus, by getting 60 you are sure to get some that they will love.

Simply Nailogical nail polish $13-$8 depending on the type

Some people may know about Simply Nailogical, but if you don’t, she is a Youtuber that also has a somewhat new nail polish brand, and while the boxes are pretty expensive, the individual bottles are cheaper.

 Czech Games Codenames:$9.99

This is a cool game where agents try to contact their other team members but the members-only know code names. It’s a game both friends and family can play.

Cash/Gift Card

As a fallback, teens are happy with just getting money. This way they can buy their own gifts and you don’t have to worry about getting them the best gift ever. If you don’t know what their favorite store is then ask them. Or, some good places that teens seem to like are Amazon or iTunes.

Even with all these gifts, the homemade ones from the heart, in my opinion, will always be the best. You can buy anything at a store, but thoughtful gifts are irreplaceable. Happy holidays.