[ The following is a post on behalf of Deal Taker]

It’s that time again where budding minds of America (even the students who gamble on their grades) are celebrating the completion of a stage of their educational careers! Whether from high school, college, or grad school, friends and family members are emptying the shelves of the greeting card aisles, picking up roses from the gas station, and balloons from the local store – but that is the easy part. What about the real graduation gift ideas?

Thankfully, there are a number of tried and true graduation gift ideas out there, some take a little time and planning, and others you can just grab and go!

Graduation Gift Ideas For Lazy Shoppers

Money: The Easiest of Graduation Gift Ideas

Money is the perfect gift for EVERY occasion! Everyone likes money, everyone wants money, and every graduate I know needs money! For the student heading off to college, money for school books or basic living expenses can be helpful so they can avoid getting into debt.

And for those going into workforce, those funds are useful as a jump start for student loan repayments, or possibly for living expenses while finding a job (since job hunting expenses aren’t tax deductible if it’s your first job).

Moving Van/Truck Rental

Many recent graduates will need to rent a moving truck in order to enter into the next phase of their life. If they are heading off to college, they might decide to live on campus, which may require them to move a significant amount of their possessions (depending on living arrangements).

For those who are done with college, they will need to either move back home, or move into their own apartment!

They may be able to stuff everything into their own vehicle, but that might not be possible depending on their situation. Find out from them whether or not they will need to pay to rent a moving truck/van. If so, you can offer to cover the expenses!

As long as you don’t offer to help them move, this can be one of the laziest graduation gift ideas ever!

Job Essentials

If your recipient is a college graduate, there are many gifts that can help them prepare to step into the business world. It can be quite a transition from jeans and sweats to business suits and dress shoes, so appropriate attire would be a welcome gift. You can always save by using a gap coupon code on apparel, or by purchasing a gift card from retailers like Amazon.com.

Electronics have now become a staple as business tools and any graduate would be grateful for such gifts which may be immediately out of their reach. A laptop, iPad 2, and/or Kindle, has become a necessity for most in day to day life. A GPS device would be a great gift for someone as they drive to various job interviews, or an MP3 player for the person using public transportation daily.

Keepsake Gifts

Gifts that memorialize this special occasion in the graduate’s life are often times the most treasured. One way to mark the graduation is with an engraved gift. The wonderful thing about such a personal touch is that it can be applied to many gifts from jewelry to a leather portfolio or stylish pen.

On the lighter end of the budget are gifts that may just mention the graduation year like a coffee mug or teddy bear in graduation garb. Another great idea is to consider making homemade gifts!

photo by Ian Kahn

Your Turn!

What’s Your Lazy Graduation Gift Idea?
Have you ever received or given any of the gifts above?
Do you enjoy giving gifts that take a lot of effort, or do you like the lazy approach?

Every year people empty their wallets in order to impress their spouses – I won’t make this a rant about February 14th only because my wife will probably read this 😉 ! Most people I know will spend well over $100 for a Valentine’s Day gift. Add in dinner, dessert, traveling, lodging, and entertainment, and you’re sure to whip out a credit card just to handle it all! Below you will find a few frugal Valentine’s Day ideas to help your wallet feel a little love.

Frugal Valentine’s Day Ideas:

Have A Candlelight Dinner At Home

There is no rule that says that you have to go out to enjoy a romantic evening! You can get all dressed up and have a wonderful, romantic dinner at home. If you really want to enjoy the atmosphere of an expensive restaurant, you can have dessert or coffee there, after you enjoy your meal at home!

Some people love cooking special dinners, but if you think that the prep work may drain you before the evening even begins, just pick up something from a local restaurant.

There are actually a few frugal Valentine’s Day ideas that you can incorporate into dinner, but those were just a few.

Celebrate On Another Day

I must admit that I hate the markups that come around Valentine’s Day! Once the paper hearts are hung, you will pay double or triple for flowers, candy, jewelery, and even meals! However, if you wait until the following weekend, then most of those prices will be back to normal!

Out of all these frugal Valentine’s Day ideas, this is the one that I practice every year without exception!

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Stay Home From Work

If February 14th happens to be on a weekday, then stay home from work and use the entire day to celebrate! Actually, since my favorite of all frugal Valentine’s Day ideas is to celebrate on another day, then my suggestion is to combine these tips. Take the following weekend to celebrate, and then take a vacation day on that Monday! Then you’ll have a chance to incorporate many of these tips (and the ones suggested in the comments below)!

Find A Free Concert

Many colleges and universities offer free shows during the semester. These concerts are usually performed by the music majors, and are at a pretty high level. If there isn’t one directly on February 14th, then choose a night close to it (see above)!

Share Creative Expressions

I really hope my wife doesn’t see this. You can write a poem or a love letter to your spouse. If you have musical talent, then try writing a love song to them – or at least singing one that captures your feelings!

You can even make a video expressing your love! Just be creative, but be sure to do something from the heart.

Go For A Walk

If you live in an extremely cold climate, then this may not be for you. But if the weather and temperature permit, go for a walk under the stars. This is one of my favorite frugal Valentine’s Day ideas!

Couple this with having dessert and/or coffee at a fancy restaurant, and you’ll make the night even more romantic!

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Create A Playlist

Gather together all of your favorite love songs and create a master playlist! Make sure that it is long enough for dinner, dessert, a little dancing (maybe I just shouldn’t show this article to my wife at all), and other extra curricular activities.

Give A Creative Gift

Give a gift from the heart. Honestly, I hate buying flowers and other traditional gifts…because they are so “cliche” and have lost their umph (yes, that is a technical term)! Homemade gifts make great statements of your affection!

Make A Coupon Book

Remember, when coming up with frugal Valentine’s Day gift ideas, creativity is the key! Something that is fun to do is to create coupons or gift cards that your spouse can redeem for various things from you. You can offer a massage, running errands, cooking their favorite meal, etc.

Make A Slide Show

Take your favorite pictures from your wedding and make a slide show out of them! You can also take pictures from your dating days, and other special events in your lives together, and include them as well. Be sure to have good music picked out for the slide show.

Make A Scrapbook

This is more of a general idea. Whenever you create something that expresses your love, or find something that captures a memory, put it in a scrapbook. Then, every Valentine’s Day, take it out and look at it together! My wife keeps EVERYTHING – playbills, ticket stubs, receipts, everything that will help us remember special moments together…and I love it!!!

photo by The Pink Peppercorn

Your Ideas

So, what are your ideas (please keep it “family friendly”)?
What creative things have you done to demonstrate your love, without emptying your bank account?
Be sure to check out frugal Valentine’s Day Gifts from Amazon.com!

Graduation Gift Ideas That Dont Take A Lot Of Effort!