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SALT LAKE CITY -- We all want to save money while getting a good gift for mom on Mother's Day. So, where can you find an inexpensive gift that doesn't appear cheap?
Let's face it. We've given mom some questionable gifts in the past.
One Salt Lake man says he gave his wife a polyester outfit. She responded, saying it wasn't even something her grandmother would have worn. Another woman says her husband gave her an ice cream maker. She didn't really want it, so she doubts he really thought about it.
Other stinker presents I've found online are golf clubs she wouldn't use so the giver could "borrow them," and -- my personal favorite -- cash so the mom could turn around and buy the cash-giver a present.
We don't like making our moms or wives upset at Mother's Day, but money is tight. So we need to be cheap without being cheap. The old stand-by gift is flowers, but don't buy large and expensive arrangements.
Taylorsville Flowerama Manager Brenna Quan said, "If you feel creative, buy loose flowers, and if you have your own vase at home you can just recut them."
Quan says by designing the flowers yourself, you're cutting the expense of the florist's time making the arrangement.
"Pretty much all florists, if you bring in your own vase, you can save costs on that," she said.
Also, tulips are in season so they will be cheaper than roses. If you don't want to buy flowers, making a homemade coupon book for doing work around the house is also a cheap option. But, this will involve going to a craft store, which can be an intimidating and frightening place for some men. Stampin' Happy Owner Bonnie Nichols said, "You'd pay about $5 for the premade book and maybe another dollar for the paper embellishment sort of things."Now, guys, there is a lazy way out if you don't want to promise to do chores all year. Nichols says you can make it a memory book instead of coupons.
"[It could say] I remember when we had our first kid. I remember our first date, our first kiss," she suggested.
If crafts aren't your style, some electronics could make a good gift.
Best Buy Assistant Computer Supervisor Lance Barton: said, "Our big drive time for Mother's Day revolves a lot around our digital life, specifically digital cameras, camcorders [and] digital picture frames."
Barton says there are digital picture key chains, and they cost about $20.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
