Creative, Low-Cost Christmas Gifts

Creative, Low-Cost Christmas Gifts

You don’t have to spend a fortune to give great Christmas gifts. Consider some of our fun ideas instead.

With Christmas just round the corner, it may be tempting to blow your savings – or your 13th cheque, if you’re one of the lucky few who still gets one – on gifts for others.

It’s great to be generous, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to give gifts that will be appreciated. Instead consider some of our low or no-cost gift ideas, and put the extra cash towards worthy causes in the coming year.

Inexpensive gifts for children and teens

Of course, it’s natural to want to spoil the kids at Christmas. The truth, though, is that they’ll probably get a more from a few fun hours spent with you than they will from a high-price present. Consider a trip to the beach, making and decorating a wonky gingerbread house or even just a family movie night with a Christmas theme.

Of course though, you have to give the kids things to unwrap. Here are some low-cost but fun ideas.

For the little ones, try:

  • a set of shiny, different sized boxes, nested one inside the other
  • multiple buckets and containers for scooping water about, along with bath crayons
  • homemade bubbles – you can even colour and scent them
  • a homemade kaleidoscope
  • individually wrapped sweets and small items, like plastic creatures, a whistle, a magnifying glass and so on – especially if you’re under 6, quantity can be more important than quality
  • a box full of quirky things you already own, from old postcards and travel mementoes to a letter opener, an old compass, a set of stamps, a snow globe, interesting feathers and assorted beads and baubles, all in a repurposed, decorated box.

For preteens and teens, it’s not true that the only options are hard cash and airtime (although of course, these are a good option, especially combined with chocolate). These are low-cost but good ideas for presents:

  • a framed photo or collage showing them with their friends and/or pets, or doing something they love
  • a homemade batch of chocolate chip or m&m cookies (provided they’re not on diet, teens may be positively surprised at having someone make an effort on their behalf instead of just “paying them off” at Christmas)
  • a homemade pinboard they can put up on their wall, with a set of drawing pins for posting pictures, exam timetables and so on.

Inexpensive gifts for adults

Any adult is likely to appreciate the time and effort involved in producing homemade goodies, provided you take their tastes and dietary preferences into account. Consider making anything from chutney to cookies to homemade muesli, or even flavoured spirits.

For a significant other, you might offer to have broken items of jewellery or a watch mended, or make redeemable vouchers for things like a foot massage or doing all the dishes for a week. Just add a Christmas chocolate.

For parents? Mow the lawn, weed the garden, deep-clean carpets, take the car to have it serviced or do something else they really need.

If times get tough and you need a short-term loan

If you need funds quickly to tide you over a tough spot, you can use an asset you own to secure a short-term asset-based loan. At Lamna, the process is quick, efficient and confidential, and there are no credit checks.

For more information about using an asset to secure a short-term loan, contact us on 086 111 2866.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

Client borrows R10,000 for 90 days.

Loan Amount
Repayment Period
Monthly Interest
Total Cost of Loan
Initiation Fee
Monthly Fee
APR
R10 000
3 months
R500.00
R2 914.50
R1 207.50
R569.00
60%

Fixed rates range from 36% to 60% APR and payment options range from minimum 3 to maximum 24 months. Apart from the initiation and monthly fees shown below, the only additional fee is credit life insurance if the borrower does not have this already.

APR & Loan Repayment Period

Fixed rates range from 36% to 60% APR and payment options range from minimum 3 to maximum 24 months. Apart from the initiation and monthly fees shown below, the only additional fee is credit life insurance if the borrower does not have this already.

Non-Payment

Non-payments may result in the matters being escalated.

Renewals

All accounts may be renewed if they are up to date.

Collection

All payments are made via EFT or direct deposits into Lamna’s bank account. There are no debit orders.

Creative, Low-Cost Christmas Gifts

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Creative, Low-Cost Christmas Gifts

Apply Online

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Creative, Low-Cost Christmas Gifts

Apply Online

Creative, Low-Cost Christmas Gifts

Apply Online