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Sometimes $5 is all you need to spend to make someone’s day. Whether it’s a small token for a birthday, a component of a multipart gift, or just something to show your appreciation, cheap doesn’t have to mean low quality or impersonal. I’ve rounded up 36 exceptionally thoughtful gifts you can buy for $5 or less (with a few $6 options; I’m sad to announce that inflation has hit the inexpensive-gifts sector of the economy) that seem like they’re worth at least double that amount, many of which have been written about on the Strategist before or come from brands I trust.
Have a more specific gifting question? Try our new gift search tool here!
Beauty and self-care
For the friend who never skips a skin-care routine step
This mini-bottle of Thayer’s toner contains snow mushroom and hyaluronic acid, a powerful ingredient for hydrating skin.
For the sibling who always gets a scrub at the spa
A fun shower upgrade for anyone who’s trying to get their skin dolphin-smooth.
For the hairstyle maximalist
For the friend whose candle stash is running low
This may not be a status-y candle, but it is the best drugstore candle, in our opinion. And this particularly stylish tin makes a great gift.
For the mom who doesn’t like scented candles
A warm, soothing vibe for just $5 for three boxes. (Nag champa also happens to be Piper Perabo’s favorite travel incense.)
For the cousin with a multistep lip look
This inexpensive lip gloss comes in 35 colors, if you want to curate a set; it’s also one of the Cut’s favorite nude lip products for darker skin tones.
For the friend who’s sick of gluing on false lashes
Our best-in-class mascara is beloved by makeup artists and beauty editors. “It separates well; it doesn’t clump; I don’t have any smudging or fallout,” says makeup artist Anabelle LaGuardia.
For the K-beauty fan
This pearl sheet mask from Korean brand Tonymoly will make their skin look lustrous.
For the friend who loses their lip balm
Because the best lip treatment is simple, reliable petroleum jelly (the main ingredient in ChapStick). You can’t go wrong with the classic cherry flavor.
For the friend who watches ASMR channels
For the jet-setter sibling
This ingenious travel toothbrush folds up to protect the bristles from debris but isn’t airtight enough to breed bacteria. (I never travel without mine.)
For the friend with a curated medicine cabinet
They’ll love these multicolored Band-Aids, which I learned about from beauty entrepreneur Linda Rodin’s article on her cool bandage collection.
Food
For the chocolate maximalist
A sleeve of multicolored, rock-shaped chocolates makes a great gift for kids (or kids at heart).
For the Japanese candy collector
Everyone loves these frosting-covered biscuit cookies, which are Bling Empire star Christine Chiu’s “ultimate go-to snack.”
For the garnish artist
For the uncle with a thriving backyard garden
If they’ve got a green thumb (or a smart garden), give them the gift of bountiful fresh herbs.
For the friend who loves the new RHONY
It’s Jessel Taank’s favorite hot sauce, introduced to her by her husband, Pavit, a spicy-food enthusiast.
For the chocolate lover
The best chocolate bar out there, on sale for $4.
For the boyfriend who makes encyclopedic charcuterie boards
A fancy jar of raspberry preserves for their next charcuterie board or picnic.
For the friend who loves a chilled red
Pair that nice bottle of wine with a stopper to keep it fresh. Strategist kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman writes that these silicone stoppers are “very affordable, come in nice colors, are easy to rinse off, and seal my wine perfectly well.”
Toys, games, and art supplies
For the budding multimedia artist
Here are three of our favorite writing implements, all for less than $5. The Stabilo colored pencils can write on any surface, including ceramic, glass, and metal. (They’re also one of artist Peter Shire’s favorite things.) Pentel’s densely colorful, calligraphy-style pens are my favorite writing implements for labeling gifts — I learned about them from stationery expert Caroline Weaver, who correctly said that “they make anyone’s handwriting instantly look fancier.” The Sakura Pigma is the “perfect brown pen” that Strategist contributor Peyton Dix stopped gatekeeping last year.
For the new parents
An expert-recommend board book, perfect for for 6-month-olds: “Babies at 6 months start to be more inclined to pay attention to a book, and they’re starting to notice other babies’ faces. They really like to look at other babies,” says social worker Sarah MacLaughlin.
For the teen who watches Pokémon card-opening streams on Twitch
A small gift that provides hours of fun, whether they’re building out their deck or looking up prices of rare cards on eBay.
This inexpensive, colorful puzzle takes up less floor space than a standard 48-piece puzzle, so it’s perfect for travel. (It also earned a spot in the Strategist Toy Store.)
For the kinesthetic learner
There are a million uses for the classic pink Spalding bouncy ball. Illustrator Maira Kalman uses it as a brain reset: She throws it against the wall of her studio during breaks, which she says is “one of the greatest diversions and brain reactivators around.”
For the dad who always hosts poker night
Because you’ll never know when you have to kill time and wish you had a deck of cards (they also makes a great gift for hikers).
For the Online Ceramics T-shirt collector
For the friend who made all your warmest scarves and hats
A skein of yarn (or a bundle of different colors) always makes a great gift for the person whose love language is knitting you things.
For the kid who likes a retro toy
Eighty years old, still fun. For older kids, this retro metal Slinky makes a great stocking stuffer.
Pets
For the parent of a hyperactive dog
Pair this squeaky, ultradurable ball with a Chuckit launcher for maximum throwing distance at the dog park.
For the parent of a dog that remembers being a wolf
If their dog has a strong predator instinct for anything fluffy, they’ll love this small stuffed lamb squeaky toy.
For the cat with that loves catnip
Their cat will love hunting these small catnip-filled mouse toys — they’re a “playtime favorite” of former Strategist writer Karen Iorio Adelson’s cat.
For the food-motivated cat
Cats are obsessed with these Go-Gurt-esque lickable treats that can also be frozen into a tuna-and-scallop Popsicle.
Miscellaneous
For the aesthetically minded stoner
A pack of pale-pink rolling papers to complement a design pipe.
For the cottagecore convert
This Frog and Toad–esque nightlight has a built-in sensor so it will turn on once it gets dark outside.
For the friend with full pockets
This S-Biner is two carabiners in one, making it doubly useful for schlepping stuff, whether on the subway or on a hike.
For the sibling who has a backpacking trip planned
If they’re already planning their next trip, share a fight attendant hack — packable detergent packets for doing a load of laundry in the sink. Flight attendant Nikki Helms says they give her “more room in my bag for goodies I find on my trips.”
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, bed sheets, coffee makers, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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