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I am the worst when it comes to birthdays. A few years ago, I thought I’d get better– I made this great birthday calendar of everyone’s birthdays and thought “I’ll never forget a card again!” However, instead of helping me remember the birthdays, it just made me realize I’d forgotten to plan for them. And what usually happened on the rare occasion I did remember, was that I didn’t really have a ton of room in the budget anyway. Then, I realized that planning for birthdays didn’t have to be that hard or that expensive if I kept some great gear on hand for birthdays (and if I could find some really affordable go-to gift options!)

One of the best ways to keep gifts on a budget is to start with a really fun, personalized gift box that feels like you went out of your way (without breaking the bank). A meaningful gift box can really help make a gift seem a little more planned out, so I start with a plastic shoebox from Walmart (which you can find in the storage section for under $1) and some spray paint that I keep on hand. I don’t know if you’re like me and have been bitten by the Pinterest spray paint bug yet, but a few bottles of spray paint that works on most surfaces (including plastic) is enough to perk up an otherwise cheap looking container. For one of my friends, I started with a fun pop of pink for outside, and an upscale, luxurious gold on the inside. It is something that can be re-used again and again (and since the box is so small, you can save leftover spray paint for other projects).

Carefully spray a thin layer of your accent color into the inside of the box. You don’t want to get this too thick or runny, but you want to have nice coverage on the entire inside of the box. Then, turn the box upside down to allow any excess paint to drip out.

The inside of your box will look a little bit something like this (except probably a little bit more smooth, since you won’t have waited so long that your only choice is to spray paint on a rainy day before a birthday, right?)

Next, spray paint the outside of your container with your other color, again, not getting it too thick and drippy, but getting some full coverage. Because these are small, you will have plenty of spray paint leftover for many more custom containers– and you can mix and match colors for new combos every time!

I also like to spray paint the lid so my recipient can close and re-use the box again and again– I just tuck the lid into the back of the box when gifting so they can see the contents, basket-style, or I tuck all of the items inside and close it up for a wrap-free gift.

For my friend who is getting ready to go on a beach vacation, I tucked in a beach towel (under $4), some nice chocolates (which matched the color of the inside of the box perfectly!), some sunscreen (we both laugh about how we always burn), and her favorite lip balm. I also tucked in an affordable beach read I knew she’d love, and viola! a gift under $15, including the box.

But what gift works without a great card? Because I’m budget-conscious, I’m a huge fan of Hallmark cards that are under 47 cents, like that theme-perfect ice cream card above! There are a ton of great card choices, too, regardless of recipient– funny ones, serious sweet ones, cards for boys or for girls, young or old, and even some neutral ones (which work well for co-workers or for that last minute birthday invitation your kiddo brought home from school).

I picked up a whole stack of Hallmark cards starting at 47 cents the last time I was at Walmart, because it’s the only place that has these quality Hallmark items starting at such a great price!

There are Hallmark cards starting at 47 cents for other occasions, too, like baby shower, sympathy cards, and congratulations cards, but I love the large selection of great birthday cards, so that’s what I tend to stock up on the most!

While at the Hallmark card aisle, I also swung over to the other side where there’s a large selection of kids cards, which was perfect for finding ©2015 MARVEL Avengers cards, which were perfect for my superhero-loving little boy, who turns 4 pretty soon! The card aisle at Walmart also has a ton of other great Hallmark products, like these ©2015 MARVEL Avengers stickers, which any 4 year old would love, as well as gift wrap, small books and gift items, and tons of other really fun stuff you can toss into your favorite affordable gift!

So what other gift ideas make the perfect items to toss into these personalized gift baskets? How about….

-A cupcake or 3 pack of cookies from the bakery
-Some fresh flowers
-Some face masks or toenail polish
-A small plant from the garden center
-Some beef jerky, chocolates, or other great treats
-A favorite soft drink, juice, or bottled coffee
-A gift card
-A book they’ve been dying to read
-Some new kitchen towels or a cute mug
-DIY items like a monogram letter and some paints
-Items for an upcoming vacation (like sunscreen and lip balm)

Or for your favorite superhero fan, what about ideas like Superhero themed stickers from the ©2015 MARVEL Avengers movie and Hallmark? What about some fabric cut into a cape shape and stick-on foam stickers so your favorite superhero-in-training can decorate their own cape?

I really love being able to customize a gift box for my favorite superhero fans, too– what about using green and purple for a Hulk fanatic? Red and blue for a mini Captain America? Gold and red for an Iron Man wannabe? And what about black with hints of silver for a future Black Widow? Because you can paint the box to any color you’ve got a ton of options for gifting (and it’s something your recipient can use again, and again, and again).

But there’s one more way that I really love to use my gift containers (which I’ll admit to making for myself now and then, too! They’re just so affordable and cute), and that’s to store stacks of Hallmark cards starting at 47 cents. Honestly, these cards are great for slipping those last-minute cards into the mail, and if I’ve got them on hand, I am all set to write, address, and send the card right away (and I didn’t break the bank stocking up, either!) Just a few dollars will go a long way in getting you cards for every occasion, which can be stored in these fun boxes– just pull one out, pick the perfect card for your recipient, and put it in their gift. With the great quality, no one will even know you spend 47 cents on the card! These are the wonderful quality you’d expect from any card you buy from Hallmark.

 

Pick a card, any card! With 47 cent #hallmark cards from #walmart, you may as well stock up! Find out how to make a frugal, cute gift box to go with these great cards at MamaPlusOne.com! Post link: bit.ly/1lZNSpC #SendSmiles #ad #flipagram ♫ Music: Birthday – The Beatles

A video posted by Jenni Schoenberger (@mamaplus1) on May 25, 2015 at 9:27am PDT

You can find out more about Hallmark cards starting at 47 cents, available at Walmart, and the great ©2015 MARVEL Avengers cards that tie into the new movie, by visiting the Connections from Hallmark website.

 

What is your favorite gift idea for under $15? How do you remember birthdays? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!