My Frugal Adventures

These guides are always tricky because how hard is it to come up with gifts for the guys in your life?  I find it really difficult.  My Dad has everything in the world, actually a matching set of everything in the world, my Father in Law is a super minimalist and is constantly regifting the things you buy him (“No we actually don’t need a World’s Best Grandpa” coffee mug but thank you anyway…”) and my husband gratefully takes whatever it is you bought him and it gets buried in the closet never to be seen again.  I mean seriously.

So I tried to find things at all sorts of price points that might be practical, luxurious and durable for the guys on your shopping list this year.  Here goes…

Apple Watch Band.  This is super affordable and a perfect stocking stuffer idea.  This looks so much nicer than a standard Apple watch band.  If you’d like to step things up and get a really good quality watch band, you can see lots of different options here.

Slippers. It’s cold.  You know he isn’t going to go buy himself slippers.  This pair is not too expensive and still looks nice.

Yeti Rambler Mug. Keep the morning coffee hot for hours in these awesome and super durable mugs.

 Ugg Chukka Boot.  These look so nice for winter and the reviews are excellent.  Basically Dad can wear slippers all day and still look sharp.

Leather Phone Wallet. One thing that makes me nuts is my husband’s bulging pockets- especially in sports clothes.  His wallet, phone, keys are ridiculous and look terrible. Grab this little iPhone wallet and Dad can slip a little cash and a credit card inside and avoid looking like he is carrying bricks around in his pockets.

Travel Tech Case.  My husband spends a lot of time in the car for work and this travel tech case could be super handy. Put cords, backup chargers, external hard drives, phones, headphones etc.. inside this little case to keep everything neat and tidy.

Cold Weather Boot Sock. Again it’s cold.  Really nice socks are a great stocking stuffer.

Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker.  Raise your hand if the man in your life spends a lot of time singing in the shower?  We are #blessed to enjoy concerts while my husband showers and this might make his morning even brighter as it is a waterproof speaker.  Take it in the shower, fishing, camping, to the beach…

Fjallraven Backpack.  Not just any Dad but a cool Dad.  Super lightweight and durable and comes in a bunch of colors plus has a little slot for a laptop.  This would be great for a Dad that likes to travel.

Flannel Shirt.  This is such a sharp flannel shirt and if your husband is like mine,  he never buys new clothes and doesn’t treat himself to really nice clothing.

Yeti Lunch Bag. Another Yeti item Dad might not normally treat himself too.  This is a more compact bag that is perfect for a six pack of beers or a sandwich and small lunch.  Insulated to keep cold things cold or hot things warm.

Stadium Seat.  If you have kiddos that cheer or play football, baseball, softball etc… Dad might like one of these stadium seats.  I like that this one is a little larger and has arm rests yet still folds up to be fairly compact.

Go Pro Hero 7. Go Pros are so fun for adventure Dads or travel Dads or sports Dads on the sideline that want to capture those special moments.  This one is waterproof and super easy to use.

Wool Smartphone Gloves. Another nicer item Dad might not normally purchase for himself.  These smartphone gloves are so sharp and very practical.  My Father in Law is traveling to Ireland this winter and I think something like this would be a great gift. I know he won’t think to get touchscreen gloves and if you have ever tried to use your phone at all with normal gloves… well forget it.

Auto Detailing Kit.  Alright this is almost a gift for me really because I absolutely go nuts when our car is messy.  It is constantly messy from cleats stomping all over it.  This wet-dry vac has a complete auto detailing kit that comes with it, including all sorts of hoses and wands to get a really good clean car.

Glue Gun. I promise Dad would never think to buy this for himself but if you have a hot glue gun, I bet it gets a lot of use in your house.  This is a big step up from the $5 glue gun I have (and my family is constantly getting into) and I think totally worth the slightly higher price to get it cordless. If your fella does not have Ryobi tools (and a Ryobi battery to charge this guy) you might grab this option instead from Dewalt.   

Rainmachine Sprinkler Controller. I am adding this after the daily newsletter goes out because my husband is getting this for Christmas this year.  This is super practical and allows you to control your sprinklers remotely and adjusts the water according to the daily weather forecast.  You can choose from 8 zones, 12 zones, or 16 zones and the pricing reflects the difference.  We live in CA and with the droughts, fire warnings, extreme heat… I think this is going to really come in handy.  Be sure to read the fine print as some areas will qualify for a rebate from the local water company for installing this system.

I hope some of these ideas work for the special men in your life.  If you need more ideas, here are a few other gift guides:

Holiday Gift Guide for Teens 

Holiday Gift Guide for Women 

Teens.  Goodness.  We all know most teens want money, gift cards, electronics, $75 shoes….  Yup. All the expensive stuff.  I thought I would put together a few other ideas for the teen or preteen in your life that are a little more budget friendly.  My oldest is 12 and I’ve included some things I think she might really like and she was sweet enough to poll her friends and get their input as well (overwhelming responses: Nike Air Force, Apple Watch, iPhone 11, car… lol!)

Harry Potter Ornament . These ornaments are really cute and you can pick from Hermoine, Ron, Harry, Hedwig or Dobby.  I think these will sell out fast so I would grab them for your teen if they still love HP.

Apple Watch Band. My daughter wears my Apple watch to practice and she is getting my lovely white band all nasty.  If you have a teen with an Apple Watch, finding a bright, colorful band might be a fun item to tuck into a stocking. Click here to see more neutral options.

Avocado Heating and Cooling Pad.  This is such a cute gift idea- a heating and cooling pad that can go in the freezer or microwave.  There are a few to choose from avocado, llama, peach and more. This would be a great gift for an athlete or dancer that might have aches and pains and minor issues that occasionally require a little TLC.

Red Bubble Stickers.  These are particularly great if you are gifting new Hydros this year.  These stickers come in every theme under the sun and they are washable so stick them on binders, laptops, Hydros etc…  My older daughter has a bunch of soccer stickers, motivational quotes, dogs, tacos… when she got a part in the school play, Legally Blonde, we ordered “What Like It’s Hard?” stickers for her and her friends.

Vans Sneakers. Black or white- these are new kicks from Vans.

Darth Vader Device Holder. This is really fun. There are a few characters to choose from like Spiderman, Darth, Stormtrooper and more…  It will hold a phone or a remote controller.

Pura Vida Jewelry/Bracelets. My little girl loves these and wears about 50 at a time.  Grab the save the turtles charity pack for your VSCO girl.

Dream Decoder Cards. This is a fun gift that has 60 cards with common dream themes to learn more about your subconscious mind.  This could be entertaining for slumber parties.

Bliss Face Masks.  My girls use masks all the time.  These are super affordable and a great stocking stuffer.

Cell Phone Wallet. These look super handy for carrying lunch money, student id or a card or even a house key.  I often send my daughter to her friend’s house with her phone and a little cash and half the time she forgets it buried in her bag or she loses it. Choose from a few colors.

Hydros. I know this is a pretty basic gift idea- I’m sure your teen will love a new Hydro as a gift but did you know you can customize your Hydro? My girls use their Hydros every single day and they get so banged up on the soccer pitch and in the dugout.  I think this service of customizing the color of the bottle (and there are several more colors you don’t normally see), customize the mouth, add a boot to the bottom etc…  You can see more about the service by clicking here. Create a bottle that no one else will have.

Revlon Hair Dryer This thing is amazing and I recommend it all the time. If you have thick hair or use a flat iron to smooth and straighten or fine hair that needs volume, I have a wonder tool for you. Seriously.  You need this. Um. I mean your teen will love this.

Fleece Lined Beanie. I usually include beanies with our Christmas pj selection but they are also cute stocking stuffers. This one comes in a zillion colors and is fleece lined so extra cozy.

Mini Terrarium Candle.  This is so fun and a pretty little addition to a nightstand or dresser (probably buried under clothes and papers soon enough).

Laneige Lip Kit.  The Laneige lip mask is really wonderful to hydrate chapped lips in winter.  This little gift set is super affordable and comes with the mask and a little gloss.

Rudolph Socks. These socks are so cute and I can already see the IG photos pouring in. If you have a teen that likes to get gifts for their friends, these socks, a red nail polish and the beanie would be really cute.

Polka Dot PJs.  I just love these polka dot pjs.  They remind me of Kate Spade and I am most def getting a set for my 12 year old (XS) and me (not XS).  As of posting coupon code CHILL takes 40% off and Gap card holders get an additional 20% off.  We should see 40%-50% off sales for the next several weeks with Gap.

If you need ideas for the special women in your life, here is the Holiday Gift Guide for Her.