by Nikki King

Created on: August 05, 2010

Dads are incredibly special and deserve a thoughtful gift, but many are often difficult to buy for. They usually have enough socks and neckties, and that huge flat-screen TV he has been eyeing is quite a bit out of your price range. Luckily, here are a few alternatives.

1. Give a gift card to a restaurant and/or movie theater. Include a note with the day for these to be used. If you don’t go ahead and set a date, it’s easy to keep putting off using them. If you have very young children at home, plan for a babysitter so you and your husband can have a much needed date. This gift is also a good one for children to give so they can have some quality father/son or father/daughter time. As kids get older, it seems there is less and less time to spend together, so Dad will cherish the one-on-one time.

To make this gift inexpensive, look for discounted gift cards. Half Off Deals offers gift certificates for half price. Also, Restaurant.com has discounted gift certificates, but you have to spend a certain amount at the restaurant. Normally, the certificates are for $10 off $20 or $25 off $35, and other restrictions often apply. Restaurant.com sometimes has coupon codes, allowing you to buy a certificate for as low as $2. If you are going this route, I recommend going to the restaurant to buy a $15 or $20 gift certificate to pair with the $25 off $35 coupon from Restaurant.com.

2. Do chores without being asked. Make the whole day (or week) special by completing household tasks that Dad normally does or chores that he is constantly reminding you to do. Taking out the trash, mowing the lawn, and washing his car are a few ideas.

3. Give a photo gift. Photo printing sites often run great specials on gift items right before holidays. You could give Dad a t-shirt, mouse pad, coffee mug, or towel with a picture of the kids on it. Check out Snapfish, Artscow, or Shutterfly.

4. Give a gift that keeps on giving. There are numerous clubs and businesses that offer memberships for all kinds of interests: book clubs, wine-of-the-month clubs, sausage-of-the-month clubs, etc. If Dad is a movie buff, try a membership to Netflix. You could also get him a magazine subscription.

5. Give him something edible. We have always heard “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” and dads are usually no exception. Cook his favorite meal or bake his favorite dessert. No good in the kitchen? Restaurants and bakeries have many delicious to-go options for you to bring home for a family dinner.

Is there something he has mentioned wanting, like a book, DVD, or new tools? As you pick a gift, think about your dad’s interests and hobbies. Whatever you decide on, most dads appreciate just knowing you love them.

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