5 Unexpected Places Frugal People Can Find Amazing Gifts

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For some people, giving the perfect gift is more than just a point of pride. It’s the way you show someone how much you love them and that you’ve paid attention to them.

If gift-giving is one of your love languages, then you likely live or die by the sales at your local outlets, or you scour Amazon for regular deals. But you might find the prices a bit too high or the options a little stale as you search for gifts. There has to be a way of being frugal and creative alike in your gift giving — but how do you get that spark back? 

Changing up where you seek out those gifts is a great place to start. Broadening your scope far beyond the big-box retailers, both brick-and-mortar and online, is a wonderful way of finding one-of-a-kind gifts that will warm the recipients’ hearts. GOBankingRates found some off-the-beaten-path places to find the best presents. Here they are below.

Frugal shoppers can also drop by Dollar Tree for 12 items that would make great Christmas presents for retirees.

Renaissance Fairs 

Sure, renaissance fairs are known for their giant turkey legs (who doesn’t like a giant turkey leg?), thrilling jousting matches and performers, and amazing chances to people-watch. But they’re also a smorgasbord of craftspeople and artisans who make everything from flower crowns and jewelry to leatherwork and homemade brooms. At any Renaissance Fair worth its salt, you’ll also find people who make wool clothes and durable hats. 

Flea Markets and Antique Shops 

Your local flea markets and antique shops are brimming with everything from classic decor to one-of-a-kind outwear. Rare books and vinyl records are available for surprisingly low costs compared to going to elite collectors. While you’ll want to make sure that the items you select are as well-preserved as they were well-loved, you can find the kind of gifts that your loved one might not have known they needed while browsing the aisles. 

Makers’ Markets and Retail Pop-ups 

As the holiday season approaches, many towns and cities benefit from pop-up makers’ markets, where artisans and artists display their wares. You can typically find anything from handmade wall art and cards to hand-dipped candles, as well as soaps and lotions galore. To learn more about the makers’ markets that are already thriving in your area, you can simply Google search for ones in your city or town.

Farmers’ Markets 

You might think that your local farmers’ market is the best place to get fresh fruit and veggies, but many of the vendors also sell goods that make great presents, like honey, granola, soaps and lotions, or even flower baskets that are appropriate for a front porch all year ’round. Even bagged coffees or teas can offer a welcome and inexpensive pick-me-up for a loved one. 

Buy Nothing Groups 

What’s even better than finding the perfect gift for a low cost? Finding a gift you know your loved one will like beyond measure for free. Whether you join your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook or explore the main Buy Nothing website. You can find a treasure trove of items, including practical and ornamental goods, that you might not find anywhere else. In addition to the satisfaction of finding that bicycle wheel your partner needed or that succulent planter that you know your best friend will love, you can also feel satisfied that you’re helped reduce waste and spent absolutely nothing. 

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