Ok, I've been a stay at home mom for quite a while now. My husband works his butt off, always has since I've known him (amazing guy!) I asked him not to get me anything for Christmas this year b/c I can't get him anything. Ha, if you only knew him :) He smiles and says that isn't the point, he doesn't care if I get him anything or not, he's still getting me stuff. I feel terrible!
So I'm asking my Awesome Mama's what I can do. Does anyone have any ideas for something I can do for him? I may not have money, but I'm creative. I write him poems and things all the time, so I don't wanna do that...I just gotta do something! Maybe there are things around the house I could use to make something special, Idk, I'm so lost. Please help me figure something out, that will be just as great as the gifts he spends money on. I know, tough one huh!?! I'm open to ANY and ALL ideas and suggestions! Thanks Mama's, you're the best!
I understand what some of you are saying, it should be our money, and for the most part it is...he's just much better with money than I am, much better :) But I feel funny about asking him to give me money to go buy him something. But, just to clarify, it's not that he wouldn't share money, I just don't feel right about it. I was just wondering if y'all had any ideas for things I could do for him without spending money or by spending very little. Thanks Mamas!
Maybe it is the sleep deprivation but explain to me how he can have money to spend on you but you not have money to spend on him? You go to the same well. Maybe you should take a bit out for him instead of him spending it all on you.
Buy some lotion or massage oil and tape on a coupon for a free massage!
And all the men in my family love Pistacious
Why can he spend money but you can't? I'm confused.
You've seen the SNL skit with Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake, the "D!ck in a Box!' skit, right?
Do it your own way, wrap yourself up ;)
-Make a photo album of just you 2 from the time you met.
-Give him a back massage at home.
-Make him his favorite dinner
-list all the reasons you love him
-Write your love story (from the time you met, first date, when you first knew you loved him
-buy a cheap 6 pack of beer & play cards w/him
-always give him love, hugs & attention
-make a list of his top 10 attributes
-make a fun, loving Christmas night in of all your favorite things: egg nog, candles, spiced hot cocoa, beer or wine, homemade pizza or snack foods (chicken wings, nachos, potato skins)
-does he like sports? Make a fun night of watching a basketball or football game w/him w/some snacks
-buy him a cheap bag of fortune cookies from the grocery store
-get cheap iron-ons & put on a t-shirt you already have (I heart hubby etc)
-go online & print highlights of his favorite team (put in album)
-online find what happened in history on the day he was born (print out for him)
-make him a caddy from things around the house for his truck
-make him an emerency kit for his car/truck: bandaids, rag, ibuprofen, thermos, flare, blanket etc
-make a cd of songs that mean something to you both (do this from computer)
You are broke and your husband has money? How does that work?
Blessings....
I guess I don't understand why you can't buy him anything. You are a SAHM but you are contributing to the household by taking of your husband and children's needs. There is no reason why you don't consider "his" income as OUR income and go shopping to buy him something.
Ok, so just because he has money does not mean she does ... my man and I get monthly allowances with our budget and he is too good at setting money aside. One year he had saved 400 bucks in like 6months. Now gas was not as high and we were both working so our allowances were higher but that is beside the point, there may be a reason he does have funds. So, next my idea would be the "coupons" book -
Good for one guilt free night out with the guys
Good for one "no chores" weekend (where you do even daddy's chores)
Good for one hide out night (where daddy can direct all questions problems and issues to mommy)
Good for one night out on the town
Make them relevant to you and have fun with them. You can even look up ideas online for coupons - they do not all have to be sex or sex related.
If he's got money, you've got money. (Sorry, but I had to agree with the other ladies--if money is that tight, but he can spend, the two of you need to sit down and figure out a budget in January so you won't be strapped for spending money. Ahem.)
Anyway, have you looked at garage sales or estate sales? I find the greatest presents there. There are often perfectly good tools, books, cds, quirky little decorative items. I find a lot of antique cut glass or sterling silver trays for my mom, and I generally get it for a fraction of what it would cost in an antique shop. Just a thought.
Someone had a great idea I just heard tonight. Making a trophey for their dad. They are getting a ton of stuff around the house that represants him and hot glue everything together in a big tall blob and then spray paint it gold with a little note in front of the trophey stating what he means to her.
Always can do the coupon books scrapbook style. Good for : Romantic dinner, foot rub, clean out the garage, do the dishes for a month, ect....
If it's a "low" money situation have you considered a brazilian bikini wax? Seriously - my hubby thought it was FANTASTIC and I'm considering doing it again for a little "surprise" gift - lol...
Otherwise - find your nicest pantie/bra set - wait till the kids are asleep - then rock his world single gal style. :-)
Have fun!
We keep Christmas inexpensive and as practical as we can.
I picked up for him: underwear, socks, a new replacement head for the toothbrush, a drill tip extender thingy (he doesn't know that I know he needs), and will get him a few snack things he likes.
From the girls: he is getting a collage picture calendar for his desk at work that says, "We love you, Daddy!" on it. I made and ordered mine from snapfish, but am having it printed at Walmart $7.
I also interviewed my 4 year old with questions that another person on here suggested, and will type them out on a nice paper.
If you need to spend NO money, then what about doing a special project for him? I thought about painting my husband's workbenches - never got to it. Make him his favorite dessert or food items? Does he like a special candy that you could make?
Plan a romantic evening out or in and write it out in a special invitation of how you are going to make him King for the night.
Good luck! I've been there and it sucks!
food always need it and its a not wasted expense. like cheese and suasage. or cookies homemade is better. I got mine some used books cause we are really really strapped this year. I got him some clothes on clearance earlier this year. an axe gift pack it has deodrant body spray and body wash. all my boys love that. the one dollar colognes. they are called bod 2 of them are good one is nasty so smell before buying.does he need a flashlight these are cheap. a tool that has the knife pliers and screw driver got one for my son for $5 at family dollar. if you don't have one of them they are all over town. at any store.a pocket knife a good one is about 20. gloves a blanket the $5 ones at any store in town. thermals. anything small but necessary like that you can pick up cheap. car deodrizers for his stocking again a buck. steering wheel cover. floor mats. jumper cables. tools are always a need. you lose them and need to replace them. ace hardware is descent price and good tools.
after readin gthe first response I can add to it a shadow box. with things he likes.
While I agree that his money should be and is your money, I don't think that was the question. Don't you just love asking a question and then people making it another question all on their own.
Sorry I don't have any suggestions right now.
Are you saying NO money or LOW money?
If it's LOW money, what about a photo book? You can get some great ones online that you make with your pictures and if you want, your text.
What about a "coupon" to do something he really likes, like go skiing this winter, go sledding complete with hot cocoa afterwards, making him an especially nice dinner, back massage, etc.
Or what about a 1x a week "date nite" mix it up! Rent a movie, cook together, make a garden, watch football with him!
Most men appreciate good home cooked meals. Maybe it's calling his mother and getting some of his favorite recipes from her? Maybe you could make a NEW family cookbook that incorporates all of his fav meals? Then rotate that schedule and make a new one once a week to try out.
It doesn't have to be a weekly commitment, but EVERYONE has something that's important to them. I bet if you think about it there's SOMETHING he wants/you could do/change that would make him VERY happy...it's the effort/willingness to make him happy that will go further than any store bought gift.
Do you sew? Can you knit? One year I made my husband a rug out of rug scraps I bought at a place that sold them by the pound. I think the rug cost me all of 9 dollars. The time was precious. I had to make it at a friend's house so he wouldn't see it as it grew.
Make him a budget so he can give you an allotment of his hard earned money so you can spend it on the things you need and want without feeling any sort of guilt or dependency.
make him his fav dinner or breakfast in bed something else i just thought of if you have a girl friend that you feel comfy taking pictures of you have her come over and get some of you in cute undies and bra and then give it to him in a frame. i cant help but laugh at the women who dont understand the money issue on this. im a sahm too and im not using my husbands money to get him a gift thats just stupid. i know where you are coming from :)
Can you make some of his favorite meals and freeze them? Does he have favorite cookies that you can bake? Also, you can print off coupons... you know "good for one______", those are always fun!! (the kids can print ones from them.... like getting dad's drink, letting him nap etc.)
I would take $20 and get him something. I bought a very nice name brand tie at Goodwill and I am monograming it for my husband. I bought a new hat and floor mats for his car and a new tire pressure gauge. I think I spent under $50 for everything. I still have a few small items I want to get him but you don't have to spend a lot of money. One year I bought him new pillows and both were under $25.
This is going to sound strange, but detail his car. I did it for my husband last year for Christmas. I told him we needed to trade cars for the day on the 24th since I needed to pick up some of the kids' friends (he has the bigger car) - I did arrange for playdates for the kids so they were occupied and then I detailed the interior of his car - vacuum, armor all, the works. Christmas morning I sent him to the garage to get something out of his car. He loved it!
