As a father, I assure you no gift received is ever considered “cheap”. In fact some of the most meaningful gifts I have received haven’t been worth much from a “dollar and cents” standpoint.
There are several standard cheap Father’s Day gifts that are available most anywhere. That might be cologne, razor blades (I’m always running out) and a new tie. I know, I know, these are hackneyed gifts but they are cheap Father’s Day gifts and they give us a clue as to what is important; things Dad doesn’t buy for himself.
Cheap Father’s Day gifts can include a shirt with the logo of his favorite sports team. One of my favorite gifts was a long-sleeved T-Shirt that said “Chicago Bears”. I’ve worn it out; unfortunately the Bears have been playing worn out lately as well.
Another cheap Father’s Day gift I received from all three of my sons when they were very young was a “World’s Greatest Dad” ball cap. That is another gift I have worn to tatters, and, will continue to do so until it literally falls off my head.
I have always liked the gift of slippers, and, my family always makes sure I have a reasonably secure robe since I have a penchant for “comfortable living” which sometimes includes fewer clothes than my family would like. The slippers and the robe are cheap Father’s Day gifts, which as a by-product insure modesty.
The nice thing about the gifts that I have mentioned so far is that they are all available in grocery stores and stores such as Wal-Mart and K-Mart; places easy to get to.
If you keep your ears open you may hear your Dad mention a favorite movie, a favorite musical group or a favorite book. For under $20 my son’s bought me a group of “Outer Limits” programs.
A resource for movies, VHS and DVD, is a pawn shop or trade shop. Often a cheap Father’s Day gift can be purchased and you can get much more for your money. Speaking as a Dad, I can truthfully say quantity for entertainment is good.
My wife and I were given a gift certificate for dinner by our boys. That is a cheap Father’s Day gift that is great. Parents get precious little time together. Another time, I received two tickets to our local Arena Football team so my best friend and I could have a night out; that was a great cheap Father’s Day gift.
While certainly not cheap, the greatest Father’s Day gift I ever received was when our oldest son was born on Father’s Day of his birth year.
In looking back over my ideas and suggestions, all the gifts are well under $20 and some are under $10. The common denominators as far as value to a Father is that the gifts are either something he wouldn’t buy for himself or an activity with someone he cares about but probably wouldn’t take the time to do.
I know for my Dad, and, for me as well, the most important aspect of Father’s Day is the presence of your family; that’s what makes it special and, nothing could be less expensive than free.
