Great Gifts Under $25

Having a budget for Christmas presents, doesn't mean you need to be a scrooge! As requested, here are a few great gifts that won't break your bank this season.

For The Coffee Lover: Chalkboard coffee mug (AC Moore for $3), chalk, and a $10 Starbucks gift card.


For The Magazine Lover: Magazine subscriptions - its the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Purchase individual subscriptions or purchase a bundled offer from Maghound (FYI- Its a great new Internet service that likes Beer of the Month Club meets Netflix). Wrap up a current copy with a complementary gift for a extra gift giving punch (e.g., This Old House & $10 Home Depot Gift Card; Martha Stewart Living with $10 Michael's gift card; etc.)

For The Craftster. Buy a Gingerbread House Kit. Pick one up at CVS for $10; snag one at Michaels for $12 or order one online at the Dancing Deer Bakery.


For The Gamester On the Go. Travel Scrabble. Pick one up at your local BJs for $10 or buy online for $12 at Amazon.


For The Kid or The Kid at Heart. Nothing says "I'm fun" like being the owner of a Marshmallow Shooter. Available at Drugstore.com for $14.

For The Luxe Living: . Soap. Soap. Soap. Great gift for someone stressed out or needs a little pampering. Target's Soap and Glory offers a great selection of items priced $4- $10.


For the The Sentimentalist. Dust off your old photos and load them into a Photo Calender or digital photo keychain. Do a retrospective through the years, collection of favorite trips, or collection of favorite people. Upload the photos, Create personalized notes. Pick them up at a local store. Staples, Wal-mart, Costcos offer the services, starting at $8.95.

For the Retro Hipster. Buy a cool vintage logo t-shirt from Desteenation or Cafepress or bundle up a selection of retro candy from Pennycandy (e.g., mint juleps, bit o'honey, and charleston chews)

For the Nor'ester. Scarfs, Mittens, and Hat. Old Navy is offering the trio of items for $15. For a unique package, package them into a trio of chinese food containers available at a craft store.

For the Book Lover. Books are always a great option. I like to bundle books with the common themes (e.g, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby & Caroline Preston's Gatsby Girl; Nero Blanc's Crossword Delights & NY Times Crossword Puzzles; (3) Julie Powell's Julie and Julia & Julia Child's Essential Kitchen Wisdom.


Would love to hear your great ideas for gifts under $25. Send them along and I'll post them!

Flipping Pages

Looking for a few places to find books cheaply on a regular basis? Check out the places listed below to find good quality used books at a fraction of the full retail price (often for a $1 or $2).

Why go the low cost route for books?
- Cost savings. $1 versus $14 for a trade paperback.
- Low price point of most books will allow you to experiment with new authors or genres that you might otherwise pass on
- Find a book you've been looking for that is no longer carried in a traditional bookstore

So, with these advantages in mind, take a book adventure at one of these bookstores within the Boston Area:

Got Books 104 Glenn St., Lawrence, MA, 01843
(978) 664-6555
Http://www.gotbooks.com
Runs a charity book sale each weekend. Each weekend, the sale benefits a different non-profit organization. Hours are 9AM-6PM on Thursday and Friday) and 9AM - 4PM on Saturday. Most books run $1 each. Store also accepts donation.


Used Book Superstore
256 Cambridge Street, Burlington, MA
http://www.usedbooksuperstore.net
(781) 27 - BOOKS

This superstore is a subsidiary of GotBooks.com. (see above). Larger selection of books generally offered at 90% retail. DVDs and CDs are also sold. Large store, nothing glamorous - just shelves and bins of books.
The hours are: 10AM - 8PM (Tuesday - Saturday); 10AM - 6PM (Sundays)

Wellesley Booksmith Used Book Cellar
82 Central St, Wellesley, ma
http://www.wellesleybooksmith.com/
(781) 431 1160

The Used Book Cellar is open during regular store hours. Purchase "gently used" books at deep discounts. (FYI: excellent inventory of current good reads). Sell books back to the store for additional store credit on the 1st and 3rd Friday and Saturday of each month.

Local Library/Friends of the Library Book Sale.
Your local library

A hidden gem within your own neighborhood. Most libraries offer a bin or shelve of good reads for $1 or less. Books are usually placed near the front door or circulation desk. Donations usually welcomed. Exact change preferred.