Looking for cheap gifts for dad who wants nothing (or gifts for the dad who has everything)? I gotchu! Here are 10 of the best free or cheap gifts for dad that are practical, thoughtful, and dads will love.
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Cheap Gifts for Dad Who Wants Nothing (or has everything!)
Ugh. This is totally my dad.
I mean, hi dad, love you! (if you’re reading)
But seriously.
These types of dads are the hardest ones to buy Father’s Day Gifts for (or birthday gifts or Christmas gifts…)
When you are a kid, you can trace your hand on a card and it’s the best gift in the world. If I did that now, my dad would be a little confused.
It really is truly sweet that these dads don’t want anything. There are a lot of benefits to minimalism (like saving money!) I always admired how my dad was happy without things, and that buying and accumulating stuff didn’t fulfill him.
I’m sure he influenced my early love of personal finance (check out these 7 important money lessons we should have learned growing up…but probably didn’t!)
But if you really do want to pick up a little gift for dad I put together a list.
So for the impossible husbands, and the impossible dads, here are the best cheap gifts for dad who wants nothing. (They are also great ideas of gifts for the dad who has everything!)
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10 Cheap Gifts for Dad Who Wants Nothing
1. A DIY gift for Dad
The dad who wants nothing would probably very much appreciate a homemade gift.
No matter what your age, there are super fun DIY father’s day crafts in this post. These are beginner-friendly DIY gifts and some for kids to do.
2. A fancy pen
People still write on paper, right?
It is much nicer to write with a nice pen than a pen you kept from the last hotel your family stayed at.
Here are some ideas:
3. A new keychain
Dads have keys. Keys need to be on keychains to keep track of them. Some dads with lots of keys organize by keychain so have multiple keychains.
Here are some fun keychains to check out:
4. Gift cards for Dad who wants nothing
You can get any denomination you want so you can keep this a cheap gift for dad. Think Amazon, Home Depot, outdoors stores, etc., etc. Whatever the dad in your life is interested in. Food gift cards are great!
Frugal secret tip: check out Gift Card Granny. People sell their unwanted gift cards at a discount and you can pick up some great deals there on gift cards.
These aren’t for obscure places either; a quick check on the main page today showed discount gift cards for Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks (be still my frugal caffeinated heart), Apple Store, Groupon, Best Buy, tons others.
5. Give him food – ultimate cheap gifts for Dad who wants nothing
Making Dad’s favorite meal can be one of the most appreciated dad gifts. This cheap gift for dad who wants nothing will be eaten and then there will be nothing left. It’s perfect! He gets a gift and then he gets nothing! Lol
6. Socks for Dad
Kid me would have thought this was the worst gift idea ever. But now I think it deserves a place on any cheap gift idea list, and is an ideal cheap gift for dads who want nothing. Dads need to wear socks too, and socks wear out. They are the perfect useful gift.
My favorite socks to buy or receive (yes I have favorite socks now) are merino wool. Temperature regulated, they’re a few bucks more than basic socks, but are sooo worth it.
Here is a 3-pack of merino wool socks that Dad will love:
7. Shower gel for men
There are a lot of alternatives to Old Spice.
My absolute favorite shower gel for men is this one:
I actually bought it for myself because I was looking for a shower gel that smells like eucalyptus. I am in love with this shower gel; it makes the bathroom smell like a spa!
If you don’t get it as a cheap gift for dad who wants nothing, you should totally get it for yourself! I’m serious, it is ridiculously yummy smelling.
8. A notebook
A nice notebook is another utilitarian gift idea for dads that can be used for so many things. Shopping list, notes, keeping track of hours for work, gas mileage, etc.
Two of my faves:
9. Headlamp
This is a super useful and cheap gift idea for dads who want nothing.
I think everybody should have a headlamp. If you like camping or hiking, a headlamp is a must. But they are also useful around the house. If you have a power outage, a headlamp is way more useful than a flashlight as it is hands-free and goes where you go.
Here’s a great headlamp option:
10. Portable cell phone charger
This portable charger can charge two devices at a time and it gets rave reviews for quality and time it takes to charge. Check it out here:
For more gift ideas for dads, check out these cheap home gadgets that are shockingly useful!
Beverly
Wednesday 9th of June 2021
Suchot, I tend to go with #5 - food. Congratulations, you are being featured at Thursday Favorite Things. I hope you stop by. https://www.eclecticredbarn... Hugs, Bev
TheCuriousFrugal
Wednesday 9th of June 2021
Thank you Bev! Food is one of my favorite gifts to receive too! :)
Pam
Wednesday 9th of June 2021
These are some really great ideas! My husband's dad is very hard to buy for, but he always appreciates food! :) Thanks for sharing with us at Thursday Favorite Things.
TheCuriousFrugal
Wednesday 9th of June 2021
Thanks Pam! Food is an awesome gift for dads who want nothing cuz they all gotta eat! lol
Lauren Renee Sparks
Wednesday 19th of May 2021
Good ideas. Visiting you from the wonderful wednesday blog hop. laurensparks.net