Birthday gifts on a budget

This year, I'm taking my Aunt Donna's approach to gift giving: buy people the things you know they need and will use, which will free up their money for something they really want. Since the birth of my son, Aunt Donna has given us huge boxes of diapers for major occasions. As any parent knows, a gift like this is worth its weight in gold. We always appreciate the diapers and then our money is spent of other things for our son...clothes, educational toys, college fund. Clearly, Aunt Donna is a gift-giving pro (and remembers what its like to have small kids!).

Today is my brother's birthday. Using the Aunt Donna approach and my knack for buying a lot of stuff for a little money, I'm giving my brother a gift bag filled with items he will actually use.

The Schick Quattro razor, Edge shave gel, Crest Spinbrush, Colgate toothpaste, Adidas deoderant, Thermacare patch and candy were all bought at CVS and Walgreens, on sale and with coupons. I estimate the total worth of this gift between $30 and $35. I'm betting that I spent less than $2 out-of-pocket for all of it.

I know toiletries might seem strange as a gift, but it beats another shirt/CD/video that won't be my brother's taste. I'm giving him items he can use, so the money he would have spent on this stuff can be used for a shirt/CD/video that he does like. And bonus! This gift didn't break the bank.

Gift for my brother's birthday? Check.

Gift given on time? Check.

Something he can use? Check.

Something I put a lot of thought into? Check.

Would Martha be proud? Check!

Happy birthday, Freddy!