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Sometimes $5 is all you need to spend to make someone’s day. Whether it’s a small token for a birthday, a component of a multipart gift, or just something to show your appreciation, cheap doesn’t have to mean low quality or impersonal. We’ve rounded up 30 exceptionally thoughtful gifts you can buy for $5 or less (with a few for $6 or less; I’m sad to announce that inflation has hit the inexpensive-gifts sector of the economy) that seem like they’re worth at least double that amount, many of which we’ve written about before.
Beauty and self-care
For the sibling who always gets a scrub at the spa
Exfoliating gloves for anyone who’s trying to get their skin dolphin-smooth.
For the hairstyle maximalist
For the mom who doesn’t like scented candles
Piper Perabo’s favorite travel incense, which she first encountered at her yoga studio, is just $5 for three boxes.
For the friend whose candle stash is running low
This may not be a status-y candle, but it is the best drugstore candle, in our opinion. And this particularly stylish tin makes a great gift.
For the cousin with multi-step lip look
This inexpensive lip gloss comes in 35 colors and is one of the Cut’s favorite nude lip products for darker skin tones.
For the friend who’s sick of gluing on false lashes
Our best-in-class mascara is beloved by makeup artists and beauty editors. “It separates well; it doesn’t clump; I don’t have any smudging or fallout,” says makeup artist Anabelle LaGuardia.
For the K-beauty convert
This pearl sheet mask from Korean brand Tonymoly will make their skin look lustrous.
For the sibling on facial sculpting TikTok
If they want to advance their routine even more, they can use this gua sha tool to help the mask sink into their skin.
For the sibling who’s over Marvis toothpaste
If they’re a European drugstore devotee, get them a toothbrush to match their candy-pink Euthymol toothpaste.
Food
For the Old Bay superfan
For the Japanese candy collector
The frosting-covered biscuit-cookies are Bling Empire star Christine Chiu’s “ultimate go-to snack.”
For the uncle with a thriving backyard garden
If they’ve got a green thumb (or a smart garden), give them the gift of fresh herbs.
For the boyfriend who makes encyclopedic charcuterie boards
A fancy jar of apricot preserves for their next charcuterie board or picnic.
For the friend who prefers fruit candy to chocolate
Cherry-flavored, bite-size gummies from German company Haribo, the inventor of the gummy bear.
For the friend who loves a chilled red
Strategist kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman writes that these silicone stoppers are “very affordable, come in nice colors, are easy to rinse off, and seal my wine perfectly well.”
Toys, games, and art supplies
For the budding multimedia artist
This is artist Peter Shire’s favorite write-on-anything pencil for “glazed ceramic or glass or marking metals for cutting” — and it comes in a ton of bright, fun colors.
For the friend whose to-do lists are works of art
These calligraphy-style pens are stationery expert Caroline Weaver’s favorite “envelope-addressing, label-writing, everything pens.” “They make anyone’s handwriting instantly look fancier,” she says.
For the new parents
Experts recommend this book for 6-month-olds: “Babies at 6 months start to be more inclined to pay attention to a book, and they’re starting to notice other babies’ faces. They really like to look at other babies,” says social worker Sarah MacLaughlin.
For the kinesthetic learner
This classic pink ball is a favorite of illustrator Maira Kalman, who throws it against the wall of her studio during breaks, which she says is “one of the greatest diversions and brain reactivators around.”
For the dad who always hosts poker night
A classic deck of cards (that also makes a great gift for hikers).
For the Online Ceramics T-shirt collector
For the kid who likes a retro toy
For older kids, this retro metal Slinky makes a great stocking stuffer.
Pets
For the parent of a hyperactive dog
Pair this squeaky, ultra-durable ball with a Chuckit launcher for maximum throwing distance at the dog park.
For the cat with a strong predator instinct
These small catnip-filled mouse toys are a “playtime favorite” of former Strategist writer Karen Iorio Adelson’s cat.
For the food-motivated cat
Cats are obsessed with these Go-Gurt-esque lickable treats that can also be frozen into a tuna-and-scallop Popsicle.
Miscellaneous
For the aesthetically minded stoner
A pack of pale-pink rolling papers to complement a design pipe.
For the cottagecore convert
This Frog and Toad–esque night-light has a built-in sensor so it will turn on once it gets dark outside.
For the obsessive annotator
“When I’m writing a script, I read a lot,” says Everything Everywhere All at Once co-director Daniel Kwan. He keeps track of important passages with these Post-it flags, which are so essential that Kwan tapes them to the cover of his Moleskine journal.
For the sibling who has traveling down to a science
Flight attendant Nikki Helms recommends packable detergent packets for doing a load of laundry in the sink, which gives her “more room in my bag for goodies I find on my trips.”
For the outdoorsy sibling
These “S-biners” are two carabiners in one, making them doubly useful for schlepping stuff, whether on the subway or on a hike. They come in several colors, including bright orange and olive green.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, bed sheets, coffee makers, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.
