Can’t afford Chanukah gifts for the kids 😢

amother

OP ↓

Yesterday at 7:50 pm

Am I the only one? I’m feeling so bad about it. My kids are going to be so sad 😭

amother

Brunette

Yesterday at 7:58 pm

Do you live near a Five Below or Dollar Tree- there are some nice toys /games/crafts / gifts for $5
Five below.com

amother

↑ OP ↓

Yesterday at 7:58 pm

amother Brunette wrote:

Do you live near a Five Below or Dollar Tree- there are some nice toys /games/crafts / gifts for $5
Five below.com

I have teens. That’s not going to work
But thanx for the idea

amother

Clematis ↓

Yesterday at 7:59 pm

amother OP wrote:

I have teens. That’s not going to work
But thanx for the idea

Five below has cute stuff for teens

amother

Nutmeg ↓

Yesterday at 8:01 pm

Is there any amount that you can afford? $10? $15? Or not at all?
We do gelt and not gifts, but maybe we can help you brainstorm for something in your budget?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Yesterday at 8:01 pm

amother Clematis wrote:

Five below has cute stuff for teens

I’ll take a look. Thanx
They gave me a list of all the stuff that they want. Not happening 😢

amother

↑ OP ↓

Yesterday at 8:02 pm

amother Nutmeg wrote:

Is there any amount that you can afford? $10? $15? Or not at all?
We do gelt and not gifts, but maybe we can help you brainstorm for something in your budget?

Honestly, nothing! Unless I add it to my credit card debt 😭

amother

↑ Nutmeg

Yesterday at 8:03 pm

amother

↑ Clematis ↓

Yesterday at 8:03 pm

amother OP wrote:

I’ll take a look. Thanx
They gave me a list of all the stuff that they want. Not happening 😢

Wat abt electric hand warmers? Earbuds? Bluetooth speaker? All things you can get under $10.

You can buy a cute reusable cup and put some of their fave candy/baked goods

Coupons for free night from chores, mom will cook your favorite dinner, mom will make lunch of your choice etc...

giftedmom

Yesterday at 8:03 pm

amother OP wrote:

I have teens. That’s not going to work
But thanx for the idea

Write down privileges on cute little notes to be redeemed whenever they want

amother

↑ OP ↓

Yesterday at 8:05 pm

amother Clematis wrote:

Thanx! Will check those out

amother

↑ OP ↓

Yesterday at 8:06 pm

giftedmom wrote:

Write down privileges on cute little notes to be redeemed whenever they want

Cute idea! But don’t think they would appreciate that

amother

Black

Yesterday at 8:06 pm

A day off of school or something like that?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Yesterday at 8:08 pm

amother Black wrote:

A day off of school or something like that?

That’s a punishment for them lol
They don’t like missing school and then having to make up the work

amother

Grape ↓

Yesterday at 8:11 pm

amother OP wrote:

I have teens. That’s not going to work
But thanx for the idea

how old?
my teen daughter (14 bah) was very excited about some scented hand sanitizers from bath and body works. was 10 dollars for five bottles when I went. what about soemthing low cost like tht?

amother

↑ Grape ↓

Yesterday at 8:16 pm

another idea that’s gone over well: the company dash makes very cute mini appliances. most are btwn 10-20. mini soft serve ice cream maker (makes individual portion) it’s 19.99. and they have mini popcorn maker. there are mini waffle makers. would ur teens be excited to get those? they look adorable. and then it also doubles as a fun chanukah activity. you sit and whip up yummy stuff to eat and then play a game or wtvr. I know thts not $5 so not sure you could swing it but its very cute and very appreciated with the girls and has a lot of fun use. think motzei shabbos with their friends etc. so suggesting it if its doable for you and useful. good luck! and I hope your situation turns around for the better real soon!

amother

↑ Clematis

Yesterday at 8:18 pm

amother Grape wrote:

This is a great idea. My kids r into popcorn you can buy a silicone bowl that you use to microwave popcorn it's abt $10 we use it every day.

amother

Powderblue

Yesterday at 8:19 pm

I found good stuff for teens in 5 below. I also found stuff in target for $5-$15 they have stuff in the bullseye section that can work, also some holiday specials or gifts in the make up and skin care section, and like someone said those small appliances I saw one for melted cheese or chocolate for $10.

amother

Indigo ↓

Yesterday at 8:20 pm

That’s rough with teens
Please tell them before Chanukah that you won’t be getting them the things on their list, in whatever kind way you can think of.
I can’t get gifts this year either but my kids are under 8 and don’t expect much.

amother

↑ Grape ↓

Yesterday at 8:32 pm

ok here is a third idea. not sure how your kids would enjoy so you decide.

make a scavenger hunt for them to find their gift. I always warn my kids tht it isn’t a major gift more just like a prize but they don’t care bec it is such a blast for them. we do it after chanukah candles.
I will do a separate hunt with totally diff clues for each kid and all of them end at the same place. the rule is when u are up to ur last clue u have to wait for everyone else to all solve the last together and find the prize .

I will do either word clues where they have to solve what im saying to know where to go. you can also print pictures of things in ur house very zoomed up that they have to figure out what it is to know where to go. if you have younger kids tht would b jealous and want to b involved y can make a hunt for them too by either printing easy pics if they cannot read and obviously not too zoomed up or it’ll b hard you can also make easy word clues for younger kids or another idea u take an item and they need to go where that item goes. so u give them a diaper and they need to go to where you keep diapers and by the diapers put a snack bag there and they will realize it doesn’t go there and continue to the snack bags drawer and will find a banana. and then they go where the bananas are kept etc etc. and they clean up as they go.

at the final location can just b a small prize. if it’s teens soemthing every age appreciates and my daughter was actually asking me for is wtvr fidget the kids are into now. and those are usually pretty cheap. I know my daughter been asking me for needoh cuz supposedly thts the very best squish thing which I didn’t buy cuz I don’t think is necessary. there is another thing the kids are big into now called maybe impossible cone and there is another pretty new one my 14 year old just asked me for I can’t rem the name but if ur interested I can find out. also just a bag of chocolate coins is exciting you can do that at the end instead of a prize. and then you can all sit down to a game of dreidel! my kids favorite night of chanukah is the night we do the scavenger hunt and it literally costs no money especially if you just do a chanukah treat at the end which I very often do. young and old enjoy it in my house. kids wait for it all year long. just a suggestion….

and I saw lots of ppl mentioned privileges. I did tht one year but jazzed it up in that we made a chinese auction of privileges and made a whole to do about it. kids had a blast. you can also play a game first to earn tickets for the auction. Chanukah can b loads of fun without spending a lot. no need to spend a ton of money you don’t have just make whole lot of family fun memories. I know it’s not the same as what they wanted but if you don’t usually do this kind of stuff they may actually appreciate it as a whole new excitement.

good luck!