THE CHEAPSKATES CLUB
  • Home
  • Join the Club!
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
    • Gift Memberships
  • About Us
    • Cath's Story
    • Ask Cath
    • Glossary of Cheapskating Terms
  • Forum
    • Current Forum Discussions
    • How to Use the Member Forum
  • Inspiration
    • Getting Started
    • Handmade Christmas Central >
      • Handmade Christmas 2025 is about to start
    • 31 Days of MOO Index
    • Articles
    • Back to Basics >
      • Back to Basics
      • Back to Basics Index
    • Housekeeping Routines
    • Budget Renovations
    • Saving Stories
  • SAVING REVOLUTION
    • 2025 Saving Revolution Index
    • Saving Revolution Resources
  • Recipes
    • Recipe File Index
    • Meal Plans
    • Add a Recipe
    • $300 a Month Food Challenge >
      • $300 a Month Food Challenge
      • The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
  • Newsletters
    • Newsletters 2025
  • Saving Money
    • Bill Paying System
    • Cheapskates Tip Store
    • Tip Sheets
    • Top Tip Competition
  • Contact
    • Changing Details
    • Help Files
Sentry Page Protection
Please Wait...

Super Easy, Really Fun and Frugal Birthday Gift Ideas

Now school is back, the kids are going to start bringing home those little cards that cause them great excitement and you a sinking feeling of dread. 

Yes,  birthday parties will be back on your schedule. If you were smart you would have taken advantage of the after Christmas sales and stocked up on wrapping, ribbons and even some gifts. But, if you're like most parents, even if you're a little prepared, there will always be that one invitation that takes you buy surprise. 

You can either make an emergency dash to the local shopping centre to buy something or you can turn to your pantry and put together a gift that will bring smiles, be useful, not add clutter to another mum's home and will save you $20 (or more) on gift and wrapping.

You can make an amazing gift by putting together a cupcake kit, and they're good for girls and boys (little boys just love Gross Dirt Cupcakes).

You'll need to put the dry ingredients for a batch of cupcakes into a ziplock bag. Write the recipe on a piece of paper (or print it out) and stick it to the front of the bag. Put some sprinkles into a small bag. Add some icing mixture to another bag (don't forget to put the recipe on the front of the bag). Get some cupcake papers out too (you'll need 24 if you use the 4 3 2 1 Cupcakes recipe). Put them all in a gift bag (or decorate a paper bag if you don't have one). Tie some balloons to the handles and voila - a unique, useful and fun gift for around $3!

For boys, put together a kit to make chocolate cupcakes. Use chocolate slivers instead of sprinkles and chocolate icing mix. Add a packet of gummy worms to make them really gross.

4 3 2 1 Cupcakes
Ingredients:
4 eggs
3 cups SR flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup cream or plain yoghurt

Mix 4 eggs with 1 cup of cream or yoghurt. Add 2 cups of sugar. Slowly add 3 cups of self-raising flour. Divide the mixture between 24 cupcake papers and bake at 180 degrees for 7-10 minutes. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Cupcake Icing
Ingredients:
2 cups icing mixture
2 tsp butter
2 tsp milk

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Use a knife to spread the mixture over the cold cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles before icing sets.

About Cheapskates

Getting Started

Tools & Guides

Follow Us

Cath's Story
You Really Can Live on One Income
Join the Club!
Site Information
Contact
Begin here
Newsletter Archive
Journal Archive
$300 a Month Food Challenge
Forum
Cheapskates Tip Store
Cheapskates Recipe File
Tip Sheets
Facebook
YouTube

Copyright ©2001 - 2025 The Cheapskates Club, All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Join the Club!
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
    • Gift Memberships
  • About Us
    • Cath's Story
    • Ask Cath
    • Glossary of Cheapskating Terms
  • Forum
    • Current Forum Discussions
    • How to Use the Member Forum
  • Inspiration
    • Getting Started
    • Handmade Christmas Central >
      • Handmade Christmas 2025 is about to start
    • 31 Days of MOO Index
    • Articles
    • Back to Basics >
      • Back to Basics
      • Back to Basics Index
    • Housekeeping Routines
    • Budget Renovations
    • Saving Stories
  • SAVING REVOLUTION
    • 2025 Saving Revolution Index
    • Saving Revolution Resources
  • Recipes
    • Recipe File Index
    • Meal Plans
    • Add a Recipe
    • $300 a Month Food Challenge >
      • $300 a Month Food Challenge
      • The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
  • Newsletters
    • Newsletters 2025
  • Saving Money
    • Bill Paying System
    • Cheapskates Tip Store
    • Tip Sheets
    • Top Tip Competition
  • Contact
    • Changing Details
    • Help Files