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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.
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  • Home
  • Member Hub
    • Getting Started
    • No Spending Month
    • Cheapskates Club Insider
    • SUPER SHOPPER 2026 >
      • Super Shopper 300 a Month Challenge
    • Our Once a Year Shopping List
    • Handmade Christmas Hub >
      • Make It Monday
    • Articles
    • How to Build Your Stockpile >
      • How to Build Your Stockpile Part 1
      • How to Build Your Stockpile Part 2
      • How to Build Your Stockpile Part 3
      • How to Build Your Stockpile Part 4
    • Take A Pause
    • 31 Days of MOO Index
    • Budget Renovations
    • Saving Stories
  • Recipes
    • Recipe File Index
    • Meal Plans
    • Back to Basics >
      • Back to Basics
      • Simple Bulk Pasta Sauce
      • Back to Basics Ep 1
    • Add a Recipe
  • Saving Money
    • Member Wins Money Smiles
    • LATEST TIPS 2026
    • Cheapskates Tip Store
    • Tip Sheets
    • Bill Paying System
  • Forum
    • Current Forum Discussions
    • How to Use the Member Forum
  • Newsletters
  • Join the Club
    • Why Members Come Back
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
  • Contact
    • Changing Details
    • About Us >
      • Cath's Story
      • Ask Cath
      • Glossary of Cheapskating Terms
    • Help Files >
      • Help File TOTD