4 Great Gift Ideas For College Students
Coming up with Christmas gift ideas for a college student is difficult. The things that make my son’s eyes light up are way out of the price range of our Christmas budget. I’m not buying my son a new car, or the latest iPhone for Christmas. When I asked him if he had any ideas, he stated there wasn’t really anything he wanted. So what can a parent buy for a college student for Christmas?
I racked my brain for a couple of days, and came up with some relatively inexpensive gifts I know my son will appreciate:
- Gas Station Gift Cards: Money is scarce for many college students, so they want to use the funds they do have for fun things. Filling up their car with gas is not fun. Being able to whip out a gift card to buy a tank of gas allows them to use their cash for the things they want to do.
- Car Emergency Kit: This is actually a gift for both the college student AND the parent. Parents worry about their kids being on the road, especially during winter months in colder climates. Knowing an emergency kit stocked with things such as a blanket, flashlight, and jumper cables help keep a parent’s mind at ease. Should the college student actually need the kit, they’ll be thankful for it as well.
- Bin Of Snacks: College students are hungry all the time. Buy a plastic storage bin, fill it with their favorite snacks and beverages and send it to them.
- Clothing Store Gift Cards: Many college students enjoy going shopping for themselves, and a gift card to their favorite clothing store will let them explore their sense of fashion and style.
Note: There are a couple of gift card ideas on this list, which may prompt some to wonder why not just give them cash? College students may not yet have fully developed their financial skills, and the possibility of cash meant for clothes being used for something else is pretty high. Giving them a gift card ensures the money is used for the intended purpose!
College students are experiencing a level of independence they’ve never had before. While they may have grand dreams of expensive toys, they are also learning to appreciate the little things that make life easy and more convenient. Giving them some of these items as Christmas gifts is both practical and affordable.
How about you, Clever Friends, what did you get your college student for Christmas this year?
Brock is a software engineer by day and personal finance blogger at night. He is a fitness junkie and enjoys grilling and smoking meat. Married with two children, Brock strives to improve his skills as a husband and father, and is always on the lookout to stretch his family’s budget as far as he can.
My oldest was a college student and we gave him supermarket gift cards, gas cards, restaurant cards and Amazon cards.
He does have a student loan and each month, I’ve been going to the bank to pay a little bit of it. So, I typed up a note that read,” Son, I’ve contributed $500 to your loan in 2017. Love, Mom” and put it in his holiday card. I don’t know what he’ll think of the note, but I hope it goes over well.