Do you have a child, friend, or family member graduating this spring? Whether their ceremony is marking the close of their high school years or minting them as a new college grad, it’s certainly an event to celebrate, and it’s likely you’ll want to give them a gift to mark the occasion.
If you’re in the market for affordable graduation gifts, we’ve compiled a list of ideas for high school and college grads that are both useful and easy on the wallet.
Budget-Friendly Gifts for High School Grads
- Start Them Off with Some Dorm Room Décor: If your grad is headed away for college, make or purchase personalized décor for their new dorm room – for instance, a framed or hand-painted sign displaying their favorite motivational quote.
- Help Capture Their Favorite Memories: Put together a scrapbook or photo book highlighting your grad’s most important achievements – whether they were successful in the classroom, on stage, or on the field. Include images of certificates, musical scores from a play, sports trophies, or items that can’t be easily transported to a dorm room. Not that crafty? You can also compile special documents and photos electronically in a digital picture frame.
- Turn Something Practical into a Gift Basket: There are many things a new college student will need to purchase and learn as they take on more responsibility and independence. Choose a practical item they’ll need and turn it into a gift basket. For example, if your new grad will be lugging laundry through a dorm, personalize a fabric laundry bag with a pattern or color they’re partial to. Include reusable dryer balls, a container of laundry detergent, and basic instructions on how to wash some of their favorite articles of clothing to make the gift complete.
Budget-Friendly Gifts for College Grads
- Give Them a Membership to Their Alumni Association: If your grad is leaving college, a membership to their alumni association can help them stay connected to their alma mater and gain valuable networking opportunities. Plus, they may get additional perks, such as discounts on services they’ll need, like auto insurance or eligibility for credit union membership.
- Help Them Get Started in the Kitchen: For grads headed to their first “real” apartment, put together a basket of kitchen necessities they may not think of when planning what they’ll need to purchase. Include items like cooking utensils, commonly used spices, and condiments they may be accustomed to finding in their parent’s fridge.
- Ease the Demands of Their New Job: Consider what kind of job your grad has secured or is seeking out and what you can do to ease the new demands they’ll be facing. For instance, if your grad will be traveling often for their new job, put together a kit to help them keep their favorite devices charged while they’re on the go. Pick out a small pouch that matches their style and include items like a power bank, a spare charging cord for their phone, and an extra USB wall plug.
Earn Cash Rewards on Purchases
When you’re paying for a gift for your grad, don’t forget to use a card that will reward you, too. With our Founder’s Rewards Card, PSECU members can earn 2%* or 1.5% cash rewards on every purchase.
Apply for our Founder’s Card today, or contact us for more information. Be sure to check out our blog for more money-saving tips.
*You can earn 1.5% cash rewards on purchases. You can earn 2% cash rewards on purchases if you maintain a PSECU checking account and qualifying monthly direct deposit(s) of at least $500. See the Visa® Founder’s Card and Visa® Alumni Rewards Card Rewards Program Terms and Conditions for full details.