A Broke Lad's Guide: 12 Cool Gifts You Can Buy For Your Girlfriend Under Rs.500

It has happened to the best of us, be it during the lean student days, or at times of soaring personal expenses that leave behind little money to buy presents. And then an all important event comes up, such as a best friend’s birthday or an upset girlfriend who must be appeased at any cost. Not the best situation to be in for a broke person. However, all is not lost, BP Guide will help you out of this jam with these great budget gifts.

When looking for cheap gifts think along the lines of small gifts, not something tacky made of such low quality that it breaks soon after giving it to her. What is the point of a broken gift? The key is inexpensive but not cheap looking. Small treats and luxuries don’t have to cost much but should be made well enough to last her a while, or give pleasure while it does - like a nice but small box of chocolate. Sure it will be over soon but if it’s good chocolate, she will enjoy it.

There are a great number of e-commerce stores that have products on discount. The trick is to plan ahead so you can snag good deals as and when you see them and you will not always get lucky at the last moment. Even if you are short on time, look around, enquire at multiple stores and websites to find products on sale that will also make great gifts. That way you won’t have to sacrifice on quality either. Have a coupon or a discount voucher? Now would be a great time to pull out and mull over every resource available to you.

Start by asking yourself what she needs? The answers may very well fit your tiny budget, and useful gifts are always the best gifts. The idea behind giving gifts is to be thoughtful by showing the person you care for them; giving them things they need is a very thoughtful gesture. So put on your thinking cap, maybe ask discreetly what she needs, pay attention to her when she talks and you will find the perfect gift to give her. It could very well be the gift of time if she is a busy girl, and doing something for her, like helping with her chores may turn out to be the best gift ever. Her pet cat looks under the weather but she is swamped with work? Offer to take him to the vet!

People often underestimate their own skills in favor of store bought presents but few things are as personal as a handmade gift. So before you start fretting about being low on cash, pause to evaluate your skills and how they may help her. Make a painting, knit her a cap, bake her a cake or whip up some hand made soap, the options are without limit. Gifts don’t have to be physical objects either - give her a foot rub, make her redeemable coupons with fun favours or fix her laptop. You must have a skill that can serve as a gift, you just have to find it.

She will surely appreciate a tote. They are great to accessorise an outfit and are extremely useful at the same time, which is why a girl can never have too many bags.

This cute white tote with the words ‘Life is too short to wear boring clothes’ is a great bag to use for college or to use as a shopping bag. A reusable cloth bag is a very handy thing to have and she will like this gift. It is also an environmentally friendly option, and in some cities where shops and hawkers do not hand out plastic bags anymore, it becomes an essential item. The long handles make it easy to carry and sling over your shoulder, and she can easily fold it and tuck in her bag, ready to use when she needs it. Buy it at Cyankart for Rs.359. There are other designs available too.

Girls love chocolate, there is no question about it. Even those who say they are watching their weight, or are on a fitness regimen will melt at the sight of a delicious chocolate cake or a box of chocolate. It is one sinful indulgence they find very hard to deny themselves. Besides, chocolate puts people in a good mood, so make her day with this sweet, and romantic gift. Add a personalised note to the box that she can hold on to even when the goodies are over to make it a more meaningful gift.

Ferrero Rocher is on the list of favourite chocolates for just about every person who has ever eaten them which is not a surprise considering how delicious they are. The contrasting layers of crispy, nut studded outer covering to the delicious creamy filling which gives way to a crunchy hazelnut at the heart is a truly wonderful treat. Buy her this box of 16 individually wrapped chocolates for Rs.440 on Amazon.

Scarves are multi-purpose fashion accessories that accentuate an outfit and serve as a wrapping in case there is a nip in the air. On dusty days they are a great way for her to protect her hair and cover her nose as well. We suggest this black pansy printed scarf by Get Wrapped. It can be worn over a kurta, a blouse or used to compliment a dress as well. It is easy to maintain and the multi coloured pansies make a pretty design. Made of polyester, it is lightweight and will add a pop to any outfit. Although because of the dark colour, wash separately to avoid the colour staining other clothes. Buy it at Shoppers Stop for Rs.299

Girls like to keep their nails pretty and in order but they don’t always have time to go to the beauty parlour or nail spa to have them trimmed and filed. It is useful to have a manicure set at home, or even a small one she can throw in her bag on the way out to do small maintenance and keep her nails looking perfect. Sometime she may like to skip the trip to the parlour completely and pamper her nails on her own. In either case, a manicure set will make her very happy. You can try this Andride Premium Manicure Kit which comes in a leatherette case. The 7 piece Japanese manicure kit contains a standard nail cutter, a large nail cutter for hard and ingrown nails, a nail filer, a pair of scissors, tweezers, a nail picker and a cuticle pusher. Buy it on Amazon for Rs.395.

A chilled drink at the end of a long day is a lovely way to relax, or to refresh yourself on a hot summer day. Ice boxes are found in every home but give her a cute one that will put a smile on her face each time she reaches into the freezer to top up her glass. It will add a nice element to the drinks she serves at parties as well.

We found this cute heart shaped ice mold by Okayji Silicone Bakeware at Amazon. At Rs.180 it’s a great buy. Made of food grade silicone, it has rows of little hearts with a swirl on each heart. It is dishwasher safe and can withstand up to 230°C as well so she can use it for baking as well. The non-stick finish, and soft material makes it easier to extract the ice, unlike from hard ice molds, and it can be used to make chocolate too.

Shot glasses fitted with LED lights make a party so much more fun, and is such a unique gift that she will love it. Girls like to receive unusual presents like this. Make it even better by ensuring you are there to use them for the first time with her together. The Aryen Colorful Induction LED Flash Cup is a great option.The LED lights come on when liquid is poured in the cup, making it shine in 7 different hues. Made of acrylic, it has a removable button battery at the bottom which can be easily removed and replaced using a coin. No matter what the liquid, the lights will turn on as soon as you pour, creating a wonderful experience. Buy her a set of two glasses, with each being priced at Rs.215 on Amazon.

Infusing water with fruit and herbs is a great way to turn ordinary drinking water into a much more refreshing and tasty drink. It is quite popular for restaurants to serve water infused with refreshing mint and lemon. Give her an infuser bottle so she can create her own flavoured water with the convenience of water bottle she can carry with her where she goes, either to the gym, of when she is travelling or to take to work. There are numerous benefits of drinking sufficient water and this is a good way to encourage her to do that. Buy this Steelo Plastic Fruit Infuser 750 ml bottle on Ebay. Made of plastic, it is break resistant and freezer safe. The bottle is fitted with a removable filter in which she can add the fruit, herb or flavoring of her choice to infuse the water. It retails for Rs.299.

Girls love their shoes and will have a large variety of them in every shape, colour and design. There are the daily wear ones, sandals and heels for special occasions, rhinestone studded ones, chappals and flats, sneakers and ballerinas, truly the shoe collection of any girl often boggles those around her. What you must also be aware of is how much she values each of those umpteen pairs of footwear. Give her a shoe bag which will allow her to organise and pack her shoes in a way that makes them easy to access and keeps them well protected during travel. The days of squashed sandals ruined in a cramped overstuffed bag will be over. The Travel Shoe Bag at Bigsmall is waterproof, has compartments to keep shoes separate, and has a section to keep shoe care accessories. It can accomodate one pair of shoes. Buy it for Rs.499.

Wall art can transform a room. Paintings and other pieces of art look lovely, but can be expensive and you may not find a beautiful piece of art to fit your budget, but there are a range of decals you could consider. Easy to use, as they usually involve peeling off from the packaging they come in and simply sticking it to the surface you desire.

Shop for pretty sticker wall decals at Shopclues, such as this one featuring pink flamingos with bamboo at sunset. Avoid applying on freshly painted wall - wait for at least 30 days after painting to apply it. On dry walls, simply wipe the surface clean to ensure there is no dust adhering to the surface, peel off the decal and stick it to the wall. Wipe gently with a cloth to remove air bubbles. This one retails at Rs.369 but there are several other designs to choose from.

Alternatively, you can try out Engrave for even more designs, or if you want to make a personalised wall decal as it gives you the option to provide your own picture which will be transformed into a wall sticker.

When you are absolutely low on funds and fitting in even the most basic gift, or buying material to make a present is also posing a challenge, sometimes all you need is a few scraps of fabric, odds and ends like a few buttons or whatever you have at hand, and a key ring (which can be salvaged from an old or unused keychain) can come to your rescue. SInce keychains are small, you don’t need an awful lot of fabric or material to craft one. Have sewing skills? Great, you can stitch the pieces together and create a personalised keychain for her. If needles aren’t your friends, well, there are ways to stick fabric together and create something beautiful. All you will need are scraps of colourful fabric, buttons, lace or felt, scissors, needles and thread, or fabric glue and some creativity. A quick search on the internet will give you plenty of ideas to pick from, or inspire you to come up with a design of your own. You can try this DIY blog Craftiness is Not Optional for some wonderful and easy to implement ideas.

Journals, especially handmade ones are very useful gifts as she will always a pretty notebook to jot down lists, ideas, notes and perhaps even to use as a diary. Girls are very fond of journals and notebooks so making one for her will make her feel special.

What you will need to make a journal:
Strong glue
Twine or string
A ruler
A sharp knife
An awl
Paper cards for the journal pages - 25 sheets
Sewing needle that can accomodate the twine/string
Book board or cardboard for the cover
Decorative paper for the cover

Make holes through the paper using a template and the awl so they are all same. Make stacks of 4 to 5 pages and punch holes through all of them. Then line them up in a single stack and make sure the awl can fit all the way through. Loosen it up a little by moving the awl around. Using the needle and twine, pierce one of the middle holes all the way through. Secure the middle before tying together the sides to make a neatly bound stack of pages.

Using the stack of paper, measure and cut covers for the book so that it sits flushed with the pages on the sides but extends a little beyond the top and bottom. Measure and cut decorative paper and cover the boards. Cover the insides as well to make it look nicer. Lastly, glue together the stitched stack of pages to the center f the cover. You can follow step by step instructions with pictures on Buzzfeed.

Gifts made by hand are more valuable to the receiver because she can understand the effort gone into making it and will appreciate it. Small pouches are very useful to keep small change and other small things, like jewellery. They are a good way to organise the bag and make things easily accessible so she will appreciate such a thoughtful and useful gift. No stitch pouches are simple to make and the results are very nice.

What you will need:
Sharp scissors
Soft leather or sued
A punch that can cut through leather
Scrapbooking eyelets
Pen
Thin ribbon
Medium sized bowl
Charms or beads

Trace a circle on the leather using the bowl and cut it out. Punch holes along the outer rim of the circle, about an inch apart, making sure it doesn’t cut too close to the edge else it will tear easily with use. Place the eyelets on both sides of each of the holes to make a smooth finish. Thread the ribbon through the holes and pull tightly together to make a pouch. Add a charm or beads to the ends. This will not only make it prettier but help keep the ribbon from slipping out. Lastly wrap the ribbon around once more and tie it up to make a bow. You can add some small pieces of jewellery like a bracelet or a pendant before giving your gift.