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Inexpensive thank you gift ideas are just what you need to keep your volunteers going. They’re amazing, and they need to know it!

We all know that one person who works tirelessly to volunteer and give, give, give.  If you’re lucky, several people come to mind!  They don’t do it for money or appreciation.  But you know what?  Appreciation never gets old.

You don’t have to give them a gift card for a fancy restaurant.  Little touches go a long way when it comes to brightening someone’s day.

And if you’re tasked with getting a pile of thank you gifts for everyone who volunteered at the school this year, no worries. This list should help you get the job done and stay inside the budget!

So even if you’re pinching pennies or going through a #yearofno, you can still find ways to make the good people in your life feel valued.  After all, no one likes the division in people that’s in the news every day.  You can bring people together, and it has to start in our small communities.

Today, let’s come up with some ways to make those people that go way beyond the call of duty feel appreciated.  We’re talking coaches, teachers, volunteers, staff members, coworkers, church helpers, and more!

20 Fantastic Inexpensive Thank You Gift Ideas

Physical Gifts

No, you don’t always have to tie a bow on a gift for it to be enjoyed.  But sometimes, you want to thank them with something tangible.  Especially when you’re trying to teach a child to show gratitude for teacher appreciation week, for example.

Nothing wrong with that!  Try these fun thank you gift ideas.

1.  A pot of flowers (whatever fits the budget).
2.  Aromatherapy stress relief dough.  I can’t think of anyone who couldn’t use this!!
3. A cup of their favorite coffee or tea from a special coffee shop.
4. Custom engraved stamp.  (Especially useful if they have to write the same thing over and over all day!)
5. Pick up their favorite candy bar and use this free printable to do the talking.  
6. Stress relief essential oils.
7. Bubble bath and scented candles.
8. Chicken Soup for the Volunteer’s Soul
9. A special t-shirt just for volunteers (like this one)
10. A small care package with chapstick, hand sanitizer, and a mini pack of Kleenex (especially great for the cold months!)

If you’re looking for something else quirky, yet affordable, check out this list of cool things under 10 dollars!

Gestures

Saying thank you doesn’t have to cost money.  In fact, it can be better to give them your time rather than money when it comes to saying thanks!  Try these great ideas:

1. Organize a shelf or drawer…anything that would make their day easier.
2. Save them a special parking spot.
3. Plaster their work space with sticky notes full of your favorite things about them.  Or cover a poster board and leave it where they’ll find it.
4. Create a video.  Have a variety of people who are touched by this volunteer talk about what makes them special.
5. Find out if your local media stations honor volunteers and enter them in contests.  
6. Use their name to write an acrostic poem.
7. Spotlight a volunteer in your newsletter or on signs outside your building.
8. Leave a note for them each morning with a different inspirational quote.  Try these.
9. Snap photos of them doing volunteer work and compile them in a fun collage.
10. Tell them a story of how they inspired you to pay it forward.

Any of these inexpensive thank you gifts are just right for showing the appreciation you feel for those fantastic people in your life.

The best part is that you can afford to do as many of these as you please!

Now, pay it forward.  You won’t believe how simple it is to do this act of kindness.  (And it doesn’t cost a cent.)

What’s the best thank you token you’ve ever received?