Our List of 25 Mother’s Day Gifts Under $20 Including Shipping
Away from mom this Mother’s Day?
Whether you live across the country or across the state from dear old mom, you likely want to send more than a text.
Whatever’s keeping you and mom apart this Mother’s Day, there are plenty of ways you can show her you love and miss her on May 12. Not only that, but you can do it all while going easy on your wallet.
To help, we’ve put together a list of 25 Mother’s Day gifts under $20 you can order online. And that $20 includes shipping — free for some items.
Mother’s Day Gifts That Will Help Her Get Outdoors
Fresh air, exercise and flowers — all three are a nice way to celebrate mom.
1. Pickleball Glove
Pickleball is the hottest team sport these days. If your mom is seriously into the sport, you can pick her up a brand name pickleball glove on Amazon for between $17 and $20. If you have a Prime membership, shipping is free, keeping you under budget.
2. Annual Flower Bulbs
Does mom love gardening?
Give her a gift that keeps on giving with annual bulbs. Plant these flowers once, and they will bloom year after year. Bulbs that need a freeze to bloom (iris, daffodils, tulips) are typically put in the ground in the fall before it gets too hard for digging so they blossom in spring. The following bulbs can be planted in the spring to bloom in the summer.
Gladiolus Flower Bulbs
Gladiolus are beautiful and you can get a lot of them even on a budget. You can pick your color, ordering a bag in mixed bright colors or purple for around $14 on Walmart’s platform. Shipping is free.
Lily Flower Bulbs
You can get about three lily bulbs for under $20. Some options from Walmart sellers include Pink Tiger Lilies and Beverly Dreams Orienpet Lilies.
These options run between $18.50 and $19.50 and come with free shipping.
3. Gift Certificate to a Local Garden Center
Maybe mom doesn’t have space for a garden but she loves having flowers and plants around. If so, consider getting her a gift certificate to her local garden center for $20.
There’s an added bonus to sending your card on Mother’s Day: When she goes shopping after the holiday, excess inventory will be marked down dramatically, giving her more bang for her buck.
4. Indoor Planters
Perhaps mom’s got all the plants she needs. What she could really use is a planter — especially for indoor use. This copper gravity planter from MissPlantyPants on Etsy is a beautiful option. The 4-inch size is $18.99, but there are also larger options for a higher price. And shipping is free.
5. Butterfly Habitat
Butterfly habitats may traditionally be marketed toward children, but mom can enjoy one, too! This kit from Target is $14.49 and comes with a habitat and certificate for live caterpillars — which ship separately. Your order could qualify for free shipping.
Mom will be able to watch the caterpillars as they build their chrysalises and grow into butterflies, eventually releasing them into the wild. Bonus points for sending a card with a cheesy analogy about how she helped you grow into a butterfly.
Sweets & Culinary Mother’s Day Gifts
Sweets and chocolates are some of the best cheap Mother’s Day gifts under $20. Or, if mom’s great in the kitchen, this holiday is a perfect time to celebrate those skills.
6. Personalized Recipe Cards
Mom’s a great cook. Everyone’s always asking her for recipes. Pick her up a set of personalized recipe cards on Etsy so she’ll get full credit when she shares her skills. This set costs $9 and about $4 to ship to the U.S.
7. Heart-Shaped Pan
Check out this heart-shaped pan from Neoflam on Amazon. Whether your mom is making pancakes or eggs, she’ll appreciate the raised handle and smooth ceramic surface. You’ll appreciate that it clocks in at just $16.80 (with the occasional discount) and ships free with a Prime membership.
8. Fruit Infusion Water Bottle
This fruit infuser water bottle is great for making flavored water on-the-go. It’s $16.75 on Amazon and ships free with a Prime membership.
9. Chocolate
Believe it or not, you can get a fair amount of good chocolate for under $20. The Rainbow Tasting Pack from Tony’s Chocolonely comes with an assortment of six bars and costs $12.95 plus shipping, or $9.99 from Amazon with free Prime shipping. This chocolate maker also sells individual bars with the option for personalized wrappers.
10. Delivery from a Local Bakery
Ask your mom about her favorite local bakery items. Then, place an order for delivery on Mother’s Day. This allows you to not only get mom a gift but also to support small businesses in her community.
If the delivery fee would put you over budget, you can find another way. You could request curbside pickup or she could take a quick trip inside to pick up her present.
Self-Care Gifts for Mother’s Day
We all need a little more self-care. Help mom relax with these soothing Mother’s Day gift ideas.
11. Comfortable Sleep Mask
Help mom get some better shut-eye. This satin sleep mask from Kitsch on Amazon comes in under budget at $17.99 and ships free with Prime.
12. Amber Soap Bar
This Amber soap bar from Organically Bath & Beauty costs about $17.59 to send to mom after accounting for shipping.
13. Whipped Sugar Scrub
This sugar scrub from Raw Sugar will help mom relax while basking in the glow of rose-scented exfoliation. It’s available at Target for $13.99, and there are a few ways you can get it to her. Ship for free with Target Circle 360, or pick up at the store and mail via USPS.
You can also purchase it at a store near her through Target’s Pickup or Drive Up services.
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14. Luxe Face Masks
MWBotanical offers natural clay face masks available via Etsy. You can choose from treatments like Calm, Purify, Refresh and more. Each mask costs $5.29, or you can grab a three-pack for $13.99. Shipping is around $6 in the U.S.
15. Aromatherapy Humidifier
If mom is really into essential oils, consider this oils diffuser from Amazon. These diffusers come with eight colorful light options and have an auto-shutoff feature. List price is $15.99, and shipping is free for Prime members.
16. Mother’s Day Coloring Book
Give mom an opportunity to de-stress with this Mother’s Day coloring book from Amazon. Each page features delicate drawings of flowers and nature.
This is one of our favorite cheap Mother’s Day gifts under $20, ringing in at just $8.54. And of course, shipping is free for Prime members.
17. Stylish Reading Glasses
her with a new color or style she hasn’t tried before. You can never have too many pairs of reading glasses.
Help mom brighten up her wardrobe with this 5-pack of readers from Amazon in various color combinations at just $13.99 plus free shipping with Prime.
18. White Noise Machine
If her circadian rhythm is messed up, a white noise machine can help mom get to sleep easier. Sharper Image’s Sound Soother Revo is available at Target for $14.99. Ship free with Target Circle 360 or a Red Card Membership, or add to her local Target pickup.
19. Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelet
This gold diffuser bracelet gift set costs $16.99, and the shipping is free with Amazon Prime. The locket-style bracelet comes with eight felt pads that can be changed based on her oil of choice. It also comes with a floral box to hold the bracelet and four 10ml oil bottles: lemongrass, tea tree, peppermint and orange.
Sentimental Mother’s Day Gifts
These sweet, mom-centric products will highlight your relationship as you take a trip down memory lane.
20. Tell Me Your Story Book (Grandma Edition)
This is a cute idea if your mom has grandkids. Have them gift her this memory journal. It’s available in paperback for $11.77 or hardcover for $19.99 (which would put you a little over budget after tax). Buy on Amazon with free shipping for Prime members.
21. Tell Me Your Story Book (Mom Edition)
Don’t have kids but love the memory book idea?
Fear not. There is a version of these products for children to give directly to their moms — no grandchildren required. This daily journal of childhood memories will run you $12, once again with free shipping for Amazon Prime members.
22. You & Me Mom Journal
Want to make the memory journal thing a two-way street?
This journal from Uncommon Goods can be sent back and forth between you and your mother. Each page has prompts encouraging the two of you to reflect on your life memories and love together over the years. It will run you $13 and should come in just around $20 after accounting for shipping.
23. Photo Book
There’s nothing moms love more than pictures of their kids and grandkids. Photo books can often be cumbersome to create or come with deceptive discounts and “deals” that don’t account for exorbitant shipping costs.
You can get around all that by creating a book with Google Photos. You can easily import all the pictures already on your Google account, and can create a 20-page, soft-cover photo book that’s sure to put a smile on her face for just $14.99 without any shipping charges.
24. Photo Puzzle
Two things moms love in one: Photos and puzzles! Pick your image, and NannyGoatsCloset on Etsy will send you your own puzzle starting at $13.99 plus $4.40 for shipping.
25. And Then There’s … Cash
A great fall-back for cheap Mother’s Day gifts under $20 is cash. You’re shopping on a tight budget, so your wallet is probably thin right now. She might not want to admit it, but money might be tight for your mom, too.
Instead of buying her physical presents, consider sending her the cash in the form of a gift card or a check, not an actual bill. Be sure to send a card or heartfelt note along with it.
Pittsburgh-based writer Brynne Conroy is the founder of the Femme Frugality blog and the author of “The Feminist Financial Handbook.” She is a regular contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
