10 Ways to Celebrate Mother's Day Without Breaking the Bank

Mother's Day is around the corner and I'm sure many of you are still thinking about how you'd like to honor and celebrate your mom. This holiday is a sweet one but can easily become an expensive one! With Mother's Day brunch on the menu at every restaurant, and Mother's Day sales at all the department stores, it can be easy to show your mom you care by buying her something new and taking her out for a meal.

But there are so many other ways to show your mom you love her that don't include spending too much money.

Here are 10 ways to celebrate Mother's Day on a budget.

Homemade Spa Day:

Mom deserves to have a day to relax! Create a homemade spa day complete with bath salts, candles, soft music and fuzzy slippers. Run her a warm bath and leave the house for a few hours while you let her enjoy some much needed peace and quiet.

Memory Lane Scrapbook:

Moms can be very sentimental and they love to take a look back on the good old days. Make her a scrapbook with some of your favorite memories together for her to cherish. Add your photos, little inside jokes, and anything else she might love to look back on.

Cook Her Dinner:

Instead of going out to eat, cook her favorite meal! While it can be argued that buying groceries is now more expensive than going out to eat, there's a certain amount of love that goes into a homemade meal that you just don't get at a restaurant.

photo: @kirsty__munro

Nature Walk and Picnic:

Take a walk through a park or go for a hike! If you're a SF Bay Area local, some great spots for walks are in SF's Golden Gate Park or Land's End, Mount Diablo State Park, Palomarin Trail and Muir Woods. Pack a picnic basket with sandwiches, fruit, juice, or charcuterie and enjoy a nice picnic after a long hike.

Handmade Cards and Gifts:

Websites like Shutterfly and Canva make it super easy to design cards that have a sentimental touch. But if you want to get even more crafty, Pinterest has dozens of ideas for handmade Mother's Day cards.

Mom's Movie Night:

How often does mom get to watch the movie she wants to watch? Likely, not often. Host a "Mom's Movie Night" where she gets to pick the movies she wants to watch! Pop popcorn, grab some snacks from the store and create a fun sleepover vibe to bring out her inner child. Remember, this is mom's first time living life too.

Virtual Family Gathering:

In the event you or your siblings live far away and don't get to see your mom often, organize a virtual family gathering! This could be a cocktail hour (if you're all adults), or just some time to see one another and express your love and gratitude for mom.

Letter of Appreciation:

Like I said before, moms are sentimental. And they love to know that all of their hard work doesn't go unnoticed. Write her a letter of appreciation telling her all the things you're grateful that she's done for you. Add in some pictures and stickers, make it heartfelt and fun!

Crafting Session:

Host a crafting session in your living room where you watch a YouTube tutorial while you create something beautiful! There are tutorials for everything on the internet, so you can easily find something that your mom might enjoy. Maybe painting flower pots, creating vision boards, making friendship bracelets, even trying your hand at crocheting! When you're done, you'll both have a token to remember this special Mother's Day.

Whatever She Wants

Finally, let mom choose what she wants to do! As the kids, we always have our own ideas of how we want to celebrate mom and we sometimes forget to ask mom what SHE wants. Make sure you listen to her when she tells you what she wants to do, and respect her wishes.

Whatever you choose to do this Mother's Day, make sure to hold her close and tell her you love her. Mother's Day can be a difficult time for many of us whose moms are no longer here, or for those of us who have strained relationships with our moms.

We're sending love to everyone who needs a little extra care this Mother's Day.

xo,

F.