Frugal Fun for Father's Day

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: ANDREA SCHMUTZ, USU EXTENSION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

​June is a fabulous month with several great reasons to celebrate. June 14, designated as Flag Day, commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States of America. June 20, 2020, marks the official start of summer with the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. This year, falling right on the heels of the summer solstice, we celebrate Father’s Day on June 21. I almost feel like the timing this year is a gift for those of us who procrastinate - my mind is saying, “Sweet, I have the longest day of the year to wrap up my preparations for Father’s Day.” Faulty reasoning, I know, because I still have the same amount of hours in the day as any other regular day, even if the sun is shining longer. So, that means just one thing...I should start thinking now about what the kids and I can do for the men in our lives on Father’s Day.
 
I love finding simple but meaningful gift ideas, especially when they are easy on my budget and fun for the kids to do. Here are 5 frugal gift ideas for the father figure(s) in your life:

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1. “All About Dad/Grandpa” questionnaire - My kids filled out a questionnaire for Mother’s Day one year and I LOVED it. I still laugh when I think about the answers they wrote as such young kids. There’s a plethora of free printables on the internet, but to save you time, here are two that I like: “Father’s Day Questionnaire” and “Dad, I Mustache You a Question”.
   
2. Vintage pop bottles with a retro-inspired soda label - For a fun treat for the father in your life, pick up some of those cool, old fashioned looking soda bottles and add a fun label. For a cute, free printable that says “Pops, you are one suh-weet dude!” visit delightfullynotedblog.com. 
3. Coupon booklet - Think about the things that make Dad happy and give him coupons to use throughout the year. The coupons can be for activities or service - go for a hike, have a movie night (he chooses the movie), cook his favorite dinner, bake his favorite treat, vacuum his car, etc. You could even make a cute “shirt and tie” card to go with the coupons like the one on East Coast Mommy’s blog.
   
4. Fun Father’s Day photo - Dress your kids up in Dad’s clothes - shoes, tie, ballcap - whatever reminds them of him, and take some fun pictures to give to him. Jenae, from icanteachmychild.com, has some cute examples here. 
5. Procrastination Project - Does Dad have something he keeps saying he wants to do, but it never quite gets done? Does he want to learn a new piece of technology, complete a landscaping project, clean out the garage, or other tasks that are permanently on the “I haven’t gotten around to it” list? Pick something on that list and help him tackle the job. He’ll be grateful to mark it off his list and you’ll create wonderful memories as you work together to get the job done.

 
Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to show love and appreciation and create memories that are priceless. Choose something from this list or think of your own ideas to recognize the men in your life this Father’s Day. Have fun!

“The best gifts in the world are not in the material objects one can buy from the store, but in the memories we make with the people we love.”              - Amanda Boyarshinov
 

Andrea works for USU Extension in Washington County where she utilizes innovative approaches to teach frugal living, healthy lifestyles, and resilience. She loves sharing her passion for STEM and the outdoors with anyone who will join her.