Are you part of one of those families that like to send Christmas gifts en masse? If you don’t know what I mean, you probably aren’t. For the rest of you, don’t feel bad. There are many people that do this.

It has become an increasingly common practice to shop for products and items in bulk to give away. They become part of what is a large stock of “generic give-away gifts” that people keep until they need a present handy. That way, they are able to save a great deal of money for presents they give to friends or to other work colleagues.

The varieties are endless: picture frames, coffee mugs, key chains, personal planners… the list goes on. They are easily appreciated, yet somehow also fall by the way of the other ubiquitous of Christmas gifts: fruitcake.

We don’t like receiving gifts we think somebody just pulled out of a store, paid for with a swipe of a card, and then shipped to each and every house. They can be a cheap way to stay thoughtful, but they also have a level of being distant and under-appreciative of the friendship.

The alternative? Gifts that people know you took time to make. Yes, we don’t always have luxury of time, but there are great ways we can save money by taking time to prepare presents for people we care about.

Here are some common and affordable ways one can save money on presents:

1.) The home-made greeting card. People buy and sell cards all the time. It’s something else when they’re made by hand. Buy cardboard from the local bookstore along with art materials, glue and a bound of creativity.

2.) The scrapbook. This one takes a bit of extra work compared to the card, and often intended for someone in a much more personal way. It’s similar to the last one, except one uses bound paper. You’ll also need to find a way to prepare photographs from the long line of time your recipient will have shared.

3.) The “I Owe You ____” Redeemable Coupon. Do you have any special talents? Can you paint a picture? Can you sing well? Or do you and that particular friend have any special activity you two bond over? One fun way of giving a gift is this: the promissory “I Owe You” note where you give them something else: time! Take out some paper and an envelope, and design something like a coupon. Then they can redeem it until next Christmas – whether it’s a pledge to write them a poem, or to go take them to karaoke night, it’ll be thoughtful and fun at the same time.

These are just some of the ideas that can come along with using a dash of creativity and a few cheap pieces. They can be heartfelt and sincere, and can say everything you want to say with only so much spent.

Hop to it!