If I need a low-cost gift, I usually do a put-together. Hit the dollar stores -- and I don't mean Dollar General, but those stores where nothing costs over a dollar. You'd be surprised what neat stuff you can find there! You can put-together for adults, kids, fellow employees, whatever.
Gift Basket ideas:
I'm sure you're getting the idea here. You start with a container -- and there's no reason you can't use something you already have, or some other-shaped thing, and start putting in cheap stuff with a theme....
Gifts in a jar: Most of these I've seen actually need a bunch of other stuff to complete. I'm going to try to find some recipes, and get them on here....
I tend to stay away from cosmetics, except nail polish, and other skin-touching stuff, because you never know when someone's gonna be allergic to something. Glycerin soaps are usually okay, though.
Home-made stuff: a pound or two of fudge usually goes over well -- as long as yer not giving it to a diabetic! Jelly's easier to make than you might think, but getting together the supplies will usually put you over the price limit, unless you want to share out the batch among several gifts.
As always, if you have a recipe you want to share, Email me!