CheapTweet Blog

This week, it’s all about the graduates. Below are some of the deals we’ve found on CheapTweet specifically for graduates (including graduation invitations, various gift and party ideas, and more).

Have a great weekend and congratulations to all the graduates out there!

• Up to 45% off from sponsor Barnes & Noble
• 15% off graduation cookies from Wicked Good Cookies
• 10% off graduation invitations from @printmything
• 80% off 2010 graduation pendant on Amazon
• Gifts and more from sponsor DealTaker
• And many, many more graduation deals

This post is the first in a two-part series where Jenn and Heather discuss ways to save money while still having a very special Mother’s Day. Up first: Jenn shares a few Mother’s Day money-saving tips. Tomorrow: Heather will discuss having a great Mother’s Day without spending any money at all.

Mother’s Day is coming up soon! It’s time to show Mom how much you care about her. Here are some tips for saving money while still giving Mom a great day (tomorrow, Heather is going to take it one step further and explain how we can celebrate without spending any money!). And for fun, I included a picture of my mom with my sister and me at the end of the post (happy Mother’s Day, Mom!).

Give Mom a Nice Meal

Why not take mom to dinner to celebrate? If your mom is like my mom, she does a lot of the cooking at home, so she deserves a night out. You can go out for a nice meal without spending too much. Check out the gift certificates from restaurant.com – through April, you can buy a $25 gift certificate for only $2! If you don’t see your mom’s favorite restaurant in their inventory, try searching on CheapTweet for that restaurant. We find hundreds of meal discounts every week – from national chains to local places – so there’s bound to be something to please your mom.

Give Mom a Gift

Instead of spending a fortune on jewelry from the mall, buy your mom a lovely piece of handcrafted jewelry she will always cherish. Through sites like Etsy, it is incredibly easy to find beautiful, handmade, one-of-a-kind jewelry. What’s even better is that many of the artisans who sell their work on Etsy offer great sales around holidays like Mother’s Day. For example, you can get free shipping from vividcolors and clamzeeart, and 50% off from eNVeDesigns. There are tons more jewelry discounts and sales on CheapTweet.

Let Mom Relax and Sleep

If there’s only one thing your mom wants, it’s probably some rest. It’s not too late or too expensive to give your mom a weekend getaway. Travelzoo and VacationRentals.com are two great places to find discounts on accommodations, even at the last minute. To be restful, a weekend or night away doesn’t have to be far from home; look around for small towns within an hour of your mom’s house. There might even be hidden gems right in your town. Sometimes a little peace and quiet is the best gift of all.

Share Memories of Mom with Photos

One of the best ways to share some of your mom’s favorite photo memories is with a digital picture frame. Prices on these gadgets have dropped significantly in the past few years, and you can definitely find a good deal on one now. For example, here is a ViewSonic 9-inch frame for only $69.99 (normally $159.99). If your budget is a little tighter, try this Aluratek 7-inch frame that’s been marked down to only $29 (was $89.95). Preload some of your favorite pictures on the digital picture frame before giving it to your mom and she will love it.

If these ideas don’t inspire you, there are thousands more Mother’s Day deals on CheapTweet.com. Also, be sure to read Heather’s post about how to celebrate Mom without spending a cent. And happy Mother’s Day!

Jenn with her mom and sister

Andrew, the industrious CheapTweet mailroom clerk, is back with another reader letter. This week, Andrew answers a tough question about how to find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for that not-so-special someone.

If you missed the last post from the CheapTweet mailroom, watch it here.

Do you have your own question for Andrew? He reads emails, too, so feel free to send him your questions. Maybe he’ll read it in the next CheapTweet mailroom video! You can also follow Andrew on Twitter at @ishak.

This week, Heather – mom and our Happy Hatchling guest blogger– shares tips on how to make memorable baby shower gifts. You can also follow Heather on Twitter.

1) Start with a theme. Some ideas: nursery, bath time, bedtime, car seat accessories, diaper changing station, etc…

2) Purchase one item from the registry. Be sure to buy at least one item from the registry so that the expectant mother feels good that she is getting the important must-have items.

3) Add one or two items that are not on the registry. These can be inexpensive or not, but go with your theme. Chances are that plenty of people will buy items straight from the registry, so you shouldn’t feel compelled to buy it all. Furthermore, while the registry is for important and necessary items, they often do not include the really fun stuff.

4) Don’t waste your time wrapping. Throw it all in a useful basket and tie on a bow. Then everyone at the baby shower can ogle your gift before the opening begins. My favorite spot to get future gift baskets is Cost Plus World Market – they have a huge variety of inexpensive baskets.

Here are a few examples of great gifts under $40.

A Nursery/Toy Theme: Bugs ~ $35
Wrist Rattles and Socks & Wooden Bug Puzzle & Bug Car Seat Toys

Bed Time Theme ~ $32
Bed time books (Books sets by Sandra Boynton or classics like Goodnight Moon) & swaddling blankets & Baby Einstein Lullaby CD

Bath Time Theme ~ $35
Boon Frog & Johnson’s Baby Wash

In addition to these suggestions, we recently compiled a long list of other good gifts for baby showers and expecting parents. Plus, be sure to check out all the deals on baby items on CheapTweet.com.

What are you some of your favorite baby shower gift ideas?

Thanks to our Twitter followers, here are some great inexpensive gift ideas, perfect for the holidays or any other gift-giving occasion. If you have other suggestions, please leave a comment.

• Fun eco-friendly products, plus a holiday promo & $2 shipping from @guffly
  
• Gifts under $25 from Gifts.com via @NatGold
• Gifts from bustedtees.com, 6dollarshirts.com, thinkgeek.com via @joelkodner
• Reusable water bottles (such as Camelbak and Platypus) are less than $10 via @DuhKeeks
• Pashmina scarves from @AsraiStyle would be perfect gifts for women
• Blue Avocado has bags under $25 for the stylish eco-shopper via @yarnmaven
• @CookiePie0402 has a dessert cookbook for less than $20
• Fireplace DVD, Digital Photo keyring, USB SD card reader, restaurant gift cert., manicure kit, makeup travel case via @NatGold
• Gifts with aloha, under $10 via @KrisBordessa
• @Shopping_List provided a list of inexpensive gift ideas
• @tangerinekitty sells handmade keyfobs, aprons, and pouches that are perfect for women
• iPod/iPhone accessories are available for less than $25, as are iTunes gift cards and DVDs via @saronoff
• Cute shopping bags from @niseema
• @pumpkinpetunias has free printable stationery, so you just need to add envelopes and a pen
• Tasty treats for under $20 via @princesskitten
• RedEnvelope.com via @niseema
• @robynsart says almost everything in her shop is under $25
• @theviolincase has Mini Violin or Cello is $19.50  and beautiful STRAD posters are only $16
• Gift cards to grocery stores, gas stations, salons, or a bottle of wine via @ItsThaTarheeLdy
• Jewelry and accessories from @FidesFashion

A number of my good friends are having children soon, so I’m in serious baby gift buying mode.  In an attempt to choose appropriate gifts, I asked our Twitter followers for recommendations. Here are their amazing baby gift ideas. Feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments.

Babies “R” Us gift cards (recommended by @Jemjoop)

Baby Buds 3 Piece Crib Set from @dealtaker

Baby fashion for future film fans from @bfmwear

Big Belly Banks (recommended by @thesilverbarn)

Boise Baby Beanies from @BoiseBeanieCo

The Bumbo Seat (recommended by @oklahomapoet)

Childhood Clothing (recommended by @nostalgialife)

Cloud B Sleep Aheep (recommended by @bitofmomsense and @Dyhar)

Crystal’s Baby Blankets (also recommended by @nostalgialife)

Custom CDs from @renagades

Diaper Cakes on Bonanzle, which can also be found on Etsy (recommended by @Paceset999)

Digi Time Capsule from @DigiTimeCapsule

Doctorx Me Book (recommended by @LauraHullVA)

Flip Mino HD camcorder (recommended by @bnl771)

Handmade baby gifts from @boutiquegirl2

Handmade cat hat from Etsy (recommended by@littlefluffycat). I also found the cutest knit monkey hats from Cite Fuzz.

Moby Wrap (recommended by @reecesmommy)

Nursing and new mom items from A Mother’s Boutique (recommended by MommyNews)

Pedro Sprout’s baby booties (recommended by @BlackMustard)

Teddy bear Limoges box (recommended by @LaFrancais)

WrenWillow’s baby shirts and onsies (recommended by @daisycakessoap)

A year’s supply of diapers (recommended by @MilaXX)