It's not easy as a college student to find the time and money for gifts when the holiday season comes around. The pressure to give friends and family something they like without spending too much or being wasteful adds up. With more and more of us trying to be both frugal and eco-friendly at a time of year when so many of us can be wasteful, here's a few affordable, "green" gifts you can give this year.
1. Give a bottle of wine.
As long as you know what the person likes, there's almost no risk that this will get wasted and it already comes in recyclable packaging. There's no need to buy something too expensive either as long as the thought is there and most importantly it gets the job done.
2. Feed their coffee habit.
For the caffeine addict in your life, a gift card to their favorite coffee shop and a reusable cup make for a perfect gift. It's practical choice that won't break the bank and makes it easier for them to take those baby steps toward a greener lifestyle.
4. Pay for their first month of a Chegg subscription.
Finals may be over by the time Christmas comes, but that doesn't mean you can't help a friend start the next semester off right. Helping them pay for this study tool will motivate them to actually use it and there's no risk of waste with entirely on-line present. It's not the most glamorous gift, but they will definitely be thanking you when it pays off.
5. You can't go wrong with sweets.
No one can say no to chocolate and it eliminates the risk of having your gift get used once only to be thrown away when it doesn't get used. Your job is made easier with no need for wrapping a giant gift and it eliminates the wasting of wrapping paper.
5. Get creative with mason jars.
GiphyThere are about a million ways you could go with this. You can fill it with all the ingredients for a simple recipe, squeeze in all the makings of a perfect spa day, make them their own mason jar candle or personalize it in some other unique way. The possibilities are endless and the DIY aspect makes it perfect for the college student with a low budget dying to finally find a use for their Pinterest board.
Make Christmas greener this year by thinking a little harder about the gifts you buy. You can reduce your waste this holiday season while saving your wallet and the environment and still showing loved ones you care.
man running in forestPhoto by 
