Mother’s Day Gifts Under $50

By Tracey Dowdy

Many of us have felt the economic impact of the pandemic, and although there’s no gift too good for mom, our budgets aren’t as limitless as our love. Don’t stress – there are plenty of fantastic gifts for mom that fit your budget, and best of all, thanks to many of us being fully vaccinated, you may even be able to give her present to her in person this year! 

BagPodz reusable grocery bags Even before the pandemic, many states started requiring reusable shopping bags. Not only are BagPodz environmentally friendly, but they also stay in their own clip-on bag so that you can take them out one at a time. They’re machine-washable, so even if there’s a nasty spill, they’ll be clean for the next grocery run.

Tile Mate tracker Tile is a small Bluetooth tracker and that pairs with the Tile app (free) to locate commonly misplaced items like your phone, keys, or wallet in seconds. This generation of trackers has a greater range and have replaceable batteries. Right now, you can Get the Mate 2-Pack for $24.99 with a one-year subscription to Tile Premium.  

Amazon Fire 7 Tablet The Amazon Fire 7 tablet is a CNET Cheapskate Hall of Fame winner. Though there’s overlap between mom’s smartphone and a tablet, the larger screen and ability to disconnect from email and text can be a welcome change. It’s usually $50 but frequently goes on sale for $40. 

MixTiles Photo Tiles Have mom AirDrop or Nearby Share her favorite photos and turn them into Mix Tiles – 8 x8-inch tiles that can stick almost anywhere and can be repositioned without damaging your walls. Photos should be at least 499 x 499 pixels to make a clear print, and the app will warn you if your images are too small. Each tile is $11, shipping is free worldwide, and they ship to most countries around the world.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits, and researches subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.