Oh how we love our dads! They teach us some of the most important lessons in life. My dad encouraged me to save money whenever I could. So every Father’s Day, I honor him but respecting that lesson and trying to give affordable gifts filled with meaning.
If you haven’t picked up your Father’s Day gift yet, have no fear. There’s still time to save money, score freebies, and make dad feel special on his day of honor.
Father’s Day Freebies
Let’s begin with what every dad loves – something free! A number of restaurants and retailers will roll out the red carpet for dear ‘ole dad today, offering special discounts and free items, too. Here are the best freebies I found:
- Portillo’s: Dads receive a FREE dessert (like Chocolate Cake, Lemon Cake, Éclair Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Custard, Shakes, or Smoothies) with entree purchase.
- Potbelly: Free cookie for dads, no purchase necessary.
- Ruth Chris: If you take your dad out for lunch or dinner at Ruth Chris Steakhouse, he’ll get a $25 gift card for his next visit.
- TCBY: Dads receive a FREE cone or cup of FroYo.
While not free, keep your eyes peeled for coupons you may have received from retailers over the last couple of weeks. Many expire on Father’s Day. In particular, look for Kohl’s and JC Penney.
Gift Card Deals
Every dad has a favorite place to shop and eat. Maybe it might be a gift card to the home improvement store of his choice or perhaps he loves sporting goods. You can slip the gift card into the envelope with your hand written letter or choose to pair it with an item that fits the theme. A golf glove would be great with a gift card for the driving range or a coffee mug with one for his favorite coffee shop.
Many restaurants will still be offering deals where you get a small gift card back when you purchase one before Father’s Day. I found offerings at Applebees, Bonefish, Carrabas, First Watch, Max & Erma’s, O’Charleys, Olive Garden, P.F. Changs, Outback, Ruby Tuesday, and TGI Fridays. I’m certain there are even more out there.
If you really want to impress dear old dad with your frugal skills, search for a coupon (often you can get one by signing up for a restaurant’s eClub) and print it out to put with the gift card. He’ll be wowed for certain!
The very best gift card deal I found was from Macaroni Grill where you can get gift cards for 25% off. Just use the code DAD18 here.
Skip the Gift Bag
Your dad might be different than mine, but I’ve rarely met a father who said, “WOW! What a beautiful gift bag!” Most dads could care less about how you wrap their gift. Instead of spending $3-4 on something that will simply be thrown away, consider giving your gift in something more permanent – a tackle box, a tool box, or even an oil drip pan might be a better fit. Or wrap an item in a ribbon or even the funny papers (face his favorite comic on top of course!).
Write a Letter Instead of Buying a Card
Again, every dad has their own unique tastes; however, my husband would rather have a hand drawn portrait from our girls than a greeting card. He’s joked before that he’d take a Post-It Note with “I Love You” written along with the money I would have spent on the card instead. If your dad loves cards, then by all means, buy him one.
However, you may be better off hand writing a letter on a a piece of notebook paper than purchasing a card. Cards can be tricky. Some of cards cost more than $5, so if you purchase one be sure you’re shopping the right section. Check the price instead of heading to the register and being shocked.
Printable Gifts
I love all of the adorable free printable you can find on Pinterest to make dad feel special. Have your kids fill out this survey. Fold a Shirt and Tie origami for dad. Or print and cut out these cute candy tags to give dad a special gift. These Super Dad coupons are fun, too! Or print these fun Father’s Day cards with a Hipster flair.
No matter what you do to celebrate your dad, remember that making memories doesn’t require money.
Your Money, Your Marriage releases September 25th from Zondervan Harper Collins Christian and is already available for pre-sale now everywhere books are sold.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission.
