With the holiday season approaching quickly, it’s time for my favorite activity of the year: holiday gift shopping!
Are you looking for the best affordable gift ideas for college students?
With these 87 super affordable gift ideas, you’ll be the best gift-giver this season!

Practical Gifts
Under $20
- Reusable silicone straws that help save the environment.
- A durable portable charger for the student always on the go.
- A super long charging cord (iPhone) because the usual ones are always too short.
- Fashionable blue-light glasses for just about any online student.
- A reusable water bottle that will keep you hydrated.
- A desk vacuum to get rid of all the eraser shavings.
- An upright pen organizer to make your desk more organized.
- A bedside caddy to hold your phone, glasses, books, water bottle, and more.
- Dry-erase sticky notes to give yourself reminders.
- Removable whiteboard sticker for those brainstorm moments.
- A USB C to USB adapter for the MacBook Pro users who don’t have a USB port.
- A laptop carrying case to keep your computer safe as you travel.
Under $50
- A high-quality laptop stand to help you keep a great posture at your desk.
- A bed/lap desk for the student that likes to stay in bed.
- A portable laptop monitor to achieve dual monitors with your laptop.
- A desk bookshelf to put all your books and textbooks.
- A Bluetooth keyboard for your laptop that’s on a stand.
- A wall outlet shelf/extender that’ll allow you to charge more devices.
- An electric kettle that’s safe and fast.
- A Moleskin planner notebook to help you become productive.
- A smart alarm clock to make mornings suck less.
- A professional document portfolio to keep all your important papers organized.
Self Care Gifts
Under $20
- Stress-relieving bath salts to maximize your baths.
- A pair of fluffy socks to feel more comfortable.
- A relaxing eye mask to give your eyes the break they deserve.
- A muscle massager to relax your tense muscles.
- Fluffy slippers because they’re cute and comfortable.
- A packet of face masks because skincare is important.
- A jade roller to decrease face puffiness and look brighter.
- A set of essential oils to put in an oil diffuser.
- A gratitude journal to track your thanks.
- Affirmation cards to repeat every morning.
- Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice by Michelle Obama.
- Let That Sh*t Go (journal) to become your better self.
- A candle in your favorite scent.
- A giant tortilla blanket to roll yourself into a burrito.
- The Complete Habit-Building Guide to build habits that stick.
Under $50
- An essential oil diffuser to diffuse your essential oils (duh).
- A humidifier for the dry seasons.
- A dehumidifier for the wet seasons.
- A weighted blanket to sleep soundly at night.
- A memory foam pillow to keep your head comfortable at night.
- A bathtub pillow for those long, meaningful baths.
- Hair growth serum for the stressed out, hair-losing students.
- Brightening serum for the sleep-deprived ladies.
Study Gifts
Under $20
- A pack of flashcards to make vocabulary easier to memorize.
- A durable binder to keep all your papers.
- Minimalistic desk trays to organize the small items.
- A to-do list notepad to keep track of the day’s tasks.
- A high-capacity and durable pencil case to keep all your stationary.
- A pack of Mildliner highlighters to make your notes beautiful.
- Notability (app) to easily take neat digital notes on your tablet.
- A book stand to keep your papers/books at eye level.
- Tabbed sticky note pads to keep notes in a book.
Under $50
- An eye-protecting desk lamp to put on your desk.
- A smart, reusable, scannable notebook to save the trees.
- A durable and deep storage backpack to hold all your school supplies.
- A drawing pad/tablet to make writing on a computer easier.
Miscellaneous Gifts
- A Spotify premium subscription to listen to unlimited music.
- A Masterclass subscription to learn from the very best.
- LED light strips to make your room TikTok-worthy.
- Artificial hanging plants to make your room more friendly.
- A gaming headset to make yourself sound crispy.
- A clear lip gloss to look a little more put together in the mornings.
- Photo frames to hang up your favorite pictures.
- A portable photo printer to keep your favorite memories forever.
- An acoustic guitar for beginners to keep you occupied over breaks.
- A wireless printer because every student needs one.
- A high-quality Bluetooth speaker for you to party by yourself.
- A mini projector for those movie nights at home.
- Apple AirPods so going outside isn’t as awkward and boring.
- An Amazon Kindle to save the trees and your eyes.
- A coffee maker because every student needs caffeine.
- An Instant Pot to make cooking a lot easier.
- A Vitamix blender to make smoothies in the busy mornings.
DIY Gifts
- A photo scrapbook to cherish all your memories with a friend.
- A package of heartfelt letters detailing all your thoughts and wishes for them.
- A Powerpoint presentation of all your memories with a friend.
- A hand-written song with all your memories with a friend.
- A room or pillow spray made of essential oils.
- A clay dish for small items like jewelry or paperclips.
- A jar containing some favorites (candy, hand lotions, perfumes, pens).
- A self-care box with bath bombs, shampoos, chocolate, etc.
- Cookies, chocolates, cakes, or other handmade goodies!
Conclusion
That was a big list! I hope you found something on here that you’d love to give and receive. And remember, it’s the thought that counts in a gift!
If you’re looking for more, check these out!
- 21 Best Study Abroad Gifts Every Student Will Love
- 10 Powerful & Free Productivity Tools You Should Be Using
- 7 Secrets Successful Students Will Never Tell You
