Bargain Beauties: 12 Girl-Approved Gifts Under $12!

Finding a useful, practical return gift for my kid’s birthday is important to me – it is my own little way to show gratitude and appreciation for their time and presence on my kid’s big day, which to me is more important than any birthday present they get my child. Also, I was never a fan of those return party favors that people put together… IMHO, they cost the same and most of the times, they end up in trash the very next day.

Anyhow, this whole return gift business is taken very seriously as my daughter’s birthday approaches; we embark on a quest to find the perfect return gifts for her friends. With a budget of under $15 per gift, and typically ranging between $10 and $12, I’ve curated a list of the top 12 choices I’ve discovered over the years. These gifts have been well-received by my daughter’s friends, adding to the fun and excitement of her special day. I hope you find them as delightful and useful as they have been for us!

Kids Headphones with Microphone, School, Wired, Age 7 – 12: They are super useful and practical for any school age kids, especially if they work on iPads, as most kids do. They sound good, are comfortable and I did not, for a change, hear issues with hair being pulled or hurting of ears or head as I have with other options! NOT BAD for under $12!Bedside Shelf Accessories Organizer- Wall Mount Self Stick On, Ideal for Glasses, Earphone, Cell Phone Charger: My daughter was always losing her stuff like hair bands, charger, etc. This organizer was perfect – being the perfect size, it holds many useful things on the side of her bed. It is pretty sturdy as well and has not budged after much rough use :-p. For $9, totally recommend it to all teens and adults!10 Pc Nail Polish Set, Non-Toxic, Eco-Friendly, Easy Peel Off & Quick Dry, Age 8 – 14: Now, this is always a safe bet – most of the young girls love them nail colors, in every shade… it is more about having a collection than actually putting them. These colors are absolutely adorable in pastel, product is safe for young kids and non-toxic. They peel off easily which means your girl can re-do nails daily!3Pcs, 14K Gold Plated, 12 Constellation Zodiac Layer Necklaces for Girls: If you have a pre-teen girl, you probably know they are very aware of what ‘zodiac’ they are… I mean, my girl and her friends sure are! And I felt that this is such a personalized return gift for her 9th b-day party. It is a sparkly, pretty 3 pieces, layered set, not super heavy so perfect for young girls…Well worth the small price tag!5100 Pc Clay Beads Bracelet Making Kit, Age 8 – 12: Even at 10.5 yrs. of age, creating bracelet is a passion for my girl. In fact, they barter bracelets at school – so of course it made sense for me to buy them a bracelet making kit. This one is amazing for the price, colors are super cute and came with a little instruction page that helped them figure out how to tie on the clasps. I have been told by other moms that it kept their kids busy and has been so fun and easy to use!!8 Pc Korean Hydrating Sheet Masks for All Skin Types, Revitalizing: Isn’t K-beauty a fad everywhere?! Well, it surely is around these pre-teens. I mean, I swear when I was 10, I was playing outside rolling in mud pile… and look at my daughter and her friends – they apparently love this face mask! I was honestly hesitant about getting these since I wasn’t sure how good they are for the girl’s skin, but they turned out great – very thick, moisturizing serum, easy on skin and overall good quality – oh, and it smells awesome!!DIY Journal Kit, Scrapbook for Diary Set, Age 8-14: Every girl in this age group likes to “keep a secret dairy” and this was the perfect one for my daughter! I ended up getting it as a ‘thank you’ gift. The little picture frames are very cute & an easy way for your child to customize their journal. The pictures make for a good starting point too for those new to journaling. All the little stickers, cutouts, and scrap paper/tape make it easy for them to decorate it as well, and it pretty much always ends up looking cute no matter what they do.11 Pc Jelly Cube Crunchy Crystal Slime Kit: My girl is absolutely obsessed with watching slime shorts and everything slime. So are her friends. Now, tbh I do not like slime, especially inside the home… I find it very messy but well, I let them buy it every now and then. This set had good texture, not sticky at all, stretchy, had great pops, and smelled amazing.Affirmations Print, I Am Kind, I Am Brave, Prints Without Frame – 8×10″: Received as a gift for my then 8-year-old daughter. It was lovely! Was printed on heavy paper of amazing quality and the mom who gave it, actually got frames from dollar shop and framed it – though the idea was so cute and so nice, wonderful additions to my girl’s room!17Ft – 50 LED Fairy String Lights with 50 Clear Clips for Hanging Pictures: I purchased these items for my daughter’s room, and we both absolutely adored them! It nice to bond with her selecting pictures and hanging it up together. What made it even better was the fact that no batteries were required. They come equipped with an on/off switch and you simply plug into the wall. Get some pictures of your kids’ friends printed from your local CVS or Walmart and create a charming memory board. It could make for a wonderful and thoughtful gift idea!Big, Pencil Case, Holder Bag, Portable for Kids: I mean I’ll say this – it is a regular pencil case but something that every girl appreciates, a lot of. Have multiple use – put in makeup stuff, school supplies, hairbands, whatever! A pre-teen girl just cannot have enough of these. Good quality and pretty pastel colors. I bought it for 7 girls and filled it with candies and cute earrings as a return gift.

6 Pc Mechanical Pencil Set, with Leads, 3PCS Erasers and 9PCS Eraser Refills:  I purchased these pencils for my daughter to use at school, and she absolutely adores them. We decided to purchase it for her friends for a summer party, as a return favor. Not bad for $10!  They come with two different lead sizes and plenty of refills for both, which is incredibly convenient. The pastel colors are charming and appealing. There are also full-sized erasers include