Five Stocking Stuffer Ideas Under $25 for Tech Lovers

The holidays can be expensive, and last-minute gifts for that aunt you forgot about or your brother's friend's cousin's mom who's coming to Christmas dinner can be hectic to try and pick up at the last minute. But finding inexpensive tech gifts for stocking stuffers and gift ideas is actually not as difficult as it sounds when you have a budget and a few suggestions to guide you on your way.

Over the years, I've compiled a go-to list for my geeky friends of items that are techie but not pricey, and with these top five ideas all under $25, you're sure to find something to please.

iTunes Gift Cards

I know gift cards sound like a cop-out, but these days, you can use iTunes for just about anything. If there's not a CD they want to download, there's probably a movie, TV show, or app they are just dying to try out, and with iTunes gift cards, you can get all that and more. The best part about these is that they start small and get big, so you can whip out a $15 card for all your younger cousins or a $25 card for a Secret Santa exchange. Win-win!

Portable Speakers

These days, you don't have to buy a boom box to get killer sound quality. Last year, my partner's mom bought us some of these little speakers from Brookstone. At $2 a pop, you get what you pay for (okay sound, but bad battery life), but if you want to spend a bit more, try the iHome iHM7 Rechargeable Mini Speaker for around $18. I dig the rechargeable speakers, since you can just pump them up via USB instead of wasting batteries every week. Plus, it's small, cheap, and the reviews online are all 4.5 stars.



Headphones

Since they are small and you can find affordable models that are high quality by doing a little deal-digging on Savings.com, headphones are a great stocking stuffer. I'd give the JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Earphones ($20-25 on sale) a shot. Or try some Skullcandy brand ones (ranging from $10-25) for a fun and funky take on the design. I'm partial to Skullcandy, as they are a great, reliable brand and they look cool, which is a plus since they'll be dangling off your face.

Digital Photo Keychain

Cool idea, huh? Not for everyone, but a great tech gift for family members who maybe don't know how (or don't want) to work an iPad or PC but would love a fun and portable way to have a little photo of you with them wherever they go. I've given these as gifts to grandparents, parents, and aunts and uncles, and they're always a hit. Pre-loading the keychain is easy and advisable - that way, it's all setup and ready to be attached to keys, purses, etc. Try this Coby 1.5" Digital Photo Keychain for starters, though there are a few in various places you can find for cheap.

Bluetooth Headset

Everyone needs some hands-free cell technology these days. Try this Motorola H385 Bluetooth Headset for around $20-25 or the Jabra BT 2070 Bluetooth Headset for about $23. You can find a variety of Bluetooth headsets online for cheap these days--but I'd stick to some name brands, as I've had bad luck with off brand, low quality headsets. It's a great gift for the cell phone obsessed. You know you've got at least one in your family--I've got about a dozen in mine.

So those are my personal top five. What about you guys? Any cool gift ideas under $25 that I missed? What are your favorites?