The Frugal Family: Cheap and Easy Father's Day 2010 Gift Ideas

With the school year ending and summer vacations starting, many families are in a frenzy to occupy their kids who suddenly have large amounts of time on their hands. And then here comes that day when everyone celebrates and honors the father figures in their life to add to the flurry of activity. If you're anything like me, Father's Day has managed to sneak up on you despite your best intentions. It was just Mother's Day - how in the world could Father's Day be almost here? Ready or not, here it comes.

The great news for families on a budget is that some of the best gifts are homemade and may not cost a dime. In addition, the following will work for those who've run out of ideas or those dad who aren't really into "stuff":

• Record a video of the kids telling stories about their dad or describing their favorite things about him. This works for all ages of kids and parents!
• If you don't have video capability, interview the kids and write down their responses in a card.
• Bring Dad breakfast in bed.
• Give Dad time to himself by taking the kids out for the day or completing his chores for him.
• Put the kids to work baking a cake or pie. Even if the results aren't edible, they will be entertaining.
• Band together with friends or family members and have a group BBQ, picnic, or nice dinner.

If none of those strikes your fancy, check out some of these sites for unique gift ideas:

• Tanga.com features daily deals on a variety of products
• Craigslist.org has everything from second-hand tools to last minute sales on event tickets
• Fred Flare Father's Day Gift Guide
• Cool Mom Picks Father's Day Gift Guide
• Amazon.com Gift Ideas for Dads(5)

If all else fails, there is always the trusty gift card. Whether you think it's a cop out or not, it's a low stress gift and Dad can get whatever his heart desires.

How is this Father's Day shaping up in your family? Are you searching for a fresh idea this year or do you have a stand by gift for the special dads in your life?

Crystal Ritchie lives and blogs in San Francisco with her preschooler son Jack and her partner in crime/fiance David. She loves to share stories, tips, and tricks related to the parenting gig. When she is not parenting, writing as the San Francisco City Guide Editor for Savvy Source and on her personal blog, Ewokmama.com, or scoping out awesome deals, she can be found working at a software company in her favorite city.