53 Best Stores to Budget Shop for Themed Gifts

Learn the 53 best stores to budget shop for themed gifts to ensure you’re finding the most affordable prices for your gifts while on a tight budget. 

One of my favorite things to do is shop for themed gifts!

My goal is not to spend much money on each individual gift item while also ensuring that all the themed gift items together to make one impressive and unique gift. 

Not only is it exciting to find an expensive item at a deep discount that fits your theme gift, but it’s also a fun challenge to find additional bargain items to complete a themed gift, as I did with my anchor nautical-themed gift idea.

THE BEST STORES TO BUDGET SHOP FOR THEMED GIFTS

I’ve compiled 53 of my favorite stores and websites that are great places to find themed gifts for your gift recipients.

9 CATEGORIES OF MY FAVORITE STORES TO SHOP:

1. Discount stores
2. Discount “upper scale” stores
3. Dollar stores
4. Thrift stores
5. Craft stores
6. Department stores
7. Chain stores
8. Online websites and catalogs
9. Grocery and drug stores

Whether you’re shopping for family members, a best friend, boyfriend / girlfriend, or co-worker, you’ll want to be aware of the variety of places where you can buy great gifts at low prices. 

You might not have knowledge of some of these stores or websites that I’ve mentioned, and maybe not even considered them as a shopping option as to where you can find inexpensive gifts.

Throughout the years, I’ve used all of these stores to help me find affordable gifts to build awesome themed gifts, such as, my inexpensive starfish gift idea and cherry and gingham gift basket idea.

Whether you’re shopping for birthdays, all occasion gifts, or the holiday season, you’re sure to find options for creative gifts or thoughtful presents, etc. and maybe even an occasional last-minute gift idea.

If you’re leaning towards unique gifts, then these stores and websites are sure to be helpful in your search for items to complete a whimsical theme with fun presents.

1. DISCOUNT STORES

• Ollie’s Bargain Outlet
• Old Time Pottery
• Ocean State Job Lot
• Roses
• Bargain Hunt
• Big Lots (shop until they close)

Ollie’s is the perfect place to find bargains on cookbooks and children’s books. They sell closeout merchandise and excess inventory with some famous brand names. Sign up for their emails to receive notifications of new arrivals and occasionally get 15% off coupons. 

Old Time Pottery locations that I have shopped at have been huge stores with a warehouse vibe, so be sure to allow lots of time to show at a leisurely pace. I have found tons of items over the years that fit my themed gifts perfectly. Be on the lookout for items that can start a brand new themed gift, also. They are now associated with Gabe’s that I’ve listed in #2 on my list.

Ocean State Job Lot‘s inventory is sourced from major retailers and their own private labels. They are mostly in the New England area, but search their website for other nearby states.

Roses is a hit or miss type of discount store for finding themed gifts, but it’s still worth mentioning. Every Wednesday is 10% off for senior citizens. 

2. DISCOUNT “UPPER SCALE” STORES

• Home Goods
• Marshalls
• T.J. Maxx
• HomeSense
• Bealls / Burkes Outlet
• Home Centric
• At Home
• Burlington
• Ross
• Gabe’s

I have found countless gifts over the years to fit my themes in these nicer discount stores. These types of stores are excellent for starting a new theme.

Gabe’s is a “hit or miss” type of store for me. I was more hopeful when it was announced that they now owned Old Time Pottery. It was reported that some of that merchandise would start crossing over into Gabe’s. It’s worth a try if you happen to be passing by.

3. DOLLAR STORES

• Dollar Tree
• Dollar General
• Popshelf
• Family Dollar
• Five Below

Dollar stores are great for finding themed glasses and dishes and cute knick knacks. They are the best places to find cheap wrapping supplies. Also, they have the best buy on plastic containers and baskets to place your themed gift into.

I’ve just discovered Popshelf, and I can’t wait to visit a location and shop! You can shop online or search to see if any stores are located near you. They are own by Dollar General.

EXAMPLES OF MY DOLLAR STORE SHOPPING FINDS:

For a lemon themed gift, I scored some cute glasses with a lemon print on them at the Dollar Tree.

At Dollar Tree I spotted a gift bag for a cookout theme that had an apron on it and a “king of the grill” saying. They also carry throughout each year grilling related items – burger / hotdog baskets, printed basket liners, corn trays, etc..

I recently purchased, at Dollar General, melamine plates and bowls with both strawberry and blueberry designs. They were perfect to add to my strawberry and blueberry theme

4. THRIFT STORES

• Salvation Army
• Goodwill
• Habitat for Humanity / ReStore
• Savers
• Value Village
• Unique
• Local thrift shops

Thrift stores have items that you can makeover, upcycle, or repurpose to add to your themed gift. I gave a thrift store mirror a makeover for a positive vibes themed gift.

I have also found items that have fit my themes perfectly without needing a makeover. Just clean them up and you’re good to go!

5. CRAFT STORES

• Joann Fabric and Craft
• Hobby Lobby
• Michaels
• Craft Warehouse

Theme aisles are plentiful in craft stores! For example, you’ll see each year themed merchandise for the current home trends displayed all together. If you’re on a short time line you can make it a one-stop shop for a theme.

Be sure to take advantage of craft store end-of-season sales if you search throughout the year for an affordable price on each theme gift item.

6. DEPARTMENT STORES

• Kohl’s
• JC Penny
• Boscov’s
• Belk

Wait for those department store clearance sales! The more you save, the more gifts you can add to your theme. (That’s my logic and I’m sticking to it LOL.)

If you get FOMO (fear of missing out), purchase at a promoted percentage off and hopefully stack a coupon if allowed.

EXAMPLES OF MY DEPARTMENT STORE FINDS:

I discovered Boscov’s department store recently and I love it! On my visits I’ve spotted merchandise for theme ideas, such as honey bee, lemons and wine. My last purchase was a teacup set with a red poppy flower design for my Wizard of Oz theme. My friend is obsessed with Oz!

At JC Penny, I found melamine plates and a tray on clearance for my nautical anchor theme. I recently spotted egg-related Joie brand merchandise there, but I’ve already made an egg theme. All the egg merchandise that Joie sells, like this egg spatula, are super cute!

7. CHAIN STORES

• Target
• Walmart
• Meijer
• World Market
• Hallmark
• Ace Hardware
• Cracker Barrel
• Kirkland’s

Some Hallmark stores are independently owned and offer a plethora of gift items other than just Hallmark products. They have great clearance sales.

All the Ace Hardware stores that I’ve visited have a small area offering home decor and knick knacks. They’re worth checking out.

The Cracker Barrel gift store is an excellent source for starting a themed gift. Their tables are merchandised with related items you can choose from for a theme, for example, one year I spotted a great assortment of owl gifts. Don’t forget to find their clearance corner!

Target has incredible clearance sales that you can catch at 75% or 90% off. I’ve shopped too many of those sales to count to find themed gift items.

EXAMPLE OF A CHAIN STORE SHOPPING FIND:

Walmart had a small group of pineapple themed kitchen items one summer. I used their pineapple printed plastic pitcher to place several small related kitchen gifts, like pineapple printed plastic cups, to fill up the pitcher. Plus, I added a can of pineapple and other pineapple flavored drinks and foods.

8. ONLINE WEBSITES AND CATALOGS

• Amazon
• Oriental Trading Company
• Paper House Productions
• Temu
• Factory Direct Craft

EXAMPLES OF MY ONLINE SHOPPING FINDS:

Temu has become my favorite online store to shop for gifts! I have actually found many items on their site that are the exact same items as found on Amazon, but for much less money. I found awesome gifts for my camera themed gift, plus many other themes.

Oriental Trading Company conveniently lists items by theme. My favorites are their table paper products. I’ve purchased many of them from their website, as well as items like a cute strawberry melamine tray at a reasonable price.

Paper House Productions offers themed gift items, such as licensed characters and movies, plus many more ideas. I’m currently working on two new gift themes for The Wizard of Oz and Art. I was able to find a few unique related items on their website. Of course, I shopped during a sale plus free shipping!

9. GROCERY AND DRUG STORES:

• CVS
• Walgreens
• Aldi
• Grocery stores examples:
  • Food Lion
  • Giant
  • Safeway
  • Publix

Drug stores always carry small seasonal and holiday sections in their stores and can be “hit or miss,” but it is still worth a quick look.

Aldi not only carries groceries, but also items for the home, adults and kids. I had no clue until a friend told me I should go to an Aldi!

EXAMPLES OF MY GROCERY STORE SHOPPING FINDS:

I once scored a gingham printed melamine tray and plates at a Food Lion grocery. They were both very inexpensive and perfect for my gingham themed gift. They always have cute seasonal items to choose from.

At Martin’s grocery store, I found melamine dishes with the Monopoly game icons. I could have added the Monopoly board game and had a great gift for an entire family or a gift recipient who enjoys board games. 

Did you learn any new places to add to your shopping excursions? Leave a comment and tell me your favorite budget stores to shop.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO SEE:

4 WAYS HOW TO BUILD A THEMED GIFT ON A BUDGET

CHERRY AND GINGHAM GIFT BASKET IDEA

Sharing my themed gift post at these fabulous blogs!