Frugal Father's Day

That gift-giving day to say thanks to our dads is rapidly coming up on us....yep, Sunday is Father's Day. OK, who still hasn't purchased anything?

Often, I'm guilty of this. Honestly, it has more to do with the fact that my dad is the hardest person to shop for of anyone I buy gifts for, but still, many of us need to be frugal.Yes, it's your dad, and no, you shouldn't feel guilty if your budget isn't all there. He gets that the thought counts and that maybe you aren't quite at that Bill Gates status just yet.

Not to worry, there's plenty of ways to thank your dad with gifts on the frugal side without buying yet another tie or worry about what denomination that gift card should be.

A couple suggestions:

-What are siblings for!?: If there's a bigger ticket (or even just not in your budget) item that you know dad wants, go in together! My mom took notice of a gift idea for my dad and instantly called me  to suggest my siblings and I chip in for it. Since we know he wants it, we don't have to worry about him liking it, and neither of us broke the bank with the shared expense.

-You should have seen this one coming: Eyeball my beloved Groupon and their copycat sites. That I got through Living Social was a frugal steal that served as a unique anniversary gift my husband loved. With new deals coming out every day, something that dad will love could likely pop up. Print out the deal at point of purchase and slip it in a card for him to redeem at his leisure. (oh, and thanks to the July issue of Redbook, I've discovered another copycat site: homerun.com!)

-Don't underestimate acts of service: In my broke student days, I definitely felt too old to give dad a homemade coupon book for free hugs, but don't discount other gifts that you can do for dad. The gift of time can be a valuable one. Cook lunch or dinner for the day so he doesn't have to, lend a hand with that home improvement project he's been working on, or even just spend some time tidying up the house so he can enjoy the day in a clutter-free environment.

If all else fails, just be sure to provide some acknowledgement. A card and a "thanks" can go a long way - just let dad know he's appreciated.