Anniversary Gifts Under £20
A small anniversary budget isn't a problem. Most anniversaries are marked badly not because someone spent too little, but because they bought something generic at the last minute.
Under £20 buys you a good card, a print, a candle, or something specific to the year you're on. Any of those beats a £60 hamper nobody asked for.
Here's what works, and how to make it look deliberate rather than rushed.
Anniversary cards, printed in the UK
Most of our cards are under £5, blank inside so the words are yours. Printed in the UK and posted first class - usually next working day.
Under £20, and genuinely good
- A card with something real written in it - the cheapest thing here and the one most likely to be kept.
- An A5 or A4 print for the wall, framed later or pinned up now.
- A hand poured candle for the room you both sit in.
- A pin badge that means something only to the two of you.
- The traditional symbol for your year done small: paper, cotton, tin, whatever it is.
- The flower for your year from a supermarket, bought properly and arranged at home.
Under £20 with effort instead of money
- A letter about the year, written by hand, sealed and dated.
- A photo printed and framed from a cheap frame shop.
- Breakfast made properly, on a tray, with the good mugs.
- A playlist of the year, written out on paper rather than just sent.
- A walk somewhere you went early on, with a flask.
By year, cheaply
- 1st, paper - a print, a letter, or tickets to something small.
- 2nd, cotton - a tea towel, a tote, something used daily.
- 5th, wood - a wooden frame around a printed photo.
- 10th, tin - a tin of something they like, done properly.
- 15th, crystal - a single good glass rather than a set.
- Any year - the flower for that year, bought and arranged at home.
What to skip under £20
- Novelty mugs with 'anniversary' printed on them.
- Supermarket gift sets - they cost £15 and look like £4.
- Chocolates as the whole gift, unless they're the specific ones.
- Anything engraved cheaply and rushed - bad engraving ages badly.
- Flowers bought at a petrol station on the day. Everyone can tell.
How to write it so it lands
- Agree the budget together before either of you shops.
- Spend the money on one good thing, not three small ones.
- Write the card the night before, not in the car park.
Where to shop next
- What to do instead of an anniversary gift
- Celebrating your anniversary at home
- Anniversaries when you're apart
- What year is which anniversary
- Traditional vs modern anniversary gifts
- Anniversary flowers and gemstones by year
- Anniversary gifts for parents
- Your first wedding anniversary
- Anniversary card messages
- Anniversary cards
- Anniversary gift shop
- Card hub
- All guides
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
- Pin badges
Frequently asked questions
What can you buy for an anniversary under £20?
A card and a print, a candle, a pin badge, or something matching the traditional symbol for your year. A well-chosen small thing with a written card reads better than an expensive generic gift.
Is it rude to spend little on an anniversary gift?
No. Most couples agree a budget between themselves and regret overspending far more often than underspending. What people remember is the card and the day, not the price.
What's the best cheap anniversary gift?
A card with a specific memory written in it, plus one small object. The writing is free and it's the part that gets kept.