Mother’s Day is coming up. If you’re scrounging under the sofa cushions in search of change, stop panicking: Mom just wants you to be happy. That, and for you to marry a nice doctor, of course. Kidding. Nonetheless, with many Canadians concerned about personal finances, this year is one Mother’s Day where a commitment of time trumps money.

So don’t splurge on expensive gifts for Mom if you can’t afford them. But do put in the effort so your low-cost gift offers high returns.

Here are 10 ideas we love!

1 Plant a summer garden patch
Plant an empty patch of Mom’s garden now, so she can enjoy it later, minus any work on her part. Splurge on a knockout pair of daylilies or dahlias or fill a larger space with an assortment of flowers, herbs and/or veggies inexpensively grown from seed. TIP We love Urban Harvest (uharvest.ca) for its assortment of heirloom and organic seeds.) Sketch a rudimentary map on your Mother’s Day card, noting, "Watch this spot!"

2 Host high tea
Can’t afford to spring for afternoon tea at a high-end tearoom? Bake some scones, whip up a batch of crust-less tea sandwiches and invest in a small tin of premium loose tea that she can take home with her afterward.

3 Polish Mom’s chandeliers
Or any other hard-to-clean part of her home. She’ll love you for it! Here’s an easy way to clean chandeliers -- no removal of parts required. Pour some glass cleaner into a dish. Don a pair of cotton silver-polishing gloves or those gloves designed to be worn over extra-rich hand cream. Simply dip your glove-encased fingers into glass cleaner and rub them over the crystals. Kitchen chandeliers may be greasy, so have an extra pair or two of cotton gloves on hand and change as each glove gets soiled. TIP Layer a pair of latex gloves underneath the fabric ones if you have sensitive skin. An eco-friendly glass cleaner like Ecover or Seventh Generation will be gentler on hands.

4 Make Mom an online photo album
Use sites like Flickr or Facebook to post family photos old and new, so Mom can have a browse whenever she wants to see her brood. Use privacy settings to control who can see the images: friends and family or the entire online world.

5 Pretty up some soaps
Who doesn’t love luxury soap? But if a five-pack of Claus Porto would kill your budget, opt for less expensive but high-quality soaps from the health food store. Bundle the soaps and tie them with natural jute or cotton ribbon or present them in a pretty flea market bowl.
6 Taste-test chocolates together
Chocolate and heart-to-heart conversation: what could be better? Visit a local chocolatier with your mother and sample some sweets. Nibble on the spot or take your selections home to enjoy with coffee, tea or pinot noir. You’re both grownups, after all!

7 Pamper her pup
Admit it: sometimes you’re a bit jealous of the adoration she has for Hunter (a.k.a. the dog who replaced you as Mom’s favourite). Nonetheless, giving her pup a good grooming and blowout will please her to no end, especially if you throw in a complimentary pet bed cleaning to boot. TIP: Stuff cedar chips or non-toxic fabric softener sheets (we love Whole Foods’ dryer sheets) under pet pillows for extra freshening.

8 Give her an inspiring cookbook
If your mother loves to cook for company, consider Trish Magwood’s Dish Entertains (Harper Collins Canada), which, at $16.46 on chapters.indigo.ca is a super deal! Best part: savvy Canadian mom Magwood knows how to keep it simple even when making it spectacular.

9 Make a loan
Business-minded moms will value microloans made in their honour to help small entrepreneurs in the developing world grow their businesses. Visit kiva.org to find entrepreneurs and projects to support. Your foodie mom may want to help Afi Agbogan of Toga, who makes home-blended cereals, which she sells at a local market. Or Vy Heng of Cambodia, who sells fish. Or Dorith of Peru, who wants to expand her lunch stall. Your decorista mother may prefer to help Sevinj Herdarova of Azerbaijan increase inventory in her modest gift shop. A personal connection makes this gift of global development even sweeter.

10 Help her de-clutter
Pick up some lattes and croissants on the way over to Mom’s, then do a walkthrough of her house: ask her what she’s been wanting to de-clutter, tidy up, clear out or fix since practically forever. Then, roll up your sleeves and help her get the job done!

Find more memorable gift options with our Mother's Day gift guide.