Most Moms Would Rather Not Get a Mother's Day Gift and Have Their Kids Put That Money Into Savings

Whether you find Mother's Day fun or stressful, the big day is right around the corner. And you might still be in the process of racking your brain trying to come up with the perfect Mother's Day gift.

The good news, though, is that you don't need to spend a lot of money to shower your mom with something special. And in fact, you may not want to spend any money on your mom this year.

A conversation worth having

These days, a lot of younger adults are struggling financially to some degree. Inflation has been making essential bills more expensive, forcing many people to rack up sky-high credit card balances just to keep up with them. And higher real estate prices have made the process of buying a home extremely challenging.

As such, rather than rush to spend a pile of money on a Mother's Day gift, you may instead want to talk to your mother and ask if she'd be okay with you giving her the gift of your time and keeping your money for yourself. Chances are, her answer will be yes.

In a recent Empower survey, 80% of moms said they'd rather not get a gift this Mother's Day and have the money go toward their children's savings instead. And if your savings account could use a boost, that's a route you might want to take.

Remember, for many parents, their priority is seeing their children happy. And financial security can lend to happiness. So your mom may be more than willing to forgo a $100 gift this Mother's Day if it means you're able to hang onto that money and use it for something important, like padding your emergency fund if you don't yet have enough cash in the bank to cover three full months of essential bills.

Give a give from the heart for Mother's Day

Skipping an expensive Mother's Day gift this year is one thing, but that doesn't mean you should blow off the big day entirely. Instead, think about ways you can give a gift that won't cost much but will mean the world to your mom.

You could purchase a very inexpensive picture frame and put a family photo in it. Or, you could whip up your mom's favorite dessert and bring it over to her house on Mother's Day for you to enjoy together. You can even plan a no-cost outing that you and your mom do together, whether on Mother's Day or at a different time, like having a picnic or checking out a local hiking trail.

It's nice to want to treat your mom to something special on Mother's Day. But chances are, your mom will get far more enjoyment out of seeing you use that money to better your financial picture. So before you run to the store in a panic to pick up a last-minute gift, consider keeping your money and instead, find your own way to make this Mother's Day the best one your mom has ever experienced.