I found 12 gifts under $50 that grads will actually use

A selection of gifts for grads. — (Image credit: nodpod / No Wrong Answers / Anker / Tervis / Edited by Gemini)

Any grad would be grateful for money or a gift card, but sometimes it's not the gift that you want to give. Whether you feel like money would be taboo, impersonal, or simply lacks the novel or useful quality you're looking for, I've got you covered.

Some of the ideas here are a bit more practical, like the bullet blender or the household tool set, while others exude more whimsy, like a weighted sleep mask or, my personal favorite, a set of conversation starter cards (because making friends as an adult is hard).

It's been years since I graduated college, but thinking back, I would've loved to receive any of the gifts below and would've gotten a ton of use out of each of them.

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Sarah Chaney is a freelance tech writer with 4 years of experience across multiple outlets, including How-To Geek, MakeUseOf, SlashGear, Laptop Mag, and of course, Tom's Guide. She loves reviewing the latest gadgets, from inventive robot vacuums to new laptops, wearables, and anything PC-related. When she's not writing, she's probably playing a video game, exploring the outdoors, or listening to her current favorite song or album on repeat.