Help Me Buy Prizes

[hermione]

We have extra money in a specific budget at work and I need to spend it. I have to buy 10 prizes (for Adult Summer Reading) at $30-$50 each. I have two days to do it. They need to be things we can store until next August. What are some things in that price range you would throw a ticket in to win?

ETA: Other than gift cards.

[Roc A Bee]

Gift cards.

[lavenderblue]

Amazon GC - they seem to be pretty universally popular.

[hbomdiggity]

Yeti or Stanley

[ssmjlm]

Portable phone chargers
Insulated Tumbler

[twinmomma]

Stanley cup, Yeti travel mug, a nice backpack. Since it's reading related, what about one of those things that turns the page for your kindle with a kindle holder?

[wanderingback]

Please no water bottle/tumbler type stuff.

Is there any sort of phone charger set up that could be used for both android and apple. I feel like I can never have enough chargers lol.

[puppyluv]

Pickle ball paddles + balls
Camping chairs
Picnic basket w/ snacks in it
Earbuds
Amazon Firestick

[jinkies]

That price point is kind of tricky.

If it needs to be physical items:

A nice camp chair
Backpack cooler
Bluetooth speaker

[tacokick]

Bags, pins or pouches from Out of Print. They have new zippered totes that are really nice.

[puppyluv]

Oh something I love to give as a gift is city etched pint glasses from Amazon or Well Told. If you are in a major city, they etch city maps onto various types of glasses; pint, wine, whiskey, etc.

[dexteroni]

Why not gift cards? Those would be the perfect thing to give and store IMO. Trendy brand items like Stanley are risky because you never know if something’s going to replace it by next year. And I agree with no cups or tumblers anyway.

If your employees are all in one metro area, something locally themed would be nice. Maybe an item from each sports team’s shop? Or since this is a reading challenge, something book related. A nice book light and tote bag, a lap desk, a cozy throw blanket, etc. If you can lift the ban on GCs, local bookstore GCs would be a welcome prize for any reader and would help support local independent businesses. You can pair a $25 GC with a $25 item if each prize has to have an non-GC item.

[dexteroni]

Sept 24, 2024 11:42:47 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Please no water bottle/tumbler type stuff.

Is there any sort of phone charger set up that could be used for both android and apple. I feel like I can never have enough chargers lol.

Agree with never having enough chargers! And I think all recent phones use USB-C now so compatibility should be universal.

[litskispeciality]

I know you said no gift cards, but Amazon, a big grocery store chain, or maybe Barnes and Noble or another book store in your area would be a lot more universal.

Also asking to stay away from tumblers. We have so many we recycle them every couple of months, and honestly I think they just end up in a dumpster

Universal charger
Earbuds
Maaaybe a nice blanket (for reading), but I have 1000 blankets...
Could you buy a popular book? Although I guess that could change by the time you give it away
Are there Kindles for sale for that price? Edit: or any e-reader, I just have a Kindle.

[mommyatty]

Ear buds or headphones. A portable charger. A cooler bag or picnic basket. Are bottles of booze allowed? Those keep.

[orval]

Uncommon Goods a bunch of book themed gifts. If you want a book/library theme.

Bookworm socks www.uncommongoods.com/product/bookworm-rainbow-socks-8203
Book card game www.uncommongoods.com/product/book-lovers-library-challenge-card-game
literature themed rocks glasses www.uncommongoods.com/product/female-literature-rocks-glasses-set-of-2

Plenty more to choose from under reading www.uncommongoods.com/interests/reading

[shauni27]

a good water bottle
gift cards (duh)
a set of glass tupperware (this is always wildly popular)
penzy spices, king arthur mixes or stonewall kitchen marinades all in a nice basket
throw blankets (NOT With a corporate/company logo!)
Fun games like CAH, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, Scattagories, etc
Portable chargers, "wireless" chargers, car charges, things like that

ETA:
Apple Airtag
Cooler Bag

[followyourarrow]

Moleskin notebook or other higher end notebook
Nice pens or a big pack of sharpies
A reading log

[mysteriouswife]

This was popular for my library prize last summer.

a.co/d/67dBKTH

[circa1978]

For people still saying gift cards, I know at my employer we are limited by the amount of gift card money, from any vendor, we can give each year to individual employees or buy as a division as a whole. So that might be the issue, not that she just really wants to buy physical items.

[wildrice]

I like the ideas above for book themed stuff - socks, tote bags, pens, nice notebooks, etc. What about some actual books? Maybe some bundles of beach reads or fun books with summer in the title.

[noodleoo]

How about board games? Like Ticket to Ride is in that price range and would be popular.

I like the idea of pickleball set or other outdoor games.

[litskispeciality]

I really like the book related gifts above. I wouldn't necessarily buy them for myself, but would LOVE to win them in a raffle.

[jamie.1022]

Book light
Desk fan
Oil diffuser
Slippers/socks
Neck massager
Chargers
Bluetooth speaker
Airtag


No water bottles/yeti/tumblers/etc

[mrspez07]

BBQ tool set
Solar powered string lights
Gardening tools
Painting/drawing kit

I like the book-themed ideas too:
Mug with hot coca powder or other fixings (might not be great for a whole year tho). Tea would probably stay good that long
Themed book packs (romance, action/adventure, puzzle books, non-fiction, history, Pulitzer Prize or other prize winners, mystery, cooking, etc) - Ant could be supplemented with supplies in that theme.
Puzzles or puzzle books, a set of similar
How to book and supplies for a craft (painting, crochet, more obscure)

[rhian]

An umbrella

[hermione]

Here's where we landed. We went over price on some and under on others:

Pickleball Set
Multi-compatible Charger
Puzzle Bundle (we have very enthusiastic jigsaw puzzlers)
Movie Gift Card
Board Game Bundle
Charcuterie Board
Camping Chairs (2)
Starbucks Cup and Coffee
Lego Set
Retro Igloo Cooler

[dexteroni]

hermione Those are all good!

[pierogigirl]

If it gets cold where you are, they make rechargeable handwarmers that you can also use to charge your phone. I have 2 from Christmas last year. I'm looking forward to using them at outdoor fall sports.

I like the things you chose also.

[sandandsea]

We’ve done magic bullet/ninja blenders or smoothie makers, portable chargers multi port thing, ear buds/air pods/beats, bread makers, air fryer, solar powered charger/lamp, fancy water bottles, coolers, and food/wine.