
Between the egg decorating, brunch prep and egg hunt, Easter is a busy, busy time. Save your BFF the legwork of running around on that Easter scavenger hunt by getting her a thoughtful, personalized Easter basket gift she can enjoy all week long. Whether you decide to DIY or buy, you can actually show your main girl some love *without* breaking the bank. Ranging in a variety of cuteness and pastel shades, these non-traditional gift ideas are the way to your friend’s heart. Take your pick from these 25 gifts that are all under $25.
1. ASOS Oversized Triple Pom Keychain ($18): Your BFF will never lose their keys again with this fluffy cluster of faux-fur pom poms. If she’d rather hang it from her handbag or backpack, it’s sure to make a super cute bag accessory.
2. Ban.do BFFL Button Pack – Set of 2 ($4): Show some #BFFL love by gifting your bestie one of these BFF buttons. It’s a stylish way to show the world you’ve got each other’s backs.
3. Habit Cosmetics 03 Belle Époque ($18): This fabulous shade of periwinkle is a go-to color for spring. It will also put your eco-conscious friend’s mind at ease, since it’s made vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free.
4. ASOS Retro Cat Eye Sunglasses With Flat Lens ($21): Throw the fashionista in your life some shade (in the best possible way) with these sick stunners. Their pink lenses are sure to fit right in with your girl’s ultra chic style.
5. Ban.do Hot Stuff Thermal Mug – Disco ($14): Because ordinary mugs for the most fab gal in your life just don’t cut it. If she’s all about the #workhardplayhard lifestyle, gift her this disco-inspired mug that’ll let her bring caffeine wherever work or the party takes her.
6. TonyMoly Pocket Bunny Sleek + Moist Mist ($15): This one’s for the beauty-obsessed girl in your life. Aside from possibly being the cutest facial mist ever, this portable mister is packed to the brim with enriched minerals and fruit extracts with moisturizing properties. She’ll think of you every time she takes a spritz of this refreshing mid-day pick-me-up.
7. Urban Outfitters Printed Tin Candle – Coconut Water ($12): If your friend can’t get enough candles, this pretty watercolor-printed one is just what she needs. Its refreshing coconut scent will transport her to the beach every time she lights it.
8. TonyMoly I’m Real Mask Sheet – Pomegranate ($4): Set aside some pamper time for the #girlboss who deserves it most with this pomegranate mask sheet. Its specially formulated serum helps restore stressed skin while promoting elasticity with deeply hydrating ingredients.
9. DIY Kindle or Tablet Cover: This DIY kindle cover will keep the sun and sand from messing up your pal’s relaxing read the next time she hits the beach. Its chic design is one that’ll meet her style standards. (via Sugar & Cloth)
10. Perks of Aurora Ugh, As If! Mug ($18): Admit it, there have been way too many nights spent watching your favorite ’90s chick flicks together. Take her down memory lane with this nostalgia-inspiring mug. She’ll thank you for helping her channel her inner Cher from Clueless with this mug that says it all.
11. Casey Sibley Cat Lady Coin Purse ($15): Your BFF won’t have to worry about digging around her wallet for loose change once you get her this cute little coin pouch. Its adorable cat print is sure to win extra points from any cat lover.
12. Ban.do Girl Bands Hair Elastic – Set of 5 ($10): For the gal pal who’s always losing her hair bands and asking to borrow yours, this adorable set of five elastics should do the trick. She’ll be more careful with these, since they’re *hopefully* too cute to lose.
13. Dot & Bo Rose Gold Pocket Notebooks – Set of 2 ($14): Give your friend some peace of mind with these handy set of notebooks to keep her important memos organized. They’ll eliminate the clutter of all those notes scrawled on loose paper.
14. Tattly Gold Floral Tattoos – Set of 2 ($6): This set of shimmery gold temporary floral tattoos is a free spirit’s best friend (aside from you). They’re the whimsical must-haves your friend needs to take with her to Coachella.
15. Brika Party Crasher iPhone Case ($24): Just thinking about how your BFF scratched up her old phone one too many times makes you cringe. For both your sakes, gift her this pretty pineapple print case that protects her phone while keeping it looking its best.
16. ASOS Festival Pom Pom Headband ($14): The creative soul in your life isn’t one to shy from expressing herself with her unique style. Let your girl do her thang by getting her this adorable, multi-colored pom pom headband that she can rock at all the upcoming spring festivals or wear as everyday flair.
17. Meku Designs Cake Batter Ring Dish ($22): Bring some color to your homegirl’s home decor with this vibrantly patterned ring dish inspired by confetti cake. That way organizing her favorite jewelry pieces will be a cinch.
18. Poketo Mode De Vie Monthly Planner – Pink ($18): This monthly planner promises to keep your busy bestie organized and on top of her jam-packed schedule. It’s conveniently light but is spacious enough to jot down her to-do’s, and even comes with a plastic sleeve to store receipts and business cards.
19. Poketo Pattern Click Pen I ($5): Each pen comes with a uniquely colorful pattern that makes it hard to just get one for your friend. Whichever (or however many) you choose, your studious pal is sure to appreciate.
20. Sleepy Mountain Peach Emoji Earrings ($9): Let your bestest bud know she’s as sweet as a peach with an adorable set of peach emoji earring studs. Plus, they’re hypoallergenic, which means they won’t irritate her sensitive ears.
21. Quin Candy Is Magic Box ($16): A box of sweet treats is always a safe bet for your sweet-toothed friend. If sweet caramels and Twizzlie Chews are her jam, this box of 24 assorted pieces is the gift she’ll appreciate most.
22. Herbivore Calm Bath Salts ($20): Give her a well-deserved break from a hectic schedule with this 100% natural blend of Dead Sea salts. It also includes Himalayan pink salt crystals, which will help soothe and calm your friend’s over-worked body.
23. DIY Aspirational Wall Art: Give your soul sista a hand-lettered wall art print with a meaningful quote shared between the two of you. For best results, refer to our Brush Calligraphy Online Class for some quality tips! (via Brit + Co)
24. Dot & Bo Go & Do Canister ($30): You know your girl can’t get anything done without her morning cup of coffee, so gift her this canister that lets her take her cup of joe to go. Its salmon and gold design keeps her drink looking stylish, while its straight-forward message gives her the morning motivation that she needs to get on that grind.
25. Secret Garden Coloring Book by Johanna Basford ($22): Unleash your bestie’s inner artist with this coloring book for grownups. Its intricate designs aren’t just aesthetically pleasing, they offer a relaxing and creative way to pass the time.
Which gift do you think your BFF will love? Follow us on Pinterest for more Easter basket gift ideas!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures