Go Beyond Socks and Ties: Affordable Father's Day Gifts

By Richard Moy, Cheapism.com

Dad may say he doesn't need anything for Father's Day, but that doesn't mean a thoughtful gift won't mean a lot to him. If you're having trouble finding something that won't end up at the bottom of a sock drawer (or, worse, at the bottom of a return bin), here are a few memorable yet cheap Father's Day gifts to consider.

Get dad out on the course with deals on golf memberships.Get him out on the golf course. This classic idea may not seem like a cheap Father's Day gift, but if your dad sometimes fancies himself the second coming of Tiger Woods, there are plenty of daily deal websites that can bring the gift of golf within reach. Sites such as Yipit, which aggregates daily deals, offer dedicated golf or sports categories to make your gift-buying quest easier. Groupon is offering a one-year membership to Golf Card International for $29, which entitles Dad to discounts on green fees at nearly 3,000 golf courses. (Check the course directory to see how many are nearby.)

Try online retailers such as The Golf Warehouse and shop.golf.com for gift cards toward new equipment and check coupon sites such as RetailMeNot before you buy. You might also look into purchasing some playing time at a local golf course. Some courses have lower rates for state residents, and most offer discounts if you book through their websites.

Related: Best Budget Gas and Charcoal Grills

Keep him occupied. Even a cheap tablet requires at least a couple hundred dollars, but a good, old-fashioned magazine subscription is usually a bargain. It's the cheap Father's Day gift that keeps on giving Dad something to thumb through on the train or at the airport or while relaxing at home. Make it personal by choosing a title that caters to his hobbies and interests. Magazines.com is a good place to start, with its easy-to-navigate gift center and discounts of up to 90% off the list price on popular titles. The site is offering a $5 Father's Day coupon code on more than 200 magazines.

As always, keep an eye on daily deal sites, which tend to offer discounts on popular magazines around major holidays. On Eversave you can order a one-year subscription to ESPN The Magazine for $13, with a free travel cooler thrown in.

Related: Best Cordless Drills

Give him some time. Watches are another staple you might not think of as a cheap Father's Day gift. However, in researching an upcoming buying guide on cheap watches, we found some that make standout accessories.

• The analog Timex Easy Reader T20041 (starting at $24) is a favorite among consumers posting reviews online. The numbers are large and easy to read, and the watch is equipped with Timex's famous Indiglo feature, which illuminates the face to make it readable in the dark.
• The digital Casio WS210HD-1Av (starting at $33) comes equipped with plenty of extras, including a feature that tracks the tides and phases of the moon, yet reviewers say the watch is easy to use. It's solar-powered and waterproof up to 100 meters.

Keep an eye out for a couple of key features as you shop for a watch. Many inexpensive styles have acrylic crystals, but mineral crystals like those on the watches above are more scratch-resistant. Our picks have quartz movement, the most popular mechanism for low-cost watches, which should keep accurate time as long as the battery holds out.

More from Cheapism:
Home Depot vs. Lowe's
Men's electric shaver recommendations
Leaf blower reviews

For more ways to save, follow Cheapism on Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.
To stay on top of the latest posts, read the Cheapism Blog.