11 College Care Package Ideas They’ll Love (Some are FREE!)
Need college care package ideas? We’re sharing some college care packages for all budgets!
There’s no better feeling for your student than getting one of these college care packages – and we’ve got ideas for every budget!
Plus, there’s no better feeling for a homesick college student than getting mail from home. It’s even more exciting when it comes in a box!
Between the cost of shipping and the items inside, sending college care packages can get pretty expensive. Thankfully, you don’t need to break the bank to brighten a college student’s day! Send a little cheer with one of these college care package ideas. There is some for every budget!
Don’t miss these college sales and deals and our 2024 college dorm room essentials checklist!
Fancy College Care Packages
If you want to indulge your college student with a little splurge (or if Grandma is buying), spoil your recipient with one of these more extravagant options.
1. Hangry Kit is perfect for the college kid who loves snacks and candy.
Hangry Kit – $14.69+
Ranging in price from under $15 to $50+, these Hangry Kits are filled with their favorite snacks and candy. They are ready-made if you’re crunched for time and have been wondering what to put in a college care package. Plus, they ship for free with Amazon Prime! We LOVE that you don’t need to stand in line at the post office or pay for shipping with this option, and to be honest, they had us at “hangry.” 😂
2. Inspirational socks will make them feel warm and cozy from the inside out.
Inspirational Socks – $15.99
There are so many inspirational socks on Amazon. At around $15 a pair, the cost of filling a care package with multiples of these Notes to Self Socks isn’t as cheap as sending a budget-buy 6-pack of plain ol’ white socks, but their cheerful affirmations would be such a fun morale-booster for a homesick college student!
3. BattlBox is filled with goodies that will encourage outdoorsy adventures.
BattleBox – $34.99+
If your college student is the outdoorsy type, consider surprising them with a Battlbox. They’ll get a box full of useful items curated for all their outdoor adventures away from home, whether they’re into hiking, camping, hunting, or fishing. Subscription boxes start at $34.99 plus shipping or choose one of the ready-made gift boxes to send.
4. A GQ box is filled with products any guy is sure to appreciate.
GQ Quarterly Subscription Box $59+
Use code SUMMER24 for $20 OFF
Final cost just $39 SHIPPED
A GQ box is one of our favorite splurges for guys. It’s a monthly service that delivers men’s accessories and products, so it’s a great gift for college students who are just starting to build a more professional aesthetic.
This men’s lifestyle subscription box is guaranteed to have a $200+ value and their current summer box is packed with over $300 worth of premium men’s products from grooming, apparel, lifestyle accessories, and more all curated by GQ editors!
5. Therabox is the best college care package idea to encourage self-care during stressful times.
TheraBox Self-Care Box – $34.99+ per month
College can be stressful. Help your kiddo make self-care a priority! A Therabox makes a considerate care package gift for college students. Inside each therapist-curated box is 1 happiness activity and 7 full-size self-care products. Each box is designed to promote wellness and is valued at around $200! Buy a single box for $39.99 or sign your student up for a subscription. They have plans starting at just $35.99 a month.
Frugal College Care Packages
Send your college student a little pick-me-up with one of these more affordable options.
1. BirchBox sends tons of trendy beauty products each month.
BirchBox – $19+ month
The popular BirchBox subscription boxes are filled with beauty products specifically curated for your college kiddo! Simply take a quiz filling out questions about your hair, skin, and style preferences. Each month you’ll have the option to customize from a wide assortment of makeup and skincare products. You can even choose if you want samples or full-sized products and choose how frequently you want deliveries. From there, your college student will enjoy this gift, starting at $13/month!
2. The Walmart Beauty Box is the most affordable beauty box on the market at under $7 shipped.
Walmart Beauty Box – $6.98
Walmart also sells a fun subscription box full of beauty and personal care items. When you register your college student for a membership, they’ll get a new box every season (four per year) for just $6.98 shipped! If you need cheap college care package ideas, this is one of the best bangs for your buck!
Hip Tip: Read the perks of having a Walmart+ membership and see how your college student could benefit too.
3. Any foodie is going to appreciate these novelty donut socks.
Donut Crew Cotton Fun Socks – $22.39 (regularly $29.99)
These adorable socks look sweet enough to eat, and a pack of 3 starts under $15! You can also splurge and switch up the sock box theme to foods your college student loves, like sushi, and pizza, or shop the entire Rainbow Socks Store on Amazon for more fun ideas.
4. Gift cards will always be appreciated by any college student.
Discounted Gift Cards – Any price!
Gift cards are great alternatives to college care packages. It’s easy to control the budget with this option, too, because you get to choose the amount of the gift card. Plus, you can ship a gift card for much less than it costs to send a big box of goodies!
Try searching CardCash or Raise.com to see if you can get the gift card you want to send at a discounted rate!
Note that some colleges don’t allow gift cards to be used if the restaurant is on campus. Be sure to check the gift card details or contact the school before purchasing to be safe!
5. Harry’s Shave Club is a subscription college guys and gals will appreciate.
Imagine your college student’s surprise when they have to buy razors for the first time and they realize how expensive they are. Now imagine their gratitude when free razors just show up in the mail! For $5, you can send the ultimate starter kit from Harry’s Shave Club. Keep the subscription going with shipments as low as $16.15 and cancel at any time! When it comes to college care package ideas, sometimes a practical gift is one of the best.
6. Cheryl’s Cookies will be a great late-night study snack they’ll never tire of.
Cheryl’s Cookies Sampler Boxes – $14.99+
The Cheryl’s Cookies boxes are a delicious way to treat your college kiddo. Their buttercream-frosted cookies are going to be the perfect late-night snack. The only thing they may not love about this college care package idea is trying to hide them from hungry roommates. Plus, your college care package will arrive with a $10 reward card to use towards a future Cheryl’s purchase, so they can enjoy treats both now and later!
Bookmark our Cheryl’s Cookies deal post to know when the next promos are happening!
7. A college survival kit can be affordably put together using Dollar Tree items.
College Survival Kit – $1.25 per item
Make an affordable College Survival Kit! Fill a basket with Dollar Tree items the recipient will both love and need. Hop over to our college survival kit post to get some ideas for what to put in your kit and download our FREE printable card.
8. Box of Sunshine
Box of Sunshine Surprise Gift Box – $1.25+ per item
Brighten someone’s day with a cheery box full of yellow items and our free downloadable card! You can completely customize the Box of Sunshine to fit your budget and the preferences of your recipient.
Consider sending a different color-themed box every month! Get “reddy for midterms”, “orange you glad we love you so much”, a little something out of the blue, we’re “pinking of you”… you get the idea! 😉
Free College Care Packages
No budget at all? We’ve got you. Let your favorite college student know you’re thinking about them by scoring some freebies and sending them their way!
1. Make your own sample box using freebies you’ve scored through Hip2Save.
Start setting aside all of those freebies you’ve been scoring from couponing and following our freebies posts. If you’ve been following Hip2Save for a while now, you may already have a stash of freebies in your stockpile! Use them to make your college student a hand-selected beauty or snack box, and pay only the cost of shipping it out to them.
2. Mail them a handwritten card expressing your love for them and simply to say how proud you are.
College students love getting mail of any kind – and it doesn’t have to come in a box! For the cost of a postage stamp which you likely already have on hand, you can send your love in a handwritten letter, homemade card, or even a postcard to brighten your college student’s day. Get younger siblings and other family members in on the act, and stuff their mailbox full of good cheer with multiple messages on the same day!
3. Make a campus visit to spend the day with them.
The gift of time simply can’t be beaten and all this gift will require is your time and energy to spend some quality time with them. If you’re close with your college kiddo, they’ll love spending the day showing you around campus, grabbing a bite to eat at their favorite spot, or doing something together that will give them a reset before heading back to campus.
To save on the cost of eating out, you could even pack a lunch and do a picnic nearby and bring along games you already have to connect. We recommend giving them a heads-up you’re coming if you think they could be caught off guard. 😉
Don’t miss these 100+ college student discounts!
Another idea for the freebies are stocking stuffers and donating to nursing homes. I have used those holiday paper or plastic gift bags and filled them with a few samples and took them to a nursing home. I usually pick up those little beanie babies at the goodwill bins and give them one too.
How sweet! Thanks for those suggestions, Pat! 💕