It’s officially the holiday season, and college kids across the country are scrambling in an attempt to afford thoughtful presents for the friends and family without having to eat only cereal for the entire month of December. Fear not, fellow broke college kids, because there are affordable options for your fitness fanatic loved ones.
**Water bottle**
I like the Contigo Kangaroo water bottle ([$12.13 on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Contigo-AUTOSEAL-Kangaroo-Compartment-24-Ounce/dp/B003KZKE4Y)) for several reasons. It’s easy to drink from, and it has a not-so-secret compartment for your keys and cash, so all your fitness fanatic needs to do is grab the water bottle and they’re good to go on all sorts of adventures. Also, it’ll make sure that they’ll never forget his water bottle, so you’re basically ensuring their hydration and good health while staying under budget. (You’re a good friend.)
**Poster**
This is a good DIY, or if you’re not exactly crafty, an easy and inexpensive purchase on Etsy. You know all of those pins your friend has on their “Inspiration” board on Pinterest? Well you can print one out, or even better, paint one of the quotes on a canvas, and frame it. Prices vary, depending on the route you want to take, but it’s all relatively inexpensive and still super thoughtful. It shows a definite care for their interests and general well being, even if you’ve never once been to the gym with them.
**Workout gear**
This one is a little vague, but that’s because there’re so many variables here. The safest bet is a T-shirt with a funny or inspirational saying on it, like “Beast Mode” or “You can’t lift with us.” [Lookhuman.com’s athletic section](http://www.lookhuman.com/browse/apparel?collection=401-athletics) has a ton of great options for both men and women, with prices ranging from $20 to $30. The sass on their tanks can be appreciated by all — even the people at the gym who take life way too seriously.
**FitBit** — If you’re looking to go all out this holiday season — say, if your fitness friend is actually a fitness girl/boyfriend — then you can’t go wrong with a Fitbit. The brand has a variety of gadgets to track steps and activity levels, ranging from $59.95 to $129.95, depending on the gadget. The most popular (and my personal favorite) is the Fitbit Flex, which costs $99.95 and comes in a variety of colors. It’s a wearable fitness tracker that keeps track of your steps, active minutes and sleep and lets you set various fitness goals and keep track of them over time. It’s a gym junkie’s right hand man.
Now keep in mind, if the gift is for someone whom you genuinely care about and who genuinely cares about you, it probably won’t matter what you get them, as long as you made some sort of attempt to show your affection. But this way you can rest assured no one is secretly exchanging your gift for store credit.