Fun 50th Birthday Gift Ideas for Men - Things Guys Actually Like

You might think the man in your life who's reaching his half-century milestone already has everything he could want or need, but fear not! Here are some cool, affordable gift ideas I've compiled just for men celebrating the year 50. From husbands to coworkers, there should be something here that will satisfy him, have a personalized sort of feel, and be gentle on your budget.

Here's a cool gift idea if the man in question likes tools. If he is at all handy, then he can always use another tool. The problem is, if you get him the wrong tool - a 6mm paring chisel instead of an 8mm timber chisel, for example - look out!

What I've come up with to solve this problem is a threefold choice, hand-picked by me, the wife of a carpenter: the ideal screwdriver, the ideal multitool, and a cool vintage tool catalog.

The screwdriver is one of the niftiest around, and there's a good chance he doesn't already have it - it also won't break the bank.

The multitool is the classic Leatherman, a durable, convenient device that contains just the tools he needs to, um, spontaneously change a lightbulb or whatever. Even if he already has a Leatherman - and so many guys do - eventually the knife gets dull, and he'd probably be thrilled with a new one.

For a more eclectic idea, hunt down an old vintage Stanley Tools Catalogue. These small catalogs from the first half of the 20th century used the spelling “catalogue,” and they're sold wherever collectibles are sold. If he's a tool hound, he'll love it - he'll spend hours poring over the tools illustrations and the text.

Grass-Fed Beef for a meat lovin' man.

100% Grass-fed beef, if you haven't already heard, is reputed to be healthier for your heart and cholesterol level than even organic grain-fed beef, due to the high ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids.

Whether or not that's true, grass-fed is the way beef were raised and finished for centuries before agribusiness started using grain to fatten up cattle. Given that man ate cattle that roamed the range and didn't have access to oats and other grains, there's a good chance that the human body is better adapted to 100% range-fed beef than the alternative.

But its healthy qualities aside, grass-fed beef is utterly delicious, with a distinct taste that will help a man remember his 50th birthday as the tastiest ever. Leaner than grain-fed beef, you cook it for a shorter time and at a lower temperature so it doesn't get too tough.

Get him a stock of a hundred percent grassfed beef for his freezer, so he can enjoy this delicious beef for ages.

Help Him Stock Up.

Most guys don't want much that's fancy. But a good, plain gift can be hard to find.

Your birthday boy has probably got a full closet of ties, sweaters, socks, and other easy-to-get clothing.

What he wants is something practical, something he can use, but that he doesn't yet know he needs. Will he turn up his nose at a 5-year's supply of motor oil or antifreeze? Doubtful.

But be careful - no 50-year-old man wants a birthday gift that means he has to do something he doesn't like to do. So forget about the auto supplies if he doesn't like to tinker with the car. And only get him a new lawn mower blade if he's really okay with mowing his lawn.

Or get him a big ol' bag of whatever everyday supplies he's running out of. Trust me - in these challenging economic times, it will only get a laugh, especially if you include a birthday card with a tongue-in-cheek quote, like "Here are 100 packs of disposable razors--look for 100 more in another half century."

For some more ideas about less common gifts for guys, read Unusual Gifts for Men.

As the author of this article, I may receive commissions for sales generated. See my disclosure statement about compensation for this article.