OneOfMany – 1) In our city, kallahs actually do sign up with a gift registry. When I got engaged, my mother in law asked where I want to sign up. Being from New York, I had no idea what she was talking about. Now that I’ve been living here for 20 years, I see it all the time.
2) I wasn’t implying that you SHOULD davka get a cheap gift, it’s just that the OP said she wants to get a cheap gift. I just feel giving a gift certificate for $5 or $10 dollars looks funny (and cheap). However if you buy a gift for that amount, it might not look as bad. You can actually find great bargains at some stores.