Gather together a bundle of cables and adapters and tie them together with a bow. I'd include an audio Y-cable with a stereo miniplug on one end and two RCA connectors on the other, a headphone extension cable (male stereo miniplug on one end and female stereo miniplug on the other), a headphone splitter (stereo miniplug on one end, two stereo female miniplugs on the other), and a longish cable with male stereo miniplugs on each end.

On the adapter front, I find it helpful to have a male stereo miniplug to female stereo quarter-inch adapter in my kit for those times when I need to plug my over-the-ear headphones into an iPod or iPhone (the opposite connector -- female stereo miniplug to stereo male quarter-inch connector -- is nice to have too). It's just as useful to have an RCA to stereo male miniplug adapter for making quick connections between an iPod or iPhone and my home stereo.

Note that Radio Shack prominently features Monster brand cables. They're great cables, but not the best choice if you're on a budget as they're pricey. To avoid breaking your budget, seek out the Radio Shack-branded cables and adapters tucked away on one of the store aisles or back walls.

Batteries Gear-heads are just grown up kids, and because they are, they have an insatiable need for batteries. Rather than pick up that 50-pack of AAs at Costco, go greener by purchasing rechargeable batteries. Many include a charger and some can accommodate both AA and AAA batteries.

Memory cards Most homes have at least one digital camera in residence. And those cameras like nothing better than a steady diet of memory cards. (Some media players, camcorders, HD TVs, and digital photo frames like them too.) Finding these things no longer requires a trip to the local electronic boutique. Many supermarkets and mega-pharmacy carry memory cards much like they once carried film. Before purchasing be sure to find out exactly the variety of card the target device requires -- Compact Flash, SD, or Memory Stick.