How To Save On Your Easter Basket
Easter baskets are a great family tradition. But they tend to get a little more expensive year after year. No longer are Easter baskets just wicker baskets with some plastic “grass”, a decorated hard boiled egg, and an Easter bonnet. Nowadays Easter can feel like a merger of Halloween and Christmas with overflowing baskets filled with candy and gifts. But filling your family’s easter baskets doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. This year, why not try going “cheep”?
Like many other areas of life, Easter basket thriftiness comes down to investing time instead of money. And as is often the case, investing time can have the added benefit of providing quality time with loved ones. A great Easter tradition is coloring eggs as a family. Take that a step further and have each family member decorate their baskets, and you’ve got another fun family evening together! And it doesn’t require spending a lot of money buying nice Easter baskets every year or storing them someplace and just using them once a year. The are two methods of decorating Easter baskets. The first is to find any type of basket at a thrift store (such as ThriftSmart) and then to completely upcycle it. The second is to just use a cardboard box or paper bag and decorate it with stickers, markers, colored pencils, and more. Get creative and have fun!
Candy Savings
No Easter basket is really complete without candy. And as every couponer knows, the best time to buy candy is AFTER the holiday. So should you push back your Easter celebration a week? No! It means that the week after Valentine’s Day is the best time to stock up on your Easter candy. And there is no need to worry about it going bad. Chocolate stored in a cool dry place can last 2-4 months after the sell by date. And chocolate stored in the refrigerator or freezer can last even longer. So stock up in February and save a bundle. You can probably even get a little bit extra, snack on it once in a while leading up to Easter, and still come out ahead.
DIY Activities
Another fun way to save is by making some homemade sidewalk chalk to put in the Easter basket. PBS has a great recipe that you can check out here that will have you drawing in no time. Sidewalk chalk has the added benefit of making your whole driveway and sidewalk look extra colorful and Eastery. (That’s a word. Promise.)
Speaking of fun activities with the kids, potted gardens are a springtime learning experience that doubles as fun family time. Have each child plant a different herb, flower, or vegetable in their own pot or planter and watch it grow! This is a great one to start at Easter time but it won’t come to fruition until later.
Finally, consider doing your Easter basket shopping at ThriftSmart. There are a lot of great books and toys that other kids have outgrown that might fit your kids perfectly! Plus you might find a game or two that you enjoyed when you were younger and now get to share with your family. And on the flip side, don’t forget to donate those toys your kids have outgrown that are still in good condition so that someone else can have an Easter just as great as your family’s!