Frugal Easter Baskets

 

Giving each family member an Easer basket can throw the family budget out of whack. There are some ways to maintain the Easter basket tradition while lowering its cost.

Basket Basics:

Set a cost limit per basket.

This could be a fun game to come up with different creative ideas for what to put into the basket that will fit within the price range. Think outside the box and fill the basket with items that the recipient needs as well as wants.

Baskets:

Easter Baskets can be made out of anything from a brown lunch bag, grocery bags, a plastic egg, wicker and many more possibilities.  Toddlers will enjoy making "Easter Baskets" for their Grandparents, Mom & Dad and even for themselves to leave out for the Easter Bunny! A lot of these baskets can be reused year after year. The brown lunch bags and grocery bags can be spruced up by cutting pictures of favorite animals, objects or Easter themes out of newspapers and magazines. Look for baskets year round at garage sales and thrift stores. The sturdier the basket, the longer it will last. When budgets are tight, remember that the smaller the basket, the less it needs to be filled with.

Frugal Fillers:

Keep in mind up-coming expenses and needs that will be a cost in the budget anyway, such as: replenishing school supplies, pajamas, a swim suit for summer. If they are already on the list of future purchases, then why not have them do double duty as Easter basket fillers?

More frugal basket filler ideas:

~ Seeds for a garden - Toddlers and Kids love to dig in the dirt and plant things!

~ Jelly beans

~ A favorite cereal in the mini-boxes -

~ Hair elastic/bows

~ Mini cars (hot wheel/matchbox cars)

~ Bouncy balls

~ Chocolate bars

~ Homemade cookies in egg shapes

~ Deck of cards

~ Crayons

~ Coloring Book
 

Frugal Fanatic Tip:

Put hard boiled eggs in the baskets as “filler”. To make hard boiled colored Easter eggs: boil water, place egg and one tablespoon of vinegar followed by food coloring for desired color. These are great to eat for Easter Breakfast.

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