Enjoy a Frugal Easter Celebration

Easter is a time of great joy and celebration. It’s a time of family get-togethers, gifts and lots of food. It’s also a time where family members dress up, and if you have children that often means buying them an Easter Sunday outfit. All of this, particularly so close to the Christmas and New Year’s holiday, can add up quickly, making Easter more stressful than it should be if you’re trying to stick to a budget.

Here are a few tips and ideas to save money this Easter holiday.

If you need to purchase new clothing for the family this Easter Holiday, consider visiting a resale shop. There are several nationally recognized chains like Once Upon a Child or Plato’s Closet for teens. They carry name brand clothing in excellent condition and you can save a substantial amount of money on Easter attire. Additionally, if you have clothing from previous years that no longer fits your children, you can sell them to the resale stores and make a little cash.

When it comes to family meals, Easter celebrations tend to go all out. Instead of cooking everything yourself, divide up the meal between family members and ask each person to bring something to the gathering. This will mean significant savings for you and everyone will feel as if they’ve contributed, truly making it a family event.

Encourage your children to make a centerpiece for the table or grab a few unique items from around your home to create a centerpiece. A glass bowl filled with water with floating candles is always pretty.

Children love the Easter basket each year and of course the Easter egg hunt is always a fun event to watch. Holding their little hands as they wander around looking for brightly colored eggs is definitely something to look forward to. Rather than skipping this tradition because it’s too expensive, consider using and decorating hard boiled eggs. The eggs can then be used to make egg salad, deviled eggs and other items for mealtime the next day. It’s all about repurposing those eggs!

As for the basket, consider downsizing it a bit. If you normally fill it with a giant stuffed animal and a pound of candy, fill it instead with a few nice pieces of candy (or at least cut it down by a half pound) and a smaller stuffed animal. And consider using buckets or other practical items for your basket. A bucket can later be used in the sand box, and a cute storage container can be used in a bedroom to help control clutter.

Finally, the family photos can be managed quite well with a digital camera and a printer. Skip the expensive professional photos and the expensive photo processing. Have someone bring a digital camera to your gathering and take the photos. With online photo editing software and a printer, you can create professional photos yourself for a tenth of the cost.

Easter is a time of joy and celebration. Embrace these frugal ideas to have a stress-free and enjoyable Easter celebration.