How To Save On Easter Purchases

Many people strive to save money for expenses associated with major holidays, but their savings efforts often only extend to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Easter is another major holiday, but it is generally not associated with substantial spending. As a result of this mindset, many families are unfortunately woefully prepared to pay for their Easter expenses. The reality is that the average cost of Easter expenses in the United States is more than $145 per person. With multiple people in your family, you can see that the cost can easily add up. Learning how to save on Easter is critical if you want to stay on budget this holiday season.

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While $145 per person may not sound like a lot to some people, this can add up quickly when you have a family of four, five or more in your home. More than that, this large expense can be a strain on your budget when you have not factored it into your expenses. Your total holiday expense is accumulated through a wide range of various expenses rather than a few large ones. This means that when you want to know how to save on Easter, you have many options to consider. Put these tips to use for maximum savings this holiday season.

1. Focus on Your Easter Baskets

If your goal is to know how to save on Easter expenses, spend time planning the perfect Easter baskets for your kids. First, paradoxically enough, avoid the idea of a basket altogether, if possible. While the basket is a traditional aspect of this holiday, the reality is that it is often expensive and is seldom or barely used.

Instead, think about the types of gifts you want to give your kids. Some parents, for example, will choose a beach theme for gifts. Therefore, you can use a sand bucket in place of a basket. This saves money and reduces holiday waste. Apart from that, your kids will use the bucket in the summer time, saving you an added expense.

Second, plan each item that you want to place in the bucket ahead of time. Don’t rush through stores randomly picking up different items. This can help you to better control your spending. Third, remember that younger kids are just as happy with cheaper toys as they are with expensive items.

2. Think About the Easter Eggs

Easter eggs are another source of financial drain this holiday season. As such, they are a point to focus on when you want to know how to save on Easter expenses. Kids love to color eggs, and this is a tradition that is affordable. Children can hunt some of their own eggs that they colored. Therefore, do not feel compelled to purchase an excessive number of plastic filled eggs.

For your filled eggs, visit a party store to find very affordable items. Use them to fill your eggs with. You can also purchase a wide range of candy types to put in each egg. This is opposed to purchasing one or two expensive bags of candy at the grocery store and limiting the contents in the eggs to a few types of candy.

3. Look for Savings on Holiday Clothes

Buying holiday clothes can be expensive. Therefore, you should spend ample time shopping for affordable options. First, consider hand-me-downs for your younger kids. Most Easter clothes are rarely worn. As such, they can easily look like new for your younger kids. Also, think about shopping at consignment stores. If you still cannot find anything affordable, shop at discount department stores rather than designer brands.

4. Plan an Inexpensive Easter Meal

If you are hosting the Easter meal, you have a great deal of pressure to create the perfect event for your family. Therefore, the meal is a factor to focus on when you want to know how to save on Easter expenses.

A smart idea is to ask each guest to bring a dish. Someone can bring a side and another can bring wine or dessert, for example. This can save you time, reduce your stress and drastically cut back your grocery bill for Easter. You may still be responsible for producing a few sides and the main dish.

Ham is common for Easter, but it can be expensive. A bulk ham is traditional, but slices are more affordable and easier to cook.

5. Choose Holiday Décor Carefully

Whether you are hosting the holiday meal or you simply want your family to enjoy the festive nature of the season, you may want to decorate your home. Review your stash from previous years to determine what can be pulled out. If you need to purchase new décor, compare the cost of new items with a DIY solution. Pay attention to quality, and choose items that can be stored for next year as well.

6. Shop Online for Easy Price Comparisons

Whether you are shopping for items for the baskets, clothing for the big event, holiday décor or something else, use the Internet. Online shopping is more convenient, and it can reduce your stress levels. More than that, it allows you to make price comparisons easily. Always pay attention to taxes and shipping fees before you confirm your orders.

7. Plan to Attend Free Community or Church Events

You can avoid a big egg hunt at your own house and eliminate purchasing and stuffing eggs when you attend free community or church events. These can be fun for kids because they create a greater sense of competition when hunting for eggs. Apart from that, parents love them because they are typically free of charge.

8. Make Early Travel Plans

Easter may not be as well-known for traveling as Christmas, but many people do head home or out-of-town for this holiday as well. If you plan to travel, carefully research all aspects of your travel plans online to find the best deal. Avoid making your plans very close to the holiday when prices may be elevated. In addition, if you plan to fly, choose non-peak flight days and times to save a substantial amount of money.

If you do want to travel, then here is a recommended read for you – How to Find the Cheapest Flights Ever.

9. Shop After Easter to Save on Next Year’s Purchases

After Easter has ended, you should head to your local stores to scour discount bins and clearance items. This is a great time to pick up discount plastic eggs, toys for next year’s baskets, home décor and more. While this can inflate this year’s expenses, the net savings between the two years can be substantial. This is particularly true if you can save 50 to 75 percent more on items that can be re-used for several years, such as holiday décor.

If you are preparing for Easter, you may have already created an estimated budget and may have been floored by the total cost of your projected expenses. You understandably want to know how to save on Easter. While the holiday can be expensive and many people fail to budget for it, the good news is that there are steps you can take to reduce your expenses this season. If you want to know how to save on Easter, simply put these tips into action for incredible financial savings.