Mission: Possible? Easter on a Budget...
I have never really budgeted for most holidays before. With one child, I was just able to spend what I could, and stop when I had to. With 4 children, however, holidays definitely present a whole new challenge, with the latest being Easter of course. I can't just pick things up randomly until I feel there's enough anymore...I have to be fair, make sure everyone has the same amount of goodies in their basket. This means deciding on a budget and splitting it accordingly. This is the hard part for me. Because I've never paid attention to how much I've spent before on one basket, I don't know what's a realistic amount to spend on 4. Since we are trying to be much more budgeted and smart with our money this year (with goals of a Disney vacation and paying off some credit cards), I am also trying to limit it and not go overboard as I have tended to do in the past.
The other thing I'm taking into consideration with our budget this month, is that I would really like to purchase a Wii Fit Plus, to help with one of our other goals of getting healthier this year. So, after taking that into account I settled on a budget of $100 - $150 for all 4 baskets. It's all relative and that might seem like a fortune to you, or it might seem like a pittance, but it is what I decided we can comfortably work with. My goal, or mission as you will, is going to be to stick to the lower end at $100. That is $25 for each kids' basket and has to include the basket, grass and all goodies that will be included. I am going to make a game out of it...trying to find the least expensive but most usable items I can. I have vowed to buy none of that crap filler that ends up at the bottom of the toy bin...you know what I mean! Yes they make cheap fillers and filling their basket with cheap crap would go a long way towards making my goal, easily. But I do not want any more "junk" in our house that ends up in the garage sale or goodwill pile, never used.
I will also not be wasting my hard-working dollars on Easter-ized items that are more expensive than their "normal" counterparts. A prime example of what I'm talking about are the Bunny-head or Egg shaped sidewalk chalk for $2-3, which is cute and useable, but regular sidewalk chalk (which I plan on including because my kids LOVE it) is only $2 for a much larger variety. Yes the kids might ooh & ahh over the cute shape, but I have a feeling they'd much rather have more chalk, and in more colors in the long run.
So that is my mission...the money is now burning a hole in my wallet so I will start picking things up over the next few days/weekends. I will definitely be posting how I do...good or bad. Stay tuned!
Love,
Mariah
Posted in: Being Frugal, Budgeting, Family, gifts, holidays, Shopping on Sunday, March 14, 2010 at at 1:17 PM 1 comments
Hope you all had a wonderful Valentines with your favorite people! I know I did :)
That's not even all of it...are you clearing out room for me?? Haha...oh and are you wondering what that green inferno is looming in the back of the picture? It's your Christmas pressie, of course! I told you I'd get it to you before Valentines... :-) 
