Easter is a time to celebrate with family and friends. It can be fun but it can also break the budget. This year alone, the average American is estimated to spend around $131 per person to celebrate Easter? That’s money you can use to pay debt or invest in a college fund. This is why we want to give you 5 frugal celebration ideas that won’t have you reaching for the credit card.
A Garden Party for Kids and Adults
If you have enough space in your backyard and are particularly proud of your foliage, host a garden party. The kids can have fun and the adults can relax. Plus, outdoor events need less investment on decorations: Mother Nature provides the springtime scenery.
Tips: Make finger foods available: sandwiches, cold meats and cut veggies. Create a buffet spread with chilled drinks on the side (delicious mocktails?). Aluminum buckets filled with ice can be converted into charming coolers just with the touch of a ribbon. For the kids, set aside tables where they can color, cut out paper, and do other crafts.
Daytime Camp Picnic
If you have a state park nearby, you can hop in the car, pack picnic items, and spend the day riding bikes and hiking with family and friends. A few dollars will let you experience nature and help the rangers care for a nearby habitat.
Tips: Bring food that’s easy to cook or serve: garden burgers, hot dogs, or chilled black bean salad. Don’t forget to bring a canoe if you’re near a lake or river (many parks have rentals), or bicycles.
Family Brunch
Traditional Easter dinner can be expensive. By opting for brunch, you can have a more casual menu and cook less. Serve traditional brunch foods and drinks, but with a frugal twist.
Tip: Instead placing meat at center menu, try focusing on cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, kich, and cut fruit. We recommend planning a bit ahead and doing the cutting and cooking yourself. All of these foods can be stored in the fridge up to 24 hours in advance. Instead of mimosas, try making your own OJ and adding sparkling cider.
Potluck Party
A potluck party saves you money and time. You won’t have the stress of making too many dishes–just offer your home and a main dish and ask family members or friends to bring the rest.
Tip: to avoid multiple dishes, write down the dishes you’ll need ahead of time. When you call up family and friends to invite them, go through your list to see if they can bring any of the dishes listed or a good alternative. More importantly, be open to ideas and treat the potluck as a collaboration.
Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt
Hosting an Easter egg hunt can be time-consuming. You can always get your closest neighbors involved and host a large scavenger hunt. You don’t need to limit yourself to Easter eggs. A trip to the dollar store will give you goodies like crayons, costume jewelry, small toys, and so on.
Tip: Think creatively. Great scavenger hunt items include kazoos and harmonicas, bubble mix, gel pens, sidewalk chalk, and stickers, to name only a few.
The above are only a few frugal ideas for Easter celebrations. You don’t need a lot of money to make it special–just a little bit of imagination. Work with the resources that you currently have and you’ll find that you really can stretch your dollar this holiday.
Image by: JD Hancock on Flickr