13 ways to save on Easter baskets for kids

Easter has become an expensive holiday, especially if you have kids. In 2014, Americans spent roughly $16 billion on chocolate bunnies, marshmallow Peeps, multicolored plastic eggs and other holiday items, according to U.S. News. Additionally, online shoppers spent an average of $140 buying Easter-related goods the same year.

Though it might be easy to run to the nearest store and buy items outright, a little planning and creativity can stretch each dollar a bit more this Easter. In fact, there are many Easter gifts and Easter basket ideas that can help children feel special and not break mom and dad’s budget.

From saving on the baskets themselves, to spending less on the treats that go inside the baskets, there are many ways to save on a cheap Easter basket for a child, adolescents or even a teen. Here are some ideas on how to save money on Easter baskets for kids.

1. Skip the Chocolate Bunnies and Raid the Pantry

Instead of purchasing the traditional Easter treats — from chocolate bunnies to marshmallow Peeps — open up your pantry and use what you already have to make homemade treats. Chocolate chips can easily double for bunny eyes, and if you don’t have a cookie cutter in the shape you want, make your own using computer paper. Simply find the shape you want, print it and cut it out. Then place the shape on your cookie dough, using a knife to cut around the edges like a stencil. This will be free if you use what you have, just the cost you already paid for the baking items.

2. Avoid Paying Full Price for Candy and Treats

Don’t pay full price for those Easter basket fillers like Cadbury Creme Eggs, look for anything on clearance, said Ben Glaser, features editor for DealNews.com. Candy might still be on the shelves from Valentine’s Day, he said. Or, wait until the night before Easter and you might find the candy already marked down. You could save 50 to 90 percent by buying marked down candy.

3. Use Newspaper Instead of Easter Basket Grass

Instead of purchasing brightly colored green Easter grass for baskets, repurpose what is already in your recycling pile. Newspapers or other scrap paper can easily be cut into small strips and crunched up by hand to create grass for an Easter Basket. This can cost you next to nothing — about $1.50 to purchase one newspaper to make grass for multiple baskets.

4. Fill Baskets With Non-Food Items

Instead of filling Easter baskets with items that will risk running up a dental bill, like traditional Easter candy, consider things that aren’t sweets. For example, affordable make-up can be a great addition to a teenage girl’s Easter basket. Also, right now, clothing and any remaining winter apparel is marked down. Spring apparel will start to see modest discounts in April, Glaser added. “Don’t forget to size up so your little ones can grow into them,” he said. Lots of spring clothing purchased before Memorial Day can be up to 50 percent off.

5. Forgo the Basket for a Bag

Instead of focusing on having to have a basket for treats to go in, consider a bag. Traditional brown lunch bags are probably already in your cupboard for the kids’ packed lunches. Pull out a few of these bags and encourage children to decorate them with markers and crayons — creating their own personal Easter bag. Have them date the bag and sign their names for a keepsake. If these aren’t already in your cupboard, they’ll cost just $2 per 100 bags.

6. Repurpose Floral Arrangement Baskets

From an anniversary, to a birthday celebration — almost everyone has received a flower arrangement in a basket. Instead of tossing these baskets, some people save them thinking they’ll use them again, yet they end up in a closet or basement collecting dust. If the baskets are not the right color, take them outside and give them a coat of white paint for DIY Easter baskets. Besides the cost of paint if needed, these Easter baskets will cost you nothing.

7. Pack Baskets With Savory Food Items

Instead of focusing on the sweets, consider stocking cheap Easter baskets with non-sweet items such as gold fish — or bunny — crackers or pretzels. These items can often be purchased in bulk at a reduced price. Add a few packs to the Easter baskets and use the rest for a snack on the go or for packed lunches. You can pay as little as $0.70 per bag if you buy these snacks bulk.

8. Look for Savings on Personalized Easter Baskets and Reuse Them

Some parents want to give children a basket with their name embroidered on the outside as a keepsake. Always look for coupons and discounts, Glaser said. “Right now through the end of the month, we’re seeing sales on Easter gifts and gift baskets from Personalization Mall, GourmetGiftBaskets.com, and Williams & Sonoma,” he said. Baskets are already 15 to 25 percent off. And you can save even more if you reuse these special baskets every year.

9. Get Thrifty With Secondhand Basket Fillers

Brightly colored eggs are traditional fillers for baskets and great Easter gift ideas. They can hold small candies and trinkets and can easily be reused. Instead of paying full price for these items, check out local consignment and thrift shops. Many stores will gather Easter items and place them together on display in preparation for the holiday. These thrifty buys will typically only cost you $1 to $3. Also, thrift shops are another place to shop for actual baskets.

10. Shop at the Dollar Store

Baskets can easily be filled with Easter gifts for kids that they will enjoy, and for only a $1 or less per item. Shop the dollar store or the discount area at the front of Target stores for fun items like crayons, candy, stickers, chalk and more.

11. Use Coupons for Candy

If purchasing new Easter candy, check the coupon flyers before hitting the stores. Many candy companies issue holiday-specific coupons in the weeks leading up to Easter. Match these coupons with sales by using a shopping app such as Favado, by following coupon blogs or by simply comparing ads. This way, you can save anywhere from $0.25 to $2 off, depending on the coupon.

12. Swap Coloring Books for Free Printable Pages

For children that love to color, instead of buying them coloring books for Easter, print color pages found online, said Kendal Perez, a spokeswoman for CouponSherpa.com. Search for “free Easter printables” on Google or Pinterest to find coloring pages, she said. “You can get creative and print a custom cover for the printable sheets featuring your child’s name,” said Perez. This will save you the cost of a $5 or $10 coloring book.

13. Skip the Basket and Repurpose Containers

Although Easter baskets are traditional gift-giving fare for Easter, parents can save by repurposing items they already have for “baskets,” Perez said. “There’s no rule that requires these wicker containers to be your chosen vessel,” she said. “Instead of buying yet another cheap basket, repurpose a container you already own.” Some examples of items that can easily be used include shoe boxes wrapped in paper or plastic desktop pencil holders — allowing you to save $5 to $20 per basket.

From GoBankingRates.com: 13 cheap Easter baskets for kids