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Why A Full Heart Will Keep You From Going Into Debt

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Why a Full heart will keep you from going into debt Pinterest graphic

Recently on the blog, I’ve been reflecting on different things around the holidays. Many of us go into debt trying to create the perfect Christmas. You have to spend $100s on family photos and matching outfits. Let’s not forget small gifts for every single person you meet during the holiday season. It’s stressful and, honestly, it’s not something I’m subscribing to anymore. It doesn’t serve me.

Instead, I’m going to focus on all of the things I have. I will focus on things that give me a full heart. Here’s how you can do the same.

What Does it Mean to Have a Full Heart?

For most people, having a full heart means that you feel satisfied and complete in your life. Depending on who you are, that can mean different things. Some people long for a big family. Other folks might want to travel or experience new things with the people closest to them.

Having a full heart isn’t about material things though, which many people focus way too much on at this time of year. It causes financial problems and so much unneeded stress.

You are not obligated to keep up any tradition that is going to leave you broke, tired, or stressed out.

Having a Full Heart Will Keep You From Racking Up Debt

As you can imagine, when you feel happy and fulfilled by the people and things around you you are less likely to spend money on material things. Consumer credit card debt is at an all-time high and it will undoubtedly be even higher following the holiday season. This only brings additional stress. Avoid it by focusing on the things you really care about.

How You Can Have a Full Heart

When it comes to feeling like you have a full heart, it is really all about what means the most to you. Make room in your budget and in your schedule for the things you really care about.

That does not mean trying to fit every little thing into your schedule. However, it does mean setting aside time to cuddle up with your kids and watch Christmas movies or drive around to see Christmas lights.

It also doesn’t mean buying a slew of Christmas gifts for everyone you know. Instead, think about purchasing or making meaningful gifts for your close circle of friends and family. It will be less stressful on you and mean more all around. Again, you are looking for something that truly serves you, makes you happy, and makes your heart full.

Readers, do you think having a full heart makes a difference in how much debt you accrue? What does having a full heart mean to you personally? Let me know in the comments!

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6 Ways to Reduce Your Family’s Dental Costs

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Dental health is important for your overall well-being, but sometimes it can be expensive to keep your and your family’s dental health in shape. Fortunately, reducing dental costs for your family doesn’t have to be difficult. These tips below can help reduce the costs of your family’s dental care, so you can focus on achieving the best dental health possible.

1. Invest in Good Oral Hygiene at Home

Taking proper care of your teeth and gums can help you avoid costly dental procedures like fillings, crowns, and root canals. Regularly brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day will help keep your teeth and gums healthy. If your children are old enough, make sure they do the same. You can teach them how to brush by making it fun. Cartoon characters are another great way to encourage children to brush their teeth.

2. Use the Free Checkups on Your Insurance

It’s important for people of all ages to get regular dental checkups every six months just like how you should visit a doctor at least once a year. Most insurance plans offer some type of free checkup or preventive care. Be sure to take advantage of this and visit your dentist for regular exams and cleanings, too.

You can also get free checkups if you’re a new dental patient. Most dentists are willing to give you a free consultation to encourage you to become a patient.

3. Avoid Keeping Sugary Drinks in the House

As much as sports drinks are harmful to your teeth, researchers found that exposure to energy drinks such as Rockstar, Monster, and Red Bull resulted in twice as much enamel loss as exposure to sports drinks such as Powerade, Gatorade, and Propel (3.1% to 1.5%). Sugary drinks are terrible for your teeth and should be avoided, or at least limited. That’s because sugar feeds the bacteria in plaque, which leads to tooth decay and cavities. Reduce or limit the number of sugary drinks that your family consumes to reduce costly dental issues later on.

4. Look for Affordable Payment Options

Some dental offices offer payment plans that can help your family afford the care they need. Ask your dentist about what plans are available or if there are any discounts for paying in full upfront. You can also talk to your insurance provider about what type of coverage is available for dental care.

Payment plans are common and can be a great way to spread the cost of dental care over time. If you’re not sure what options are available, ask your dentist or insurance provider for more information.

5. Shop Around for a Dentist

The cost of dental care can vary significantly from one dentist to the next. Shopping around can help you find a dentist that offers quality care at an affordable price. Ask friends and family for recommendations, or look online for reviews. Compare prices and services offered to find the best deal. Just make sure you’re not sacrificing the quality of care in order to save a few dollars.

Finding an affordable dentist is important because the cost of dental care can add up quickly if you don’t have insurance or a payment plan. Finding the right dentist can help you get the care your family needs without breaking the bank.

6. Talk to Your Dentist About Preventative Care

According to Colgate, there are four types of dental bridges: traditional fixed bridge, cantilever bridge, resin-bonded bridge, and implant-supported bridge. Depending on the type of bridge your dentist recommends, you can save money by opting for generic bridges instead of their branded counterparts. Ask your dentist about any generic alternatives that may be available.

Your dentist can also recommend preventative care treatments that can help reduce costly procedures later on. For example, tooth sealants can help protect your teeth from cavities and decay. These treatments are relatively inexpensive, but they can save you money in the long run.

How Inflation Will Impact Our Holiday Plans

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How inflation is impacting the holidays

Inflation is hitting everybody hard this year. Prices are through the roof. In fact, the price of turkey alone has gone up 23% in the last year. Eggs? 35%. So, getting together for large meals with all the traditional foods may be a bit more difficult this year. Here is how it will impact our holiday plans.

Inflation: A Look At The Numbers

While many government officials have been hesitant to use words like “recession” and “inflation” when speaking about the United States economy, everyone is feeling it.

@districtmediafinance Thanksgiving dinner is looking a lot more expensive this year. #greensbeanspotatoestomatoes #thanksgiving #savingmoney ♬ GREENS BEANS POTATOES – DJ Suede the Remix God

Though the upbeat song in the video above makes you feel a little less anxious about it, the rise in cost of everyday essentials is crippling some families in the U.S. When it comes to celebrating the holidays this year, things are looking very different. People are swapping out their big turkey dinners for something a little cheaper. In some cases, they may choose to skip the big gathering altogether.

Here is how inflation is impacting our holiday plans.

How Inflation Is Impacting Us

This year, we aren’t going to be doing any extensive travel around the holidays. That is the biggest change that will be happening. However, we are also making some changes to our typical menu for Christmas.

Our family typically does a turkey and a ham on Christmas. This year, I am hosting the holiday gathering at my house. We are likely going to only do one main course protein. Sides and other items will be decreased this year as well. After all, it is only one meal. How much do you spend on your weekly dinners?

Tips For Your Family To Beat Inflation

As mentioned in a previous blog post, household debt is at an all-time high in the U.S. For people like us trying to avoid racking up credit card and loan debt, this is simply not an option. How do you still enjoy the season without breaking the bank?

  1. Change the menu. While turkey and ham are the traditional main course items during the holidays, consider changing it up to save money. Swap your turkey for roasted chicken or your ham for a pork loin.
  2. Downsize your celebration. A lot of people get hung up on doing these huge, elaborate celebrations. Downsize things a bit to help you stick to your budget this year.
  3. Find joy in the simple things. The best thing you can do to beat inflation is to find joy in the simple things. A Christmas movie night in your home or driving around to see the lights will provide memorable moments too.
  4. Check out local events. Churches and other organizations in the community may be providing free dinners or items for your holiday meals.
  5. Get help where you can. Whether it is checking the local food bank or asking everyone to bring a dish, it’s okay not to do it all yourself!

How is your family dealing with inflation around the holidays this year? Let me know your tips and tricks in the comments.

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5 Cheap Landscaping Ideas to Boost Your Curb Appeal

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According to Houzz, two in every five homeowners admitted to using their bathroom to relax. You shouldn’t have to go to your guest bathroom to find a quiet place in your home. If you’ve been thinking of transforming your backyard into your own private oasis for your family, but you’ve been worried you couldn’t afford it, no worries! Here are a few ways you can transform your landscaping and boost your curb appeal all on a budget.

Raise Your Flower Bed

One great way to improve curb appeal on your family home is with flowers. Flowers add beauty and fragrance. However, raising the flower bed can give you these benefits while also creating some more contrast between the parts of your yard. As you plan to raise your flower bed, consider the different materials you could use. If you need to go with the cheapest option, that’s alright. But if you can spend just a little bit more money, consider going with solid wood. Solid wood is more environmentally friendly and sustainable than other popular landscaping materials. It also makes the flower beds more attractive.

Plant a Functional Garden

Your garden can serve both an aesthetic and practical purpose. Consider a vegetable garden that will feed your family. Plant things like herbs, fruits, and vegetables in your yard. They’re often very beautiful, with foliage and flowers that are perfect for decorating. Then, once the edible parts are ripe, you’ll also be able to provide fresh, healthy food. If you’ve never gardened before, start simple and try a few plants that you know you like. Then experiment each year as you build your garden. It will add color and personality to your yard, boosting your curb appeal.

DIY a Walkway

Having a walkway from the sidewalk to your door is a simple way to improve your curb appeal. However, getting it done by a professional can be expensive. Look into DIY options to set it up yourself. Using paving stones can create a whimsical, yet useful walkway without having to spend hundreds of dollars on supplies. If you keep it simple, you can get very good results this way. It will not only serve a practical purpose, but it will also add some uniqueness and contrast to your yard.

Add Lighting

Landscape lighting is beautiful, adding a warm glow to the yard in the evening and at night. While there are expensive options available, you can also get great results cheaply. Use solar pegs to illuminate your walkway. These are often inexpensive and can also serve a practical purpose by guiding visitors toward the safe ways to your front door. Look into string lights, as well. With the right lighting, you can make your yard look cozy, exciting, or both at the same time!

Hang Window Boxes

By hanging window boxes and filling them with flowers, you can improve the appearance of your home’s exterior without spending a lot of money. Flowers add a splash of color to the front of your house, making it look cheerful to anybody passing by. You can do a number of different things with your flower boxes. Plant identical flowers in each one to keep a neat theme going. Or plant various flowers together to get a rainbow of colors in your home.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to improve your home’s curb appeal. With a few cheap purchases and some extra work on your part, you can have a home and yard that look expensive and comfortable. This can help if you’re planning to sell your house, but it can also just make it a more enjoyable place to live.

My Guilty Pleasure (Plus How Much I Spend on It Every Month)

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books

Every girl has her “thing.” Some ladies like to get their nails done every week or every other week. Others like to have their hair professional cut and dyed. Me? I really just like books. Like every “guilty pleasure” though, it costs us money. So, I decided to sit down and see exactly how much I spend on books every month.

My “Clever” Husband Noted My Books in a Recent Post

If you didn’t know, my husband is the Clever Dude. Recently, he posted a blog about how much hobbies cost and mentioned my “book habit.” Here’s what he had to say…

She’d happily run away with the beast from Beauty and the Beast just for a chance to get a minute in that library.

Folks, he’s not wrong. I really do love books. There is a line in my budget for Audible/Amazon/books. However, as with anyone trying to improve their finances, I read my husband’s post and decided to take a look at how much my book addiction costs me annually. Drew estimated the cost to be about $100 total, which would mean I’m spending $1,200 per year on books.

As great as that sounds, I don’t have a book collection surrounding me in my office right now. So, how much am I really spending on books?

So, How Much Does My Book Habit Really Cost?

Honestly, it varies from month to month so much. Sure, there have been months where I spent more than others. I’ll come home with a stack of books from the store one month and only use my Audible credit the next. When it comes to solid monthly costs I spend $25 monthly on Amazon book services (Audible and Kindle Unlimited). That equates to about $300 per year on digital books alone.

When it comes to physical books on my shelf, I have plenty. But, as Ariel from The Little Mermaid sang at the top of her lungs, I WANT MORE! Most of my collection is paperback, so they don’t cost as much as their hardcover counterparts. I also buy all of my books secondhand using ThriftBooks or the fantastic used bookstores around me. There are people that will buy a book new, read it once, and sell it back to the store. Most of the reads on my shelf cost between $3 and $25.

At the end of the day, my annual spending on books probably lands closer to $1,000 in total. Of course, I have others hobbies, but most of them are relatively frugal. I have a lot of plants in my home, but most were gifts and caring for them isn’t too expensive. Yoga, hiking, and kayaking are all things I’m passionate about too. Each of these things doesn’t cost a ton of money though.

When you combine all of those activities, I probably am spending about $900 annually. There are some folks in the debt-free community that wouldn’t spend a penny on new books until their debt is paid off. I think life is worth living, experiencing, and enjoying though. So, there will always be a line in my budget for my hobbies.

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How to Cover Dental Emergencies

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dental emergencies

It never fails. Things seems to be going great and then you are hit with something that costs an arm and a leg. For me, last month, the unexpected costs were related to dental emergencies. If you don’t already know, dental insurance is a racket. So, when it comes to covering the cost of an emergency, it usually falls on you. How do you cover it if you don’t have the cash upfront?

Types of Dental Emergencies

Believe it or not, just because it seems urgent to you doesn’t mean your situation is a dental emergency. There is a set of criteria the dentist uses in order to decide whether or not your problem is an emergency or not. Some common dental emergencies include:

  • Unexplainable toothache – this is your body’s way of telling you there is something wrong in your mouth
  • Swollen jaw or mouth – swelling in the jaw or mouth may indicate infection
  • Exposed nerves – when this happens it can be extremely painful and needs attention immediately
  • Missing tooth – if they are contacted quickly the dentist may be able to preserve the tooth
  • Missing filling – without the filling your tooth can easily break or chip
  • Broken crown – any broken dental work in your mouth needs fixed as soon as possible
  • Abscessed tooth – a tooth abscess is an infection and needs medical attention
  • Food stuck – being unable to remove food from your teeth is annoying but it can cause infection and even shift your teeth if stuck too long

At the end of the day, your dentist will be able to tell you whether or not the situation is an emergency. They will usually be able to get you in within 24 hours for issues that need immediate attention. That being said, dental work is crazy expensive. How do people pay for this stuff?

How to Cover the Cost of Unexpected Dental Work

When it comes to covering the cost of dental emergencies, the numbers can be steep. For instance, I don’t have dental insurance. Because of this, I have to pay out of pocket for dental services. I pay $234 for “in-house insurance” with my dentist. This covers two cleanings a year, all x-rays, and discounts off any other services. However, it didn’t cover my deep cleaning gum therapy last Friday. The discounted bill that I paid out of pocket was $785. They drew up a plan for me to have all four wisdom teeth extracted as well (another $1,700 at some point down the road). Thankfully, I was able to get this paid, but if you are looking for ways to cover these astronomical prices, take note of these options.

  • Inquire about making payments: Smaller privately-owned practices may allow you to make payments on the services you receive. Ask about any payment options the office provides.
  • CARE Credit: CARE Credit is a credit card that you can use for medical services. If you get a CARE Credit card it can help you pay for anything medical, not just dental services. Be wary though, this is another line of credit that you’ll need to pay off.
  • Dental schools: One hygienist talked to me about going to a dental school for some of the work I needed done. If that is something you are comfortable with doing, check for dental schools in your area. They will give you huge discounts on services so their students can get the practice they need.

As a last resort option, you can always borrow money or get a small loan for dental emergencies. After all, anything that impacts your health is important enough to invest in.

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How to Be Frugal With a Newborn

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frugal with a newborn

There is no doubt that having a baby absolutely changes your life. It is a challenge to adjust to such a huge change and maintain progress on financial goals, let alone stay on budget. Needless to say, our monthly budget has been looking rather neglected and ignored recently. This has led us to look for ways to be frugal with a newborn and make the most of our money.

Is It Possible to Be Frugal With a Newborn?

The biggest cost for our family since having a baby has been food. Sometimes you are just too exhausted to cook. So, we wind up ordering food or hitting the drive thru so that I can continue working or tend to a crying child. It’s understandable and we’ve tried to not be too hard on ourselves for it. But it is money wasted and that will always bother me.

That being said, it is possible to be frugal with a newborn. You simply need to find where your problems areas are and focus on improving there to be successful at it. Here’s how…

How to Be Frugal With a Newborn

There are a few steps you need to take to being able to be frugal with a newborn. Frugality is more than just looking for the best deal or pinching pennies. You have to consider long-term wear items and contributing financial factors.

  1. As I just mentioned, you need to be able to identify what your problem areas are. For us, we overspend on easy food. Think about how you can resolve the issue. For example, our family sticks to our grocery budget better if we meal prep and plan. It takes a little additional time but it will save us hundreds per month. Similarly, when our newborn starts eating different foods, we will make her meals as well to help save money.
  2. Invest in quality items. Like I said, frugality isn’t all about pinching pennies. If you are going to use an item every single day or with your children in the future, spend a little extra money. It will keep you from having to buy it again. You may even be able to resell it once you’re done using it.
  3. Hit the consignment shops. Buying secondhand clothing and other items is a great way to be frugal with a newborn and kids in general. They outgrow their clothes and toys so fast, so why spend a ton of money on those things? Not to mention, some stores will allow you to sell your child’s items for a store credit or cash.
  4. Don’t stress experiences now. Until they are older, you shouldn’t spend too much money on experiences for your child. Of course, you want to have those memories but they won’t remember much. As a newborn, they won’t remember anything. Save your money and put it aside for creating memories when they’re a bit older.

These are just a few things we’ve discussed that will help us be more frugal with our newborn and stay on track. What are some of the ways you have saved money with children?

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How We Financially Prepare for the Holiday Season

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prepare for the holiday season

The holidays are swiftly approaching. It’s hard to believe we will be celebrating our first Thanksgiving with our little one next week! For many people, this is a stressful time of year. Most of us have more social engagements than usual. On top of that, we are spending more money than we normally do, possibly traveling, and probably not eating the best. Many people find themselves biting their nails over the cost of presents and celebrations. Here is how our family tries to prepare for the holiday season.

Confession: I’m Buddy the Elf

If you’ve seen the Will Ferrell movie Elf, you know Buddy. I am him, he is me. Christmas time is one of my favorite times of year (I’m also a huge fan of Halloween). I simply love the season of giving, family time, baking, colder weather, traditions. It is important to me to be able to spread my cheer each year. However, it is also extremely important we stay within our budget each year. Only a cotton-headed ninny muggins would go into debt buying presents, right?

While we certainly don’t plan to put any gifts on credit this year, many Americans do. In fact, more than 21% of Americans say they will go into debt buying Christmas gifts. About 29% of shoppers say they’ll go into debt but they pay it all off in full with their tax returns. In general, people are willing to go about $1,400 in debt just to celebrate the holidays. For our family, wracking up debt on gifts just simply isn’t in the cards and it shouldn’t ever be, honestly.

Establishing New Traditions

Because Christmas is such an important time of year for me, we want to establish family traditions. One thing we are going to try to do is work in a lot of low-cost or free activities into our holiday traditions. For instance, there is a giant village about an hour from our home that has an amazing Christmas lights display. We will likely pack some food, hot chocolate, and get in the car to see the lights each year. This is little cost to us and a great tradition.

We will also be doing low-cost crafts.  This is something I always did with my godchildren before. Each year, we plan a night where all our parent friends can get together with their kids and do some type of holiday craft. I also usually bake cookies for them to decorate. The entire event typically costs less than $50 and is so much fun. It is also a great tradition to keep (kind of like a Friendsgiving of sorts). We’ve also been considering doing things like volunteering and family secret Santa when our little one is a little older too.

Another thing I’ve seen online this year is people hitting the dollar store for their decor. This is great way to switch up themes and color schemes from year to year at a low cost. I’ve seen some folks on TikTok decorate their tree for less than $35. That’s pretty amazing! So, in essence, we are looking to keep costs as low as possible by establishing some low-cost traditions and focus on the reason for the season.

How Do You Prepare for the Holiday Season?

As always, personal finance is personal. If you are someone who takes out a loan every year and it works for you, keep doing what works for you. If you’re like me and start the countdown for Christmas on December 26, saving and planning throughout the year, that’s okay too. You are doing what works best for you and your family.

At the end of the day, it really isn’t about the amount of money you spend. Focus on spending quality time with your family this season. Those are the memories they’ll keep forever anyway. Happy Holidays!

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How to Create a Bi-Weekly Budget

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bi-weekly budget

There are a number of budgeting methods out there. Thankfully, you can always cater your budget to what your current needs are. For the most part, people find it easiest to set up their budget around when they get paid. Because many people get paid bi-weekly, the bi-weekly budget set up is the most common. Here’s how to set one up.

Different Budgeting Methods

When it comes down to it, there are five different types of budgeting methods to choose from. Depending on where you are in your personal financial journey, each has its perks.

  1. Line item budget: This type of budget is what people generally think of when they imagine a budgeting system. Think excel sheet with different expenses on each line. A line-item budget can be detailed and is generally good for beginners to get an idea of their expenses and incoming cash.
  2. Proportional budget: Proportional budgeting has you divide your budget into three main categories: needs, wants, and savings. Then you assign a percentage to each category. Typically, your needs and savings should be the highest percentages while you keep the “wants” relatively low.
  3. “Pay yourself first” budget: You’ve probably heard personal finance blogger after personal finance blogger telling you to pay yourself first. This budgeting method is built around that idea. You decide that you are going to save a certain percentage of each paycheck, let’s say 25%. Then you build the rest of your budget around what is leftover.
  4. Envelope budget: The envelope system is pretty old school. To do this, you have a set amount of money designated for each budget category and you put that cash into envelopes. In the digital age, you can do this by setting up different “envelopes” via online banking. The goal of this method is to make the cash in each envelope last throughout the entire month.
  5. Zero-sum budget: The zero-sum budget is what we will be looking at for our bi-weekly budget setup. At the end of each month, you will have spent all of the incoming money you have. Now, that doesn’t mean you will be spending frivolously. You will still have a line for savings and potentially even your investing contributions.

The Bi-Weekly Budget

So, how do you set up a bi-weekly budget?

Depending on your own personal needs, a bi-weekly budget may not work for you. You may benefit from a weekly or monthly setup more than bi-weekly, especially if you get paid more (or less) often. For us, we have our main income come in every two weeks and we set up a zero-based budget to make the most of those paychecks. Here’s how we set it up…

  1. First, print out a calendar or buy a planner. We use a planner for ours. This makes things more visual.
  2. Start plugging in your expenses to the calendar. Think about what expenses you have each month and how they are divided up throughout the month.
  3. Take varying expenses into account as well. If you have regular recurring expenses that aren’t on a monthly basis, make sure you take note of them and plan for them accordingly. The best way to do this is to set money aside into a sinking fund for these.
  4. Save! You should always have a line item for savings. Whether you are building an emergency fund or sinking funds, save some money out of each check and put it in your budget.
  5. Track your spending. Once you have what you think is a good budget in place, begin to track your spending to be sure your budget is accurate and will work for you.

Choose What Works For You

The last item in setting up a bi-weekly budget is possibly the most important. You have to choose a budgeting method that will work for you. Track your spending and get familiar with your finances. Doing this will ensure you are being realistic in your expectations. Similarly, if you are paid on a weekly or monthly basis, a bi-weekly system may not be the best option for you. Take all of your personal needs, financial goals, and expenses into account to find the best budgeting method for you.

Readers, what budgeting method do you use?

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How to Throw a Budget-Friendly Baby Shower

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budget-friendly baby shower

You may be just as surprised as I was to learn there are actually people who go into debt throwing their own baby shower. I have been checking out Pinterest boards and subreddits and, believe it or not, there are people that really spend thousands for their shower. Insane! We won’t be running our credit card for anything for our celebration. Here is how we plan to throw a budget-friendly baby shower.

The Average Cost of a Baby Shower

Baby showers typically cost between $100 and $1,000. Some showers may cost even more if you are anticipating a large number of people. I read about one couple who expected their shower to cost nearly $4,000! So, what makes up this seemingly astronomical cost?

First, the food people are eating is a huge part of the budget. Many people have their baby shower catered, so you are paying the caterer a “per person” price. This adds up quickly! Then when you factor in the cost of the cake, which can be up to $4 per serving, the price of food for your shower may be startling.

The next largest expense for your baby shower is the location. While some people choose to have it in their home, many people rent out a community center or other space for the shindig. Depending on your location, this can cost $200 and up.

Many people spend a fair amount of money on invitations and decorations as well. Invitations cost anywhere between $0.50 and $1 per invite. Decorations for the party can cost between $50 and $200 or more, depending on the size of the party and how many decorations you need to buy. Not to mention, you’ll need to buy plates, cups, napkins, and silverware as well.

On top of all of this, people generally play games at baby showers. So, you’ll need to purchase what you need for the games as well as prizes. For instance, our shower will have a diaper raffle. For every pack of diapers and/or wipes someone brings, they will be entered into the raffle for one of three prizes. You may also want to include party favors for your guests as well.

Tips for a Budget-Friendly Baby Shower

As you can see, the cost of a baby shower can start to add up really quickly. We have been able to cut costs in a few areas that will save us a bit of money. Here are some tips I’m using to throw a budget-friendly baby shower…

  • Hold it at a time where finger foods are acceptable. We are having our baby shower at 1 p.m. and providing finger foods. I’d suggest checking out some of the Aldi charcuterie boards, which you can put together really cheaply!
  • Have your baby shower somewhere free. We are having our shower in our home, so it’ll be 100% free. If your house isn’t big enough to hold a shower, look for free venues around you. Many parks offer covered picnic areas for events for free or cheap.
  • Get close friends and family to chip in. My mom and a few of my close friends are pitching in for the big things (food, cake, prizes for the games). Talk to your folks to see who might be willing to help.
  • Keep it small! We only invited about 30 people and expect about half of them to show up. Keeping it small will help keep costs low all around.
  • Send e-invites. We didn’t stress sending paper invites out. Instead, we just created a Facebook event and invited everyone that way. Those without Facebook we called or invited in person.
  • Don’t stress decorations. I think we will spend less than $50 total on decorations. Remember, the most important thing is that you spend this time with friends and family.
  • Hit the dollar store. When it comes to plates, napkins, silverware, and some of the prizes, we are hitting our local dollar store. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on these items.

Readers, how much did you spend on your baby shower?

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