Soon the Easter weekend will be upon you. Are you ready to make it a memorable, yet affordable one this year? The secret is to work with what you’ve got. From ‘do-it-yourself’ decorations, experiences rather than gifts, frugal activities and delicious, reasonably priced meals. You can have it all if you’d just give your creativity and Easter budget a chance.
After various Coronavirus concerns, this holiday period or long weekend is a time to take it easy and making sure you don’t end up with debt up to your neck in the process. Your Easter can indeed save you a rand or two when you work with what you already have available.
Hereby a ‘drop in the bucket’ list of tips to help you to make long-lasting, yet affordable, Easter weekend memories:
- If you have items at home that you can use as decorations or table décor, why not dust them off and give them a new ‘DIY’ look? Challenge yourself NOT to go and buy things but to rather stay at home and do your decorating FOR FREE.
- Why buy your loved ones Easter gifts? It’s not Christmas. Instead, it’s about memories and experiences. If you have stationery items available – why not write your kid or parent a letter of appreciation and confirm your love for them. It is surely more personal and striking. Plus, it will cost you next to nothing.
- An Easter hunt can be a fun AND frugal activity:
- What about those cheap plastic eggs that you have? You can fill these eggs with inexpensive sweets and something like a cheap puzzle piece per egg (for your younger kids, for example).
- Or, why not use real eggs and dye them? All you need is a teaspoon of vinegar, boiling water and a few drops of food colouring.
- The best Easter meal is definitely at home. If your small circle of loved ones is coming to visit, ask them to contribute/club in (if this is the route you will go especially taking the Coronavirus issue into account). There are endless options to consider. Make your Easter holiday fun and affordable this year. Use that creative juices of yours and stick within your budget. From a cooked meal to a braai, potluck, fondue or even a picnic (if the weather allows it). Plan whatever type of meal you choose according to the items that you and your friends/family members already have available.
- A final egg/bunny for thought: Make use of loyalty/reward schemes when (and if you are still considering) travelling during your Easter holiday, always budget or save in advance and stay away from restaurants/other ‘temptation areas’ as well as branded Easter eggs/chocolates – it can become very expensive. Homemade is the way to go.
Make your Easter holiday fun and affordable this year. Get some creativity going when working with what you’ve got and, stick to your budget. No need to overextend your poor pocket – remember that this year has been (financially, physically and emotionally) tough already, and you have a few 2020 months to go still.