Easter comes at a fun time of year – it means springtime, lighter clothes, festive flowers and delicious candy.  But it can burn a hole in your wallet faster than a speeding rabbit, unless you know how to save money.  Here’s a guide to enjoying an Easter that’s just as much fun but costs fewer dollars.

1.  Elegant outfits and hats are a tradition at many churches for Easter.  But it’s hard to justify spending that much money for an outfit you’ll only wear once.  Consider your future needs.  If you attend church or other dressy occasions on a regular basis, then it might be worth buying a new suit or hat.  Otherwise, your local thrift shop, consignment store, Goodwill or Salvation Army will be an excellent source of cheap Easter fashion.  Just enter "thrift store" and your zip code into Google to get a list of local places.

2.  Cheaper Easter baskets: Again, thrift stores, or dollar stores.  Dollar stores also have a wide variety of candy and the fake green grass to put inside the baskets.  You also can try shopping the sales at various drugstore chains.

3. Make your own: instead of storebought basket items, bake cookies or make fudge to put in the basket.  Wrap them in festively colored plastic wrap.

3.  Toys/Kid’s Gifts: Along with the previously mentioned thrift and dollar stores, try yard sales, garage sales, church rummage sales, and Craigslist.  There is one more Saturday before Easter and that could be a perfect time to snap up some cute and cheap stuffed animals and toys at a local yard sale.

4.  Read It:  Books are nice gifts any time of the year, but for Easter, check out your local library book sale, used book shops, or yard sales for themed books.  For an adult, a Bible or religious book about Easter might be nice, or a book about gardening or flowers.  For kids, maybe a children’s Easter book, or some books about baby animals would be good.

5.  Beach it: If you live in an area where it is getting warm enough
to go to the park or beach by Easter, then assorted sand toys and beach balls are always a fun gift and may be cheaper than fancy chocolates.
 
6.  Small favors: Check party stores for party favors and novelty items
you can buy on sale or in bulk. Some stores have big grab bags of marked down and discontinued toys and favors for a few dollars each.

7.  Eggs-tra savings:  Of course, your hardboiled, colored Easter eggs are perfectly edible once the shells come off.  So, keep them refrigerated as much as possible, and after you show them off in a basket, remove the eggs and make some egg salad.  It’s a nutritious and cheap dish.

Photo Credit via Flickr