Frugal Easter Gift Ideas

It seems as if we just celebrated Christmas and now the Easter season is already upon us. Although Easter usually doesn’t involve the same level of financial outlay, it nevertheless comes at a time when many of us are still reeling from too much Christmas spending. The Easter season also heralds in another financial milestone – tax time. Believe it or not, you can turn this into a positive by using a simple motivation technique. Just remind yourself that April is a good month to start re-strategizing your tax plan. If you live in the UK, this could include looking into how to get the best Junior ISA account for your children.

A Junior ISA is a tax-free account that parents can open up in order to save money for their children’s education. These long-term savings accounts are for children who are under 18 years old, live in the UK and don’t already have a Child Trust Fund account.

The best Junior ISA account will offer an attractive interest rate and parents who are looking for the best Junior ISA accounts can do their homework first by comparing the different interest rates offered by participating UK providers.

In the United States, the equivalent of a Junior ISA is a 529 college plan. Started by the Internal Revenue Service in 1996, 529 plans were created to help families save money for college costs.

As with the best Junior ISA, the advantage of having a 529 plan is that it offers federal tax incentives. Likewise, every state now offers 529 benefits. However, these differ in every state, so you’ll need to check your state’s tax laws to find out what your full benefits would be.

In the meantime, here are some money-saving tips to help you survive the coming Easter season:

• If you’ve got a talent for making candy or cookies, now is your time to shine. Homemade treats are considerably less expensive than store-bought ones and they taste better too.
• Instead of candy, consider buying the kids an inexpensive toy or gift card. A lot of kids would far rather have an iTunes card than a basketful of chocolate rabbits.
• Eat in. Rather than eating out at an expensive Easter buffet, get a ham and all the trimmings from the supermarket. If you don’t have time to cook, go for a pre-cooked ham that’s spiral-sliced and buy pre-made potatoes and vegetables from the deli; it’s still cheaper than going out to eat and you’ll have leftovers as well.
• If the bunnies and Easter eggs are just too pricey, consider buying the same brand of candy in regular packages and put the candy in bright hollow eggs or baskets from the discount store; the packaging will make it even more festive.
• Buy your Easter baskets and Easter grass at thrift shops and discount stores. If you purchase used baskets, just give them a quick clean with a damp cloth (and, if necessary, a bit of dishwashing soap) before filling them with Easter grass.
• Consider cash. Sometimes a gift of cash can be cheaper than buying a lot of overpriced Easter candy. A lot of kids would much prefer getting a decorated cash envelope tucked into their Easter basket.

The best way to save money at Easter is to do your homework. Check out sales at your local stores and supermarket for candy and dinner items. Just remember, kids look forward to the holidays all year round, so if you can afford to, try to indulge them a bit; just make sure that you budget for it in advance.

Disclosure – This fun article was not written by me. This post is one of my guest articles I thought I would share with my readers.