Oh Baby Baby-Baby Shower Gifts on the Cheap ? Student Debt ...

Gift for My Cousin?s Baby-Cost $7.00

It?s probably just my age (the big 3-0) but everyone I know seems to be knocked up. Friends, family, co-workers? Apparently I roll with a? fertile crowd. With so many people pregnant, the cost of baby shower gifts was really adding up. A shower here, a shower there and I?m broke. Ok I?m exaggerating. But with all the baby showers, wedding showers and bachelorette parties I?ve been invited to (love you guys, don?t stop the invites) I?m feeling a little cash strapped.

Sure I budget for gifts, but nobody could anticipate so many gifts ?coming due? at the same time.Throw in the regular birthdays and holidays and my budget has taken a beating.

Instead of skimping on gifts or sending impersonal gift cards or cash, I?ve decided to get a little strategic about my gift gifting. Thanks to coupons and a crafty ex-roommate who taught me to knit, I?m revolutionizing the way I think about baby gifts. Here?s how:

• Make My Own. 1 Skein of yarn ($4.00 or less when I use a 50% off coupon at AC Moore or Michaels) and about 6 hours yields an adorable little baby sweater. I have several big boxes of yarn that I bought when I was obsessed with knitting in college, so I?m still working through that yarn. I typically knit on the bus and while watching TV at night. When you figure in the time?could I buy something cheaper, yes. But it wouldn?t be a handmade original made with love by me. I also make baby clothes and booties, and sew burp cloths and baby quilts-see below (when I have time).

Quilt Made for My Nephew

• Buy On Sale. Whenever I see baby stuff (or any type of toys or games) on deep clearance I buy them. I stock up on baby items and stick them in my closet for upcoming showers. I recently picked up a bunch of cute Easter onesies for $1.00 a piece (none of them said Easter, they were just pastel colors) to keep for future gifts.
• Use Coupons. Sales combined with coupons are my favorite way to get free and really cheap baby stuff. Johnson and Johnson baby products often go on sale and combined with a coupon you can get them for free. I recently found a sale on baby lotion, body wash, and powder. All of the items were $2.00 a piece. Combined with a $0.75 coupon that doubled at the grocery store I got them for $0.50 a piece. They typically retail for $4-6.00 each!

Even the Cat Knows Coupons Are Serious Business

• Give Coupons. Sounds a little strange, but diapers, formula and food can get really expensive. A few years back a friend of mine was feeding a pretty expensive formula. She was always asking me for the formula coupons from my paper. She had her shower after the baby was born, so to surprise her, I gathered a bunch of papers from my friends and clipped a whole stack of the $5.00 coupons for the formula she used. She told me it was the best ?gift? anyone gave her.

Once I buy and make all the gifts, I put it them in a basket and tie it up with a big ribbon. Easy Peasy and really fun. I?ve received really good feedback from friends and family who have loved their baby gifts.

How Do You Save Money on Gifts? Do You Make Gifts?

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Source: http://www.studentdebtsurvivor.com/oh-baby-baby-baby-shower-gifts-on-the-cheap/

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