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Life is so easy while your child is young. His birthday comes around once a year, you invite the grandparents and aunts and uncles over, maybe the little cousin or the neighborhood kid who’s almost the same age. You serve up a bit of cake and ice cream, your child opens a few gifts and it’s over.
Little wonder it’s such a shock when your child starts school! You’re usually thrilled at that first birthday party invitation and you eagerly head down to the local department store where you quickly purchase a $30 gift that would please any child.
You’re not quite as thrilled a week later when your child comes home with two more party invitations.
What’s a parent to do? How can your child possibly attend all these birthdays without you going broke?
Take heart. All it takes is a little imagination and here are a few tips to get you started:
Don’t miss out on clearance sales at local stores where you can stock up on gifts that are suitable for boys or girls. You’ll be amazed at the bargains you can pick up for next to nothing once you start watching for them.
Watch for freebies. Whether you’re in your local insurance office, at the grocery store or at a trade show, grab those freebies for extras in birthday gifts. Items like pens, pencils, notepads, key rings, magnets and balloons are all little items that can be used to fill a low-priced container for children.
You’ve got Internet access? Search for freebies online. There are hundreds of free offers available, all yours for the asking.
Purchase a small chalkboard. Glue some lace—or boyish trim—around the edges. Paint the child’s name on the frame. Pick up a box of colored chalk and wrap up your original gift.
Don’t throw out those empty cereal boxes without getting the current offers information off the box. Stuffed animals, watches, books are among the many popular items that can be yours for the price of postage—these items are usually hot items for kids.
Ever tried decoupage? Get a glazing compound (some people use white glue), gather up some old pictures—comics, greeting cards, torn story books—and a container. A sturdy cardboard box or tin can will work. Apply the glaze to the reverse of pictures, then apply to the can. Apply more glaze on the picture. Once the container is completely covered and has dried, add a few coats of urethane. Fill with some of those freebies you’ve collected.
Crafty? Knit some doll clothes for Barbie or some stylish mittens for the cold winter ahead.
Buy an inexpensive t-shirt and fabric paints. Add a package of iron-on stencils.
Buy a kid’s cookbook or a blank journal to make a homemade cookbook. Wrap up with the ingredients for one recipe for a would-be chef.
Pick up a big plastic bowl at the local discount store. Fill it with pop, popcorn, candy and a gift certificate for a free movie rental.
Making a homemade greeting card can cut the cost of a gift by $1.00 or more! You and your child could choose to draw a picture, use old photographs or magazines pictures or make a card with the help of a computer software program.
Got a roll of plain white paper? Use it to wrap gifts. Have your child decorate it with drawings, stamps or some other décor of their choice.
Ask a wallpaper store for old wallpaper books. These are ideal for some heavy-duty wrapping paper and might come in handy for crafting too.
By now, you are probably thinking up unique gift ideas yourself. And don’t you agree it’s much easier to stretch your imagination than your pocketbook?
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