Saving Money Tip #115 - Keep Your Eggs And The Basket - During this time of year with Passover underway and Easter on the horizon, it is time to celebrate those holidays that should not be costing us much money. Yet each year, the stores are filled with huge baskets, dozens of different kinds of candy, and hundreds of colorful eggs for Easter along with the unleavened food and accessories for Passover. And while I can certainly understand the Easter candy and the unleavened food from year to year, as food is certainly disposable, I do not understand who is buying up these dozens and dozens of Easter eggs. Where do they go from one year to the next?
Seriously. I know new families are created each year and still other families move into this country, but I suspect that 90% of the population hasn't changed from year to year (does anyone know the actual percentage?). What does everyone do with their colorful eggs from one Easter to the next? Where do they go? I know that sounds like a silly question. But I truly wonder this. Same with Christmas decorations. Why don't people hang on to their decorations from year to year? How can it be that stores can be successful selling those colored eggs and holly-laden tablecloths year after year? What do people do with them? Well, I obviously do not know what they are doing. But I know what they should be doing. Keeping them. This is not only good for the environment, but it is good for your pocketbook, too.
Unless you have added a new child to your family, there is no reason why baskets cannot be reused from year to year. And there is no reason to be buying new eggs every year. This applies to decorations from all holidays. Once they are bought, that is it. There should not be any reason to be buying new decor year after year. It is a waste of money and a waste of resources. Keep your eggs and the basket, too.
In Real Life (IRL) - I won't lie and say I stay up nights thinking about this stuff. But I have always wondered how stores have stayed in business selling holiday merchandise. Every year around Christmas, I would think, who is buying those holiday dishes this year? Didn't everyone already buy them last year or the previous year? And of course the Easter eggs. I don't even celebrate Easter and I have a stash of eggs. Doesn't everybody else have a stash of eggs that they can refill?
For Passover, which we do celebrate, I have a Seder plate, a Matzoh plate, a wine cup, and a bag of plagues. That's it. Every year we use these same things again and again. I cannot imagine buying any new Passover products unless it is food or other disposable products (which I try hard not to buy).
For all holidays, in order to save money, use what decorations you already have. I know people like change and fresh ideas but seriously, these things are only used for a few weeks per year, how much fresher can they be? Save your money and reuse holiday decorations again and again. Whatever you do, though, don't reuse the matzoh. :-) Anyone want a stash of colorful eggs? Anyone? For other frugal tips, check out Life As Mom.
Seriously. I know new families are created each year and still other families move into this country, but I suspect that 90% of the population hasn't changed from year to year (does anyone know the actual percentage?). What does everyone do with their colorful eggs from one Easter to the next? Where do they go? I know that sounds like a silly question. But I truly wonder this. Same with Christmas decorations. Why don't people hang on to their decorations from year to year? How can it be that stores can be successful selling those colored eggs and holly-laden tablecloths year after year? What do people do with them? Well, I obviously do not know what they are doing. But I know what they should be doing. Keeping them. This is not only good for the environment, but it is good for your pocketbook, too.
Unless you have added a new child to your family, there is no reason why baskets cannot be reused from year to year. And there is no reason to be buying new eggs every year. This applies to decorations from all holidays. Once they are bought, that is it. There should not be any reason to be buying new decor year after year. It is a waste of money and a waste of resources. Keep your eggs and the basket, too.
In Real Life (IRL) - I won't lie and say I stay up nights thinking about this stuff. But I have always wondered how stores have stayed in business selling holiday merchandise. Every year around Christmas, I would think, who is buying those holiday dishes this year? Didn't everyone already buy them last year or the previous year? And of course the Easter eggs. I don't even celebrate Easter and I have a stash of eggs. Doesn't everybody else have a stash of eggs that they can refill?
For Passover, which we do celebrate, I have a Seder plate, a Matzoh plate, a wine cup, and a bag of plagues. That's it. Every year we use these same things again and again. I cannot imagine buying any new Passover products unless it is food or other disposable products (which I try hard not to buy).
For all holidays, in order to save money, use what decorations you already have. I know people like change and fresh ideas but seriously, these things are only used for a few weeks per year, how much fresher can they be? Save your money and reuse holiday decorations again and again. Whatever you do, though, don't reuse the matzoh. :-) Anyone want a stash of colorful eggs? Anyone? For other frugal tips, check out Life As Mom.
5 comments:
Interesting post..thanks for sharing!
:)
I definitely re-use my tried-and-true decorations from year to year! But you have to remember that new families are formed all the time, and larger homes are purchased. This would account for some of the sales you see. When I moved from our smaller house to the one we are in now, I had to get extra decorations. (Believe me, I'm all into thrift stores, garage sales and the clearance rack!) It's funny, though--now that my husband will be retiring in a few years, I've been bringing more and more of those extras to the local thrift store.
I'm in total agreement about those plastic eggs, though. Unless they get cracked, why not just toss them in a box in the attic for another year? I seriously doubt the kids are keeping track, LOL!
I have kept the same plastic eggs for years and when the kids get married, I'll pass them on so they can have them for their kids! We've used the same decorations since we were first married. If I forget to put something out, the kids will say "Hey, where's the bunny that you always have on the table" or something like that. When you hang on to things and use them over and over, they become traditional. I cherish my nativity set that was my parents' set, purchased their first Christmas in 1946.
The stores come out with new and improved Easter eggs so the old ones won't do anymore (or so it seems). Like little hinges on the top and the bottom so no more losing half a piece. They make them in camouflage colors - makes them harder to find while hiding them in the wilderness and so on.
Well, the yardsale queen has made me see the light - camouflage eggs? hinged ones? This makes buying new eggs each year worthwhile. :-) Seriously, I never saw those fancy eggs before.
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