6 ways to save money on greeting cards
A reader recently sent this email to me:
I was floored when I purchased my Mother's Day cards this year...a whopping $20.00 for 6 cards! ARG!!! So what do you DO about cards and gifts for the family for occasions (like birthdays, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Valentines, Christmas) and still have a thoughtful gift/card without breaking the bank?
Dawn
I hear you! Cards can be insanely expensive, especially the ones that look hand-crafted.
I haven't bought a greeting card in years and years, but I still do give cards. Here are a few ways to avoid forking over $4 for what is essentially a piece of paper.
1) Use scrapbooking supplies to make cards.
Some people I know use rubber stamps to make very fancy cards (and if you're good with stamps, then go for it!), but I have somehow never managed to get good at rubber stamping. I always make a messy, sloppy card when I use stamps.
So, I make simple, fast, no-fuss cards from my scrapbooking cardstock, and I use the computer to print out greetings in various fonts (I'm particularly fond of doing this with typewriter fonts).
Sometimes I make cards with photos on them, depending on the occasion.
I used a picture of Zoe in a Santa hat for some Christmas cards, and I've covered the front of a card with photos of my kids for a Mother's Day card for my mom.
2) Use a computer program to print a card.
Since my husband isn't particularly crafty, this is what he usually does when he wants to give me a card. He uses a free program that came with our Canon printer, called Canon Creative Suite.
I googled "free card maker", though, and found a whole list of programs that can help you make a printable card.
3) Send an e-card.
There are a lot of free e-cards out there, and even the ones that require a purchase are only $.99 or so, which is a lot cheaper than most greeting cards. Of course, some people might be offended if you give an e-card instead of a paper card, so be careful to know your audience.
Another option is to simply send an email.
For my brother's birthday this year, that's what I did...I just wanted to express some love and appreciation, and I knew that fancy graphics or a handmade card wasn't really going to mean much to him.
Again, though, make sure the recipient isn't the sort to be offended by this!
4) Have your kids make a card.
This won't work that well if you don't have kids, but if you do, put them to work!
My kids love, love, love to make cards. They use stamps, they draw, they punch out shapes, they attach ribbon, and generally have a grand time.
A large bonus to this method of card-making is that family members will usually be very pleased to have something that the grandchildren/nieces/nephews made.
5) Buy some inexpensive, generic notecards.
I feel very strongly that the note you write inside the card is the most meaningful part. If the recipient of your cards shares that sentiment, they probably won't mind receiving a card that isn't obviously meant for a particular holiday.
You could buy a stack of monogrammed notecards, or a package of flowered cards and use them for any number of different card-giving occasions.
Along the same vein, if the recipient doesn't mind things being very bare-bones, you could simply write a note or letter on a plain piece of paper.
Someone who really treasures a heart-felt note would probably be thrilled to pieces with something like this.
6) Re-use old cards.
My parents have saved all of the cards they exchanged over the years, and this year, they've started re-using them (my mom's parents did this as well).
They write a new note to go along with the old note, and they're having fun re-reading the notes they wrote to each other years ago.
I know I've read that some people re-use cards by cutting the fronts off of old cards and then pasting them to a new blank card, so that's another re-use option.
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Love it!
I also find card packs - blank - at the dollar stores. The pictures are pretty and with some know-how you can format MSWord or similar program to print on the inside. I have also found that being a slight stationary junky can save you money on greeting and thank you cards. I pick up stuff as I see it for change and then add it to my tote in the office. When the time comes I have more than enough supplies to "whip" something up.
There is also a website called SendOutCards.com and for the price of the stamp (usually) you can send cards though them. You have to put out money when you create the account but it lasts a while and the cards are nice. So for just change you can send a card via snail mail and schedule it if you suck at remembering dates.
When I'm crunched for time, I go the dollar store route. If I have time, I make my own. My oldest daughter loves to color too...so sometimes I have her color a picture and I cut that out, put it on some nice card stock and write a personal message inside.
Wordle is an excellent site to help you get creative. I forget if it's a com or org website so Google wordle to find it. 🙂
Many photo sites (like Shutterfly, Kodak Gallery, etc) have promotions leading up to holidays where you can get one (and sometimes more than one) free photo card. These are super easy to make, come out beautifully, and usually cost just 99 cents to have them shipped to you. We've really enjoyed using them for Mothers/Fathers Day and Christmas, and other promotions (like during graduation season) can be made into something other than a graduation card, then used for something else, like a birthday!
The stamping and scrapbooking supplies are the way to go. One pad of patterned paper on sale from the craft store will take you pretty far. For card stock, I go to Staples and buy one ream for the year to use for school and cards. One ream lasts a long time! For stamps, I have a birthday set, nature images, and a few Christmas. Watch yard sales.
And if you are moved to buy an expensive card, get an art card, either silkscreened or handpressed, or a photo. (This works if you are not well, creative.) The card is a gift that can be displayed or framed. With commercial cards costing $4 and up, help support a local artist by buying a handmade work of art.
7) Buy blank cards from an office supply store (or party store, but office supply stores tend to be less expensive and have deals, promotions, and loyalty programs), download and print cards on to the stock.
8) Write a letter.
"Write a letter" was written as method #8. My 8 ) was turned into a smiley face.
Two words: Dollar Tree. Maybe it's because I'm a guy but I prefer to go as cheap as possible on things like cards.
Wedding invitations I'm finding there is no cheap way around. $0.44 a stamp adds up pretty quickly so any that I can hand deliver will be done.
Yeah I love this post! I have my own stationery business and constantly make my own greeting cards and invitations for everything. You have such good taste and simple style 🙂 I have seen the handmade cards that sell for up to $45.95! This is so a better option.
In addition to all these good suggestions I would like to add that it's not hard to make your own envelopes. You can develop envelope patterns by opening up an appropriately sized envelope and tracing around the edges. I might also mention that when you make your own cards it might be wise to size them correctly for standard envelopes just to make it easier on yourself.
I either make my own (if I have time, but with a recent move I haven't had a lot of time for the recent holidays. I have taken advantage of Shutterfly's recent 3 free photo cards for Mother's Day and Father's Day. I have gotten cards at the Dollar store 2 for $1. I have my 3 year old color a picture to put in an envelope as the card.
I always use cards from the Dollar Store. Generally, you can get them 2 for $1, which means you could've gotten 6 for $3!
Since I am a fairly busy traveling for my job, Dollar Tree usually gets my money. You really can't beat the 2 for $1 deal. Many of these cards are the same that I've seen in Wal-Mart. If I had time, I would print my own from home; but I don't know the price of card stock and if that would be cheaper than the dollar store.
I love the look of handmade cards but I'm not a scrapbooker so I don't often have cardstock and other supplies lying around. So I buy a variety box of cards from Costco--I think it's 30 cards for $14.99. I always get comments on how beautiful the cards are, and I rarely have to go a card shop anymore. I agree that the best part of any card is a handwritten note inside!
I also wanted to add that you can also line your envelopes quite easily. Just print the pattern on an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper (i like to do my name or a cute motif) and cute it to slide easily in the envelope. then tape the top two flaps that attach on the top of the envelope. Voila! Luxury envelope! Istock photos website also has great graphics to use.
I like to take old cards, split it in half and send the front half like a postcard. It's a cute idea to reuse cards and much cheaper:)
This is great! I'm going to do it with my leftover Christmas cards from last year!
You can buy 500 cards and 500 envelopes at Target for $10.00. They are all plain and made of cardstock with a matching envelope. I think there are ten colors per set and they sell two different sets of colors, dark colors and pastels. I use them all the time and decorate the fronts of them with fabric, ribbon, stamps, or scrapbooking paper. Over the last four three years I have spend $20.00 on those cards and have just used scraps from other projects to decorate them.
On making envelopes: Use old blueprints, maps, or newspaper. It looks really awesome. Then just use a label or solid color cutout to print the addresses on.
I pick up most of my cards at the thrift store--either single occasional cards or packs--for around a quarter. If I can't find anything at the thrift store, I head to Dollar Tree, where cards are 50 cents each. And even places like Target usually have a $1 card section with some pretty cute cards.
This isn't a practical option for most people, but its one of my favorite cards I've received so I thought I'd share!
My fiance worked at a homeless shelter last year and they always had a box full of greeting and birthday cards that kids had made and donated, or clients would make in the art class and just add to the collection. He gave me one from that box for my birthday and I loved it!
Also, I volunteered at a woman's shelter and someone had donated a huge box of cards that it looked like their great aunt or something had saved every card she received over the last 50 years! They were great for the art supply. If you have old ones, consider donating them to a shelter (that has art classes) or preschool. They'll get used!
With three kids, their spouses, ten (going on 11) grandchildren, cards have become a major expense (though those frequent buyer coupons from Hallmark help somewhat!). And I am NOT crafty, sad to say.
I am currently using an online animated card site, jacquielawson.com. For $15 per year, you can send an unlimited amount of cards and she has them for all occassions. They are very cute (though some fall over into TOO cute!) but the kids love them.
Definitely, dollar store. Not all of the cards are blank and the backs of the cards (where the pricing is) looks like you purchased it at a regular store. Also a great place to pick up wrap, gift bags, gift boxes, party decorations or supplies etc... sometimes you can get some of the items 2 for $1 which is an awesome deal.
i always buy gift bags there. i hate to pay $5 for a bag on top of the gift & card. i'd rather spend $5 more on the gift!
And balloons. 99 cents at the dollar store can't be beat for those big ones. They cost over 5 dollars at the grocery store!
Kristen~
what do you print your greeting on? The card directly or a piece of paper that you affix to the card or some adhesive paper thingy? Just curious, as I really like that idea. I dabble at card-making but find that I really need to make some to have on hand for the last minute rush...that's when I brake down and buy the cards.
Camille has made whole sets of watercolor cards. Sometimes we add a birthday or thank you stamp if we're getting crazy, but they are beautiful by themselves, so much cheaper, and a great use of all her watercolor paintings!
I stopped buying cards. I've been using art work form my children. I just cut in down to size, or cut pieces and glue to construction paper and viola! One time for Father's Day I had all of us put hand prints on the card for my dad. I think it makes the card more special. I've asked my husband to stop buying me cards too. He now makes them with the kids for me. 🙂
I tend to make my own when it's my parents. Sure, I might be almost 30 but my parents love my cards.
For everyone else, I actually buy cards in advance when they're on sale. Like Buy 3, Get 3 Free at Carlton cards. I buy several different types and a few blank ones and those are in a binder when I need a card in a jiffy.And even then, I only buy the 99 cent ones. So I end up with 6 cards for only $3.00.
Or I just head to the dollar store then my Card Binder doesn't have one that fits that event.
Last year I gave up on the greeting card industry and bought a twenty pack of blank note cards for $1. When there's a card-giving occasion, I sit down and think about the person on the receiving end. When a funny anecdote or happy memory comes to mind, I include it in the message inside. Or, I just take the time to tell someone what I love about them or how much I care about them.
I think it's a much better expression of affection than a flowery greeting card poem and it only costs me a nickel.
I try to collect "clearance" card/envelopes during the year and save cards that I receive then about twice a year (usually before Valentine's day and again in the fall), my friend and I have a cardmaking day when we pool all our supplies and my kids and we get crafty. Last year, we have an older friend in an assisted living residence join us for our cardmaking, cooked soup in the crockpot & bread in the machine and had a grand afternoon. We all ended up with essentially "free" cards, had a great time together and shared some cross-generational, crafty, frugal goodness. The cards for the most part were left blank by everyone and used throughout the year with handwritten greetings. We had a great time and I am looking forward to again in the fall.
I usually buy cards for $.50 each at Dollar Tree. I also have ourchased some kind of generic cards at Walgreens. They were 2 boxes for $3.00 and eacg box contained twelve cards.
This isn't a way to get extra cards per se, but I save the previous year's Christmas cards and cut them into tags to use on the next Christmas' presents. It's a fun way to get in the seasonal spirit and produces a little less waste at Christmas time.
Through our years of homeschooling we had lots of neat coloring pages done and I would scan, shrink and print them out. Really tightens up the picture and intesifies the colors. http://www.janbrett.com has some great artwork to use for kids' cards. I heard about Jessica Sprague and she has a free online cardmaking seminar with lots of tips and many cards that you just print out. I have been making handmade cards for years but I still learned a lot from her free seminar. Once you sign up , it comes to your email daily for over a week. you can do it at your leisure and download cards to use in the future.
I guess I'm spoiled by having lived near a Current Warehouse Store. You can get any type of Current cards there for a deep discount. My favorite time of year to shop there is the day after Christmas--I can get all of my consumable Christmas supplies for the next year for pennies on the dollar. This is true for all holidays.
Trader Joe's sells beautiful cards for only $.99 each.
A couple of years ago Costco sold boxes of handmade cards where the cards inside ended up being only $1 each or so. They were very beautiful, had lots of variety and also included gift enclosures. I haven't looked for them recently, so am not sure if they are still available or not.
The girls and I usually make our own cards these days.
I really like the convenience of the Hallmark 99 cent cards. If you sign up for their Hallmark Crown card you receive coupons frequently in the mail that usually pay for a few cards. I also love to have my kids make cards for friends and family 🙂
for mothers day once, i bought a little 3 by 3 flip book. (cardstock) and put pictures & wrote on the opposite pages. i also let my kids each decorate 1 page each & let her know how great she is. i believe she still loves it to this day!. my sis in law did that for me on the day my daughter was born. she took a pic of each couple in the waiting room & let them write a little note & she cut & pasted them across from eachother ( the pics & notes) i still love it & it sits on my dresser. you can decorate them with great scrapbooking stickers & all.
I just keep an eye out for when places have scrapbooking packs on sale (near me I have places like spotlight) or paper packs on sale then add it to my box of paper stuff. The kids then get the job of making cards for people - though I did notice that they were slack with these last few birthdays and actually bought cards for people (it was their own money though so not really complaining but will be having a talk about how people really love home made cards and how much money it actually saves
I use bits of cards I find around the house, the backs of old note pads works well, or I use plain cardstock. I just use bits and bobs I find such as buttons wee pictures I cut out from brochures (nice brown paper brochures that is not horrible glossy ones). If I see wee advertisements for gallery shows etc they often have little artistic pieces I can cut out. Also hand sewing a message through the card with wool or embroidery cotton looks really neat. I try to avoid spending any extra money at all on cards and make envelopes out of brown paper, tie them up with some string and a cute wee picture or a button to the knot!
I get together with three of my freinds. We each pick a design we like and make enough for each of us; by doing that several times with different designs, an afternoon of fun and produciton happens (and food, with each person bringing part of a soup meal).
My husband's birthday was yesterday, and I saw this post. I had accidentally left my wallet in the car he took to work, and I was trying to figure out what to do (hadn't gotten him a card yet!).
I was so inspired, I made him a card, and then made him a gift with postcards and a postcard album I found in with my craft and scrapbooking supplies - places we've been, places we'd like to go, plus a map of Europe to help us plan our first big overseas trip.
Thanks for helping me to keep birthday spending to a minimum!
My thrift mart has gift cards for 10 cents. These are nice Hallmark type cards! I always have a constant stock of nice things to send.
I also make my own thank you notes. I use an 8.5 x 11 inche piece of copy paper and in the right corner, I place an old black and white photo of myself with I was three. I have several of these photos and they're really cool. I make copys at my local copy shop (8 cents each) and fold into a card. I buy envelopes at the thrift mart. For 18 cents, I create a really neat custom card. People really appreciate the personal touch!
Scrapbooking supplies are definitely great, as are the $10 boxes of 25 cards with beautiful patterned fronts at Michaels. And along the lines of fonts, I'm OBSESSED with http://www.dafont.com - you get great free fonts for your computer - I use these for everything!! 🙂
When my friend gives me a card, she writes her message on a post it note so I can reuse the card too.
Buy note cards at dollar tree. Write a nice note and add a pack of flowers seeds ...also dollar tree. Buy vintage boxes of cards at thrift store.