Personally I'll either buy cards after the season is over (so Christmas cards in January, for example) or I'll buy bulk boxes of 40+ cards in order to make them more cost efficient. If I can get a bulk box of cards after the event cheaply, even better! If I only need one or two cards, or they're for a special person, I'll sometimes make my own cards as well to make them extra special. That being said though it doesn't always work out cheaper to do it that way. I know some people only send e-cards now as a way to save money, although personally I find they're not as personal as receiving an actual card.
I prefer sending actual cards in the mail instead of e-cards. As you mention, actual cards (especially with hand-written messages) are more personal. I recently made the invitation cards for my son's birthday card. DIY cards can save a lot of money! DIY cards can be done by hand with scrapbook in materials or designed on your home computer easily. I also like to use photo websites such as Shutterfly to make photo cards. There are often promo codes for discounts and sometimes even free cards from websites such as Shutterfly, which can save a lot of money. For individual birthday cards, I usually purchase them at Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree has individual greeting cards 2 for $1, as well as some nicer ones for $1. I usually find unopened or mostly full packages of Christmas cards at thrift stores and garage sales for around $1 each. I will purchase these unused Christmas cards throughout the year as I find them. I do not think it is necessary for everyone on my Christmas card list to receive the exact same Christmas card from me, so I do not mind the mixing and matching of Christmas cards. I also purchase new packages of thank you notes or blank cards at thrift stores and garage sales, for usually around .50 cents to $1 each.
That's a really good idea to look for cards at thrift stores or garage sales. I hadn't thought to look for those there! Thanks for the idea. I'll have to take a look the next time I'm in town to see if there's any around. I bet you can pick them up pretty cheaply! I agree with not everyone needing to receive the same card, too. I like to send a variety of cards and try to personalise them to the recipient so that they're getting something they'd like. I think it's nicer that way than sending the same card to everyone. Thats the bonus with buying parts of boxes too, I would think. That you can mix and match more different designs and sizes.
I'll have my kids make the cards. They are hand drawn and very cute. I have a hard time spending $4 on a birthday card when we can make one for a few cents. I think people can appreciate the time and effort put into making a card. I have my kids think about what they are going to draw and the colours they are going to choose. We try and make the cards personal to the individual so that they know that we care. I have some card stock paper and we glue their cards on this thicker paper and it makes a nice card.
I do not usually buy cards unless I am in a hurry and do not have time for the kids to make one. I feel the price of cards are a little extreme. Although, the dollar stores do have cute cards for cheap. I like having my kids make them as they are more personal and who does not like getting something that is homemade and from the heart? They may not be as creative or beautifully written but they are definitely a small fraction of the cost of a store bought card.
I have thought about buying bulk boxes, but they are pretty pricey too. I buy the 99 cent cards or the 2 for a 1 at the Dollar Tree. That has saved me so many times! I hate having to run out to get a card and spending $4 a pop.
I've been buying my cards at Dollar Tree lately, since as mentioned above, 2 for $1 or even $1 apiece is very reasonable. I have also found that there are some cards at Kroger for $.99, but the selection is very limited, and they're often picked over. I knew card prices had increased, but was shocked to see some for $7.95 at Kroger last time I was shopping. Obviously some people have extra money to spend on things like that, but I'd rather spend maybe $2.95 if I wanted a special card, then put the rest of the money on the actual gift. I will occasionally make a card for a special occasion. I do have some nice card stock and other supplies leftover from one year that I went all out and created Christmas cards for everyone, but I don't really have the room to do that these days.
There are quite a few places that offer the 2 for $1.00 deal. I've found some perfectly nice cards for that price. There are boxed cards for other occasions as well, complete with envelopes. I found some mixed birthday, thank you, and other occasion cards for like $2.00 per box of ten. I think I still have a couple around that I held onto in case of emergency. Making cards works too, although, I've seen some homemade cards that have to cost a pretty penny. It's more of a craft or hobby, I think. Also, if you are gifting money, you can ask your bank for money holders. They have a circle cut out so the person can see the bill inside, without it just being lose inside a card. They come with envelopes too. I've gotten them for free (since I ask infrequently, they didn't charge me). Worth a try.
There's another easy way to save money on cards or anything else. Since gift cards can be used to buy anything, you could use a discounted gift card to buy Christmas cards. There are a number of sites where you can buy said discounted gift cards which will guarantee you some savings anytime you buy anything [using them].
I'm the type that can't be bothered to send actual cards, so I will certainly choose e-cards or just send a simple text message as greeting for a certain special occasions.
I haven't sent cards in a very long time but I do get them from time to time from relatives and some of my family also still use them. I guess this is a good tip I can share with all of them and I'm sure they will all appreciate it. Although I'm not too sure how much they would follow the advice since I'm not sure they really send out that much. From what I understand they more or less just buy a few cards each year but I suppose it's still a good method to just buy them all at the same time when they are at their cheapest.
The obvious thing to say here is that one could save money on cards by making them instead of purchasing them. Some of the cards in the shops are much too expensive for mere cards. Of course having computers these days, one could send an electronic e-card, or design one themselves in photoshop, later printing it off.
As much as I love making cards for birthdays and holidays and such, sometimes it can be very time consuming, especially when I have to make them for multiple people. My mom is always having to buy/send out cards, so she will either buy them in packages or go to the Dollar Store. She buys packages of 10-40 cards that are either blank (so you can write your own message for any occasion), themed (for Christmas or birthdays), or "Thank You" cards if she needs to send them out after a big event/holiday where we received gifts. If she doesn't buy a package and just needs one or two cards for specific people, she normally goes to the Dollar Tree (I think each card is a dollar). They actually have a pretty great selection of cute cards for a lot of occasions, and they are much cheaper than going to the grocery store/Target/drugstores to buy them.
I always buy my greeting cards at the Dollar Store. Many of their cards are 50 cents and some are one dollar. I can't justify paying 4 or 5 dollars for a greeting card from Wal-Mart or the grocery store. Of course buying cards at the same place may have its drawbacks. I am an animal person and when I buy cards I often choose ones that have an animal on them. When I bought a birthday card for my daughter this year, I picked one out that had a picture of several dogs with party hats on their heads. Plus, one of the dogs on the card looked like my daughter's dog. When I gave her the card on her birthday, she looked at it and immediately said, "I think you've given me this card before". We had a good laugh, because I'm sure I did!
People always seem to see it as endearing when they get gifts that are made by children, regardless of whether or not they actually like the design lol. If you have kids, a cheap way and less time consuming way to give people birthdays cards is to get your children to make them. The kids have fun making them too, you save money, and the person who receives the card has to smile and say thank you whether they like it or not lol.
If I have the time and the materials I like to make my own cards. It is a great activity to do with the kids. I agree with DreekLass, they definitely enjoy it and it is a money saver. However, sometimes you do not have enough time to make a card and need to get one asap because you forgot about a birthday or something similar then I would also grab cheap ones form the dollar store. I hardly buy the expensive cards.
My solution to that would be to make a batch of cards in advance. My uncle's wife is the creative type - makes the best most deliciously creative cupcakes, and also has a knack for making cards and such. They look really professional too. She must follow tutorials.But she usually makes a batch of them, so I am guessing she never has to rush out and buy any. Also, if anyone else is in need of an emergency card, they just go to her and pay a small fee, much cheaper than in the shops.
