Sweet Frugal Life

Christmas Gift Ideas For College Students Under $25

September 23, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Budget Friendly Gifts For Young Adults

Are you looking for Christmas gift ideas for college students under $25? Well I have the list for you! I’ve searched the internet and found the perfect list of gifts for young adults. And do you want to know what the best part is???? Everything on this list is budget friendly! You can buy your loved one something that they will need, love and enjoy….without having to break the bank! Yay!

Sweet Frugal Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Essential Oil Diffuser

Alright, it’s no secret that dorm rooms can get a little smelly, so help a young college student out with an essential oil diffuser. Not only will this make their room smell amazing, it will also help to alleviate a lot of their stress and other ailments. This essential oil diffuser has great reviews and a great price!

Cell Phone Stand

Here’s a great budget friendly gift idea for college students under $25; a cell phone stand! This is the perfect item for them to place on their desk while they are studying, or next to their bed when they just want to relax.

Laundry Basket

Most college students will need a laundry hamper to haul their laundry back and forth to the laundry mat. This one is really cute and affordable, it comes in a lot of different colors and has great reviews!

Sleep Mask

Sharing a room isn’t easy, especially if you’re not use to it or have different sleep patterns from your roommate. A sleep mask is the perfect gift to help your college student relax and get a good nights rest. The entire dormitory will be jealous of this one!

Makeup Brushes

Honestly, a girl can never have to many makeup brushes! I am absolutely in love with these rose gold brushes. The set comes with 14 different brushes and has over 100,000 positive reviews! This is a perfect gift for a young college girl.

Cell Phone Armband

If you are shopping for someone that likes to run, you might want to consider gifting them a cell phone armband. This one even comes with an adjustable strap, key pocket and holes for headphones.

Adult Coloring Book

Coloring is one of the best ways to alleviate stress and pass the time. You might want to gift your college student an adult coloring book and a pack of markers. They’ll love getting to sit, color and relax during their free time. You’re never to old for a coloring book and some markers!

College Cookbook

Most young adults are still learning how to cook and figure out how to care for themselves. This is a great cookbook for college students! All of the recipes can be made with 5 ingredients or less and are really easy to throw together. The perfect gift for college students!

Wristlet Keychain

Here’s a trendy way for college kids to keep track of their room keys and school IDs. I love the wristlet keychain and all of the many colors and designs you can choose from. There is something for everyone!

Water Bottle

Another great gift idea for young adults is a water bottle. They can carry it with them to class, to the gym, or wherever. I love this water bottle because it does an excellent job at keeping the perfect temperature inside of the water bottle for hours and hours. If you need to keep your drink hot-it can do that! But, if you want your drink to stay cold….it will do that too!

Bluetooth Key Tracker

They will never lose their keys again with the Tile Mate Bluetooth tracker. This tracker can easily attach it to their key ring to make sure they are never lost! It’s a great gift for anyone, but especially those learning more about responsibility.

Sewing Kit

You might consider giving the gift of a sewing kit! This will help them mend their clothes and learn how to be self sufficient in small repairs. Here is the perfect sewing kit for emergencies.

Portable Charger

College students are often on the go, so buying them a portable charger will help them keep their electronics fully charged, no matter where they are. This 2 pack portable charger has great reviews!

What Do You Meme Game

My friends and I loved to play big group games when we were in college. The What Do You Meme Game is the perfect group game for this age group! It’s seriously so funny!

Related: Best Family Games Under $20

Stress Balls

These stress balls are another great gift option to help alleviate stress. They come in a three pack and I absolutely love that each ball includes a motivational saying.

Tool Set

I was given a small tool set when I was going to college and I LOVED it so much! My roommates and I used it all the time around our apartment. It was so handy. I found a fantastic 39 piece tool set with great reviews and under $25 here!

Pillow Slippers

Most college students need some type of sandal to wear around the dorm and in the showers. These pillow slippers are super popular right now and perfect for dorm life!

Throw Blanket

I love getting throw blankets for Christmas. It’s such a fun way to brighten up a room, and you can really never have to many blankets around! Here is a beautiful throw with multiple colors and styles to choose from.

Dart Board

What’s a dorm room without a dart board?!?!? This is the perfect gift ideas to help young adults have fun with their friends and roommates while away at school. I found a fun magnetic dart board from Amazon and it is sure to provide hours of fun and entertainment!

Personal Finance Books

Young adulthood is an important time to learn how to be responsible, care for yourself and prepare for a successful future. I highly recommend gifting anyone at this age a personal finance book to help them get a jumpstart on their finances. The Infographic Guide to Personal Finance is the perfect book to help anyone just starting out in life to understand personal finance better. The graphics explains personal finance in very simple and easy to understand terms. You can grab it here!

Related: 9 Best Books About Money For Beginners

Portable Safe

Beings how most college dorms and apartments are public areas, with many people coming and going, it’s smart to have some type of protection from any potential theft. This portable safe is the perfect gift to help keep their valuables safe while living away from home. The reviews are great, and it’s portable…so perfect for bringing wherever they need to go.

Snack Care Package

You can never go wrong giving a college student food! Consider buying them this food care package to help alleviate their late night snack cravings!

Toiletry Bag

Another frugal gift idea for college students is a toiletry bag. It will help them carry their toiletries to and from the bathrooms and for traveling back and forth between home and college. I found a great toiletry bag you can get here, and it’s under $25!

Amazon Prime Student Membership

Give the gift that just keeps on giving! I’m talking about an Amazon Prime Student Membership. With this gift subscription your student will get: free 2-day shipping, access to Prime music and video, unlimited photo storage and so much more!

Clip On Fan

I loved having a small fan in my bedroom while at college. It helped me sleep better by giving some white noise and keeping the air moving. Here are some budget friendly fans college students can clip on their beds. You can even choose from a variety of fun colors!

In Conclusion

There are so many gift ideas for college students under $25! In all honesty….money is usually tight for a young adult, so they are happy to receive ANYTHING! You could even just give them a gift card or two! Those were always some of my fave gifts when I was in college. Remember, it is the thought that counts….not the price tag!

Check out my other gift guides:

Gift Ideas for Toddlers Under $25

Gift Ideas For 5-7 Year Old Girls Under $25

Cheap Gift Ideas for Teen Boys All Under $25!

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Best Christmas gift ideas for college students under $25.

Harry Potter Theme Party Ideas

September 15, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

Fun ideas for a Harry Potter birthday party!

My youngest turned 10 last week and he really wanted a Harry Potter themed birthday party. As a huge Harry Potter fan myself, I was so excited to make his dreams become a reality! One of the best things about throwing a Harry Potter birthday party is that there are just SO many fun activities you can do. We had so much fun looking up ideas, planning the party together. and making “magic” happen.

The party was a huge success and I’m so excited to share all the nitty gritty details with you today!

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Harry Potter Party Decorations

The decorations for this party were very simple. Basically all I did was splurge on a Platform 9 3/4 sign for our front door, and placed a few candles on the table (easy peasy is my jam). The kids loved walking through the platform curtain and I’m so happy I bought it! My son now has it hanging in his bedroom doorway. It’s so cute!

Sorting Hat Cupcakes

The party started with our Sorting Hat Cupcakes. This was probably my favorite part of the entire party! I knew I wanted to sort everyone into a house, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to do that. But, then I came across the idea to use Sorting Hat Cupcakes.

These were a huge hit and I’m so glad we went this direction.

But, I have to give a little disclaimer! I am by no means a professional cake decorator or baker! But, I do like trying to find budget friendly ways to make my kids dreams come true! And fortunately, even though these cupcakes did not look perfect….my Harry Potter fan LOVED them….and that’s really all that mattered.

How To Make Sorting Hat Cupcakes

Sorting hat cupcakes are so easy to make! Just bake cupcakes according to your favorite cake recipe instructions.

Once the cupcakes are baked and cooled, take a spoon and gently spoon out some of the middle of the cupcake.

Next, mix up 4 different colors of frosting. One will be blue (for Ravenclaw house), one red (for Gryffindor house), another yellow (for Hufflepuff house), and the last green (for Slytherin house). Which are, obviously, the different colors of the four houses in Harry Potter. I really like this frosting recipe and then I used food coloring to make the different colors.

After you’ve made your frosting it’s time to fill the cupcakes. Put a different color of frosting into the middle of each cupcake.

Frost the cupcake with white frosting, making sure to cover the colored frosting. Then, put half an Oreo on top of the frosting. This will be the first part of your sorting hat.

Lastly, add a Hershey kiss on top of the Oreo half. I had to put a little bit of frosting on the bottom of the kiss to make sure it stuck to the oreo. And ta-dah! Your sorting hat cupcakes are done!

After singing Happy Birthday I let each of the kids randomly choose a cupcake. Whichever color of frosting was inside their cupcake was the house that they would be in. They loved getting to take off the sorting hat to see which house they were in. It was such a fun activity!

I forgot to take a picture of the kids finding out what house they are in, but here is a picture of the Great Hall before our guests arrived.

Harry Potter Party Activities

After the kids were sorted into their houses and finished eating their cupcakes we started the activities. Each activity was in a different room and represented a different Hogwarts Class. I pinned our class schedule onto a bulletin board to display and the kids loved looking to see the different classes for the day. If you want this class schedule, you can grab it for free here: Harry Potter Class Schedule Printable

History of Magic

Our first class was the History of Magic. In the History of Magic class we learned about the famous wizard who defeated Voldemort….I’m talking about Harry Potter of course!

After learning about Harry Potter we played the game, Pin the Scar on Harry. My husband drew the poster for me (because he is much more artistic than I am) and I printed out some lightning bolt scars. Yay for team effort! This game was a lot of fun, you just can’t beat the tried and true classic!

Potions

Next up on the schedule was Potions. The kids absolutely LOVED this class and it turned out even better than I had imagined!

I wanted to do a simple science experiment, but with big results. So, I decided to do an old favorite of mixing vinegar and baking soda together. When you combine the vinegar and baking soda together it bubbles up really big. The dish soap makes it more bubbly, and the rest of the ingredients are just for fun! I printed up a potions card to display, and you can print it out for free here: Harry Potter Growth Potion.

Unicorn Potion: Vinegar

Dragons Blood: Food Coloring

Spider Venom: Dish Soap

Gillyweed: Oregano (although the kids all let me know gillyweed is suppose to be slimy…you win some and you lose some)

Crushed Bones: Baking Soda

To set up potions class, I bought these science mixing cups from Amazon. Then I printed out labels for each of the ingredients and taped them to the cups.

Potions class was outside (because I knew it would be messy!). Each party guest started with a small mason jar and a stirring stick (the stirring sticks came with the science mixing cups I had bought).

Then, we brought out a new ingredient one by one as they stirred it all together. Make sure to add the baking soda last for the big surprise. The entire solution will foam over the mason jars. The kids were all shocked and surprised at the result! It was a huge hit and fun to see their reactions!

Related: Budget Friendly Birthday Traditions for Kids

Divinations

Next up was Divinations class. This class was another huge hit!

To prepare in advance I made this fortune teller guide.

The night before the party I put a small drop of food coloring into 8 different plastic cups, one for each child coming. The food coloring needs to dry completely before adding anything else to the cup, so doing this the night before is necessary. Then, right before divination class began I filled the cups up with ice to hide the food coloring at the bottom.

I wanted to make this experience really fun for the kids. So, I poured some sprite into a large bowl and then added a dry ice block to make it foggy. The kids LOVED this!

I handed each of the kids one of the cups I had prepped earlier. Then one by one I spooned sprite into each cup. We had to wait a few minutes for the fog to clear but once it did the sprite had changed colors (thanks to the dried food coloring). We were able to use the color in the cup and fortune teller guide to tell each of the kids their fortunes. It was so fun!

Charms Class

After divination we went to charms class. Earlier in the week my son had made wands for each of the party guests and we let everyone choose a wand for charms class. I found a Wand Motion Chart from The Scrap Shoppe Blog and gave one to each kid. Together we practiced a few charms and spells, and the kids had fun practicing the different wand motions.

Related: DIY Harry Potter Wand

Defense Against The Dark Arts

Last, but not least we went to Defense Against The Dark Arts class. I thought it would be fun to have a pinata in this class for the kids to “battle.” I found this spider pinata on Amazon and decided it would be perfect! After coloring in the face (to make it more spooky) and filling it with candy we were ready to go!

Everyone got a turn to hit the spider with a bat, and then we let the birthday boy finish it off. The kids loved grabbing the candy with their Harry Potter goody bag.

The Party Was A Hit

The kids had so much fun at our Harry Potter themed party. I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better! Let me know if any of these ideas helped you plan your own party! I’d love to hear how they worked out.

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I hope you enjoyed these Harry Potter Theme Party ideas!

DIY Harry Potter Wand

August 31, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Easy Homemade Harry Potter Wand With Chopsticks

Last month my youngest turned ten (I can’t believe how fast he is growing up!). He asked for a Harry Potter themed birthday party. I’m pretty sure he decided on this idea from our recent Universal Studios trip….but I wasn’t complaining! Once we decided on the theme I knew we couldn’t have a Harry Potter themed party without having wands (amiright??). So, with a little bit of DIYing and patience we whipped up a few budget friendly wands! My son and I had so much fun making these DIY Harry Potter Wands! They are SO easy and addicting to make! I seriously didn’t want to stop creating!

These homemade Harry Potter wands with chopsticks are the perfect craft for any Harry Potter lover, including kids and adults! And, do you want to know the best part???? They were also really cheap! The only thing I had to buy were the chopsticks and some hot glue! Fortunately, I had paint and paintbrushes at home, but luckily they are both really cheap to buy if you need some!

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

How to Make DIY Harry Potter Wands

The first thing you need to do before making these homemade wands is to gather your supplies. You will need:

1. Squeeze Hot Glue Onto Chopstick

The first thing you will need to do to make your DIY Harry Potter wand is to warm up your hot glue. I like to place the hot glue gun over a paper plate, so that the melty glue will drip onto the plate as it warms. This makes for easy clean up!

Once your hot glue is warm and melty, it’s time to make the design of your homemade wand. I love this part!!

All you have to do is take your hot glue gun and slowly squirt hot glue onto the handle part of one chopstick.

This is the part when you can let your creativity shine! You can put a lot of hot glue on the end for a nice, thick handle. Or, you might choose to only put on a small amount of glue. Feel free to add some swirly glue designs too. I tried to cover about 1/3-1/4 of the chopstick with glue, just depending on the design I was going for. Whatever you think will look good!

One of my favorite things about these homemade wands is that no matter how your glue comes onto your chopstick, the finished product will still look good! I worried a few times that I had messed up a wand with clumps of hot glue, but once I was done, it always looked just as good as all of the other wands!

2. Let The Hot Glue Dry

Next, you will need to set your chopstick onto a paper plate and let the glue dry. Hot glue dries fairly fast, so it shouldn’t take very long before being able to move to the next stop.

3. Paint Chopstick

Once the hot glue is dry, you can start painting your chopstick/wand! We all decided we preferred the dark and moody colors for the wands, but really anything goes! It was so fun to mix colors together and make something magical and unique!

This step is so easy, just dab a little bit of glue onto your paintbrush and paint the wand!

Once you are done painting your wand set it onto a paper plate to dry.

Most of our wands needed two coats of paint. So, make sure to check the wand once the paint is dry to see if it will need to be painted again.

Enjoy!

That’s it! Your DIY Harry Potter wand is complete! See how easy that was??? It’s the perfect craft for adults and kids and everyone in between! All that’s left to do is to spend hours casting magical spells (Acio wand!).

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Have fun making your own DIY Harry Potter wand!

Gift Ideas for Toddlers Under $25

August 30, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Check Out These Budget Friendly Gifts for Toddlers.

Toddlers are honestly one of my favorite people to shop for! They are so fun, cute and excited about almost anything! Their toys are always bright and colorful and just bring me a lot of joy. I also think toddlers are perfect for budget friendly gifts. They do not need anything fancy and will be happy with a free, empty box! Here are a few budget friendly gift ideas for toddlers all under $25. I hope you find just what you’re looking for!

LeapFrog Learning Book:

There is so much learning that happens during the toddler years. This LeapFrog Learning Book is the perfect way to enhance this important learning by teaching new words to your child. It has lights, songs, pictures, and everything that any kid could want in a book. Plus, it’s affordable! Yay!

Melissa & Doug Safari Chunky Puzzle:

Little hands will love this Safari Chunky Puzzle. The pieces are easy to maneuver and a great toy to help with fine motor development.

Drum Set:

With over 10,000 positive reviews this Toddler Drum Set is a sure to be a favorite. It comes with different melodies to play with, or has other options for free play, letters, and numbers. We all know toddlers love to make noise and this drum set is perfect for doing just that!

Matching Eggs Set:

Help toddlers learn colors and shapes with this STEM toy. The Matching Eggs Set helps toddlers develop fine motor skills as they learn and practice matching items together.

Lego Duplo Alphabet Train

I love this cute LEGO DUPLO Alphabet Train. It makes a perfect educational toy as it will help kids learn their letters. Plus, a train is so fun to push and pull for free play.

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Kids Tent:

My kids always loved when we had a kids sized tent in the house. This Rocket Ship Tent is perfect for toddlers to snuggle, hide, and play in. If the Rocket Ship theme isn’t for your toddler, they even have other styles to choose from!

Shopping Cart:

Toddlers love to push just about anything around the house. This cute Shopping Cart is perfect to get those little legs moving!

Mega Bloks:

These fun Mega Bloks are perfect for little hands to hold and build with. This set of building blocks comes with 80 pieces and has fantastic reviews!

Slice and Bake Cookie Set:

Ok, but how cute is this Slice and Bake Cookie Set???? I mean, I want one for myself! This is such a fun way to encourage pretend play with your toddler! And the price is right!

VTech Spin and Learn Flashlight:

Let your toddler have their own kid friendly flashlight with the VTech Spin and Learn Flashlight. It’s less than $10 and comes complete with songs, sounds and lights!

Fine Motor Hedgehog:

This Hedgehog Toy is perfect for helping little ones develop those important fine motor skills. It has over 10,000 positive review and currently priced below $15! A great deal!

Play Doctor Set:

When my oldest was just 2 years old we bought her a Play Doctor Set and throughout the next ten years that was the most beloved toy by all of my kids and their friends. It was worth every penny and I am saving it for my grandkids to pay with one day!

Here is a similar Play Doctor Set that I know all of the toddlers in the world will love! It’s less than $15 and comes with 11 pieces to play doctor with.

Shape Sorter:

Every kid needs a shape sorter and this wooden shape sorter is perfect! It has bright colors and 12 different shapes for sorting.

Pull and Sing Puppy:

Toddlers love push and pull toys. This Pull and Sing Puppy will provide a lot of entertainment for kids to pull along behind them while listening to music. Plus, it has tens of thousands positive reviews. This is a great gift!

Take Apart Truck With Toy Drill:

Most kids love toys that make them feel more grown up. This Take Apart Truck with Toy Drill is perfect for that! The drill gives toddlers the ability to take apart a truck, and put it together again!

Storybook Projector Flashlight:

This Storybook Projector Flashlight is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen! It’s a projector you can attach to your smartphone and then projects images from a story on the wall or ceiling as you read.

Kids are sure to love this fun, magical way to read a story.

Luv N Snuggle Baby Doll:

Baby dolls are well loved toys for toddlers to practice pretend play. The Luv N Snuggle Baby Doll is the perfect size for toddlers to carry around and love on.

Kids Cleaning Set:

Another fun toy for encouraging pretend play is the Kids Cleaning Set. It comes with a kid sized mop, broom, and duster perfect for them to mimic cleaning around the house. And, (my favorite part) this toy includes a place to store the toys that is equally cute and fun! It’s currently on sale for just under $25!

Board Books Set:

Toddlers love to look at books with bright, big pictures. Give them this Board Book Set with 10 books focused on teaching them all about numbers, colors, animals, and more! This set is a great deal at less than $20!

Doodle Mat:

Mess free coloring exists with this Aqua Doodle Mat. You won’t have to worry about paint or markers on the walls or furniture when your toddler uses this fun mat for coloring.

Fishing Bath Toy:

This Fishing Bath Toy looks like so much fun for any water play. Your toddler will get to play fisherman with 30 different colorful fish. Use it in the bathtub or just for playing around the house!

Bristle Blocks:

Another fun and easy building block for toddlers to use are these Bristle Blocks. The pieces are chunky and easy to stick together. This set even comes with flowers and jungle animals!

Toddler Busy Board:

Toddlers will have so much fun learning new skills and keeping their fingers busy with this Toddler Busy Board. It would be the perfect toy for car trips or quiet church activities.

Scavenger Hunt Game:

This Scavenger Hunt Game is perfect for helping little ones explore their home. The colors are bright and fun and the game is less than $15! This would be such a fun way to encourage parent-child or sibling-sibling interaction at home.

Bubble Machine:

There is just something about bubbles that makes everything more fun! This Bubble Machine will keep the bubbles flowing for your toddler. It has over 5,000 positive reviews and will be an instant favorite!

In Conclusion

The most important thing when buying presents for loved ones is to remember that the price of the gift is not what’s important. All that matters is that you have taken the time, thought and kindness to choose something they will enjoy. Toddlers are great are truly appreciating all the little and beautiful things in life!

Cheap Gift Ideas for Teen Boys All Under $25!

25 Gift Ideas for Tween Girls; all under $25!

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What frugal gift ideas for toddlers do you have???

How To Save Money On Your Universal Orlando Vacation

August 5, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Tips for Universal Studios on a budget!

Our family recently got home from a fun vacation to Universal Studios Orlando. We had so much fun spending the week together as a family, making memories, and riding all of the fun rides with our 3 kids. One of my goals for this trip, and every trip we take, is to have a memorable vacation without having to spend a ton of money. So, today I’m going to share exactly how to save money on your Universal Studios vacation! I hope it will help each of you be able to take this trip, even if your budget is tight.

Disclosure: “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Best Tips to Save Money On Your Universal Orlando Vacation

Any vacation will cost money, but there are some tricks you can do to lower the price a little bit. Learn how to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation below!

1. Stay At A Hotel With A Kitchenette

One of my best budget travel hacks is to book a hotel that has a small kitchen, or kitchenette. This was a huge money saver for us! We ordered groceries from Walmart and had them delivered to the hotel the first day that we arrived. I also saw a lot of people using Amazon Fresh to get groceries delivered.

Using our kitchenette we were able to eat all of our breakfasts and lunches in our room, and only ate out for dinner.

Hotel Breakfast Ideas:

Cold Cereal
Instant Oatmeal
Muffins
Yogurt
Granola
Fruit

Hotel Lunch Ideas:

Mac and Cheese
Sandwiches
Bagels with Cream Cheese
Fruit
Protein Drink
Salad
Cup of Noodles

2. Book Discount Universal Tickets

When purchasing your Universal Studio tickets, make sure to buy them from a discount retailer, you’ll be able to get the best deals and a few added perks! I bought our tickets from Undercover Tourist and was so impressed with the price and ease of the purchase.

A couple other discount retailers I recommend are Costco and Get Away Today (use code SWEETFRUGAL for $10 off your Get Away Today vacation package!).

Related: Our Budget Friendly Disneyland Vacation

3. Split a Meal

Another great way to save money at Universal studios is to split a meal between two people, instead of buying one for each person in your group. All of the meals that we had at Universal Studios were very large portioned, making it easy to buy one meal and split it two ways!

4. Skip Park-To-Park Tickets

Universal Orlando sells two different types of tickets. You can either purchase a single park per day ticket or a park-to-park ticket. The single park per day ticket will allow you into one of the Universal theme parks each day. The park-to-park ticket allows you to visit multiple parks in one day.

Now, I totally think the park-to-park tickets are convenient and fun, but I still recommend skipping buying them. Why you might ask? Well, first off each park is huge and can easily fill an entire day. It takes a lot of time to get to each park, so we prefer staying and enjoying one park each day. The amount of time it takes to walk around one park, and then walk to the next park, and then walk around the other park just doesn’t make much sense to me.

The second reason I recommend buying a single park per day ticket is because it is much cheaper than the park-to-park tickets. You can see the exact same attractions for a cheaper price. I personally don’t think it’s worth the extra money.

Now, honestly, I give this tip with a little bit of hesitation. If you are a big Harry Potter fan, than paying the extra money *might* be worth it to you. The only way that you can experience the Hogwarts Express ride is if you have a park-to-park ticket. The Hogwarts Express was closed when we were there, and at first I was really sad about it, but now I don’t feel like we missed much by not riding on it. We were still able to experience all of the other incredible Harry Potter attractions.

Another exception I would make to my advice of skipping the park-to-park pass is if you only plan to attend Universal Studios for one day. If you only have one day for the park, buy the park-to-park….but if you are going to be there for multiple days anyways, then save yourself some money and purchase the single park per day passes.

5. Visit During The Off Season

One of the easiest ways to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation is to plan your visit during the off season months. The cheapest months to go to Universal Studios Orlando is in January, February, or September. Not only will Universal Theme Park tickets be cheaper, but so will hotel rooms and many airfares.

Related: The Best Budget Travel Tips

6. Skip The Express Passes

Another extra you can purchase is the Express Pass. The Express Pass is in addition to your regular Universal Studios ticket. This amazing pass gives you the ability to cut to the front of the line on almost every ride (all but two!). It is a great way to save time, ensure that you can ride all of the rides, and stay out of the heat.

I was jealous of every single person who was using the Express Pass, however I do not recommend you buy one…..and here’s why:

The Express Passes are really really expensive. Like, more than double the cost of your ticket expensive. Plus, I don’t think they are necessary!

We visited Universal Studios during one of the hottest, busiest times of the year….and we were still able to ride on every ride that we wanted to ride in. Yes, we had to stand in long lines, yes it was hot….but we survived! And saved a ton of money in the process!

Standing in long lines is not the most fun way to spend a day….but it doesn’t have to be a terrible thing! To help make the experience a little more enjoyable make sure to bring a lot of water, a mist spray bottle, snacks and some fun games. Before our trip I downloaded the Heads Up app onto my phone and we had so much fun playing it while standing in line. We were even able to make a few friends this way!

7. Fill Your Water Bottle At The Free Coca-Cola Freestyle Stations

One of my favorite Universal Studios money saving hack is to fill up your water bottle with ice water for free at the Coca-Cola Stations around the park. These stations are available in multiple locations (you can find exactly where on the Universal app).

You can bring your water bottle into the park and fill it up for free with ice water at any of these stations. Many of them even had free cups available for anyone who didn’t have a water bottle. It’s a great way to stay hydrated while at Universal Studios, without having to spend money on drinks.

My kids loved using these collapsible water bottles, they were lightweight to carry around, and then pull out and fill up whenever we came to a freestyle station.

8. Pack Food Into Park

Buying food inside of Universal Studios is expensive. You will save so much money if you pack your own food into the park each day. We like to pack a backpack full of snacks, sandwiches, and fruit. This way we can bring it with us around the park and we don’t have to pay for a locker.

Related: Family Trip To San Diego

9. Purchase Souvenirs Outside Of Universal Parks

Souvenirs are a fun part of traveling and visiting somewhere new. We love bringing home a memento or two from our travels.

The problem with souvenirs at Universal Studios, is that they are very expensive!

Fortunately, you can buy the exact same products (or very very similar) for much less if you buy them outside of the park.

For cheaper Universal souvenirs check out Amazon, Target and Walmart. You can even buy an interactive wand on eBay for cheap…and use it to cast spells while at Universal Studios! Turn around and sell it once you get home again!

10. Choose A Hotel Off Site

You can find a lot of great hotel options within the Universal Resort. However, if you are trying to cut costs, I recommend booking a hotel outside of the resort hotels. You can find a lot of great value hotels on International Drive.

Just remember, when booking a hotel off site to add in the “extras” you will be paying. These extras might include: resort fees, shuttle bus, parking, etc. I still think you can find good deals, even with these extras, but the extra costs can be a shock if it wasn’t planned beforehand……and we don’t like surprises when it comes to our pocket book!

11. Buy Tickets In Advance

Universal Studios tickets prices tend to increase the closer it gets to a specific park date. You will save much more money (and time!) if you buy your park tickets in advance. I recommend getting them as soon as you decide to go, months in advance is best!

12. Stock Up On Extras Before Traveling

You will get the best bang for your buck if you buy any miscellaneous items at home rather than waiting until you get to the theme park. These extras might include:

Prices on these miscellaneous items increase drastically once you get to Orlando, with an even bigger increase if you purchase them inside the Universal Parks.

13. Take The Bus

To save money on transportation try using the Orlando public bus system, instead of Uber. Rides on the bus are only $2 each, or pay $4.50 to ride the bus for the entire day, such a good deal! Look through the bus routes here to see if any of them will work for you. It might be slightly inconvenient, but you can’t beat the price!

Related: 20 Free Things To Do In New York City

14. Book A Hotel With A Free Shuttle

Many hotels near Universal Studios offer free shuttle service to the park. When you are trying to find the perfect hotel for your family, make sure to check to see if they offer this shuttle service. It can save you a lot of money in the long run.

15. Utilize Free Universal Lockers

I don’t recommend purchasing a locker at Universal Studios. Yes, it would be so very convenient, but it costs money, and we are trying to save money! Right? Right!

When preparing for a Universal day only pack items that can fit into a small backpack. You can carry this backpack around with you and it will be allowed on most rides. The rides that don’t let you bring a backpack are: Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Men in Black, Revenge of the Mummy, Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, and Jurassic World Velocicoaster.

However, each of the rides that don’t allow backpacks will offer FREE lockers for you to store your backpack! They are easy to use and completely free. All you have to do is use your barcode from your ticket, or use a barcode pass issued to you by an employee within the ride. This barcode will open and lock the locker door for you to use before and after the ride.

So, instead of renting a locker all day, keep your backpack with you and rent one for free when you need to!

In Conclusion

We had such a fun time visiting Universal Orlando this year. We are huge Harry Potter fans and just loved drinking butterbeer, walking through diagon alley, and exploring all of the fun details of the park. I hope that you are able to visit and that this article helped you learn how to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation.

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Have so much fun on your next trip! I hope you have some good ideas about how to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation!

The Best Deals At Dollar Tree

June 9, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Life4 Comments

The best things to buy at the Dollar Tree.

I love shopping at my local Dollar Tree. Not only are the items all affordable ($1.25??? yes please!), but they also have quality products! However, the truth is that not all items sold at your local dollar store is a good deal. We are often led to believe that because something is sold at the Dollar Tree, it MUST be the best price in town, right??? Well, this is not always the case! Today I am going to share the best deals at Dollar Tree. These are the items that you can always count on to be a better price than you can buy anywhere else.

Best Deals At Dollar Tree

The next time you are shopping at Dollar Tree, make sure to look for these amazing deals!

1. Pregnancy Test

There is no need to spend a lot of money on pregnancy tests! Just hop on over to your local Dollar Tree and pick up one of these tests for just $1.25. They are just as accurate as the tests you can buy at the grocery store, but for only half the price! Yay!

2. Ovulation Predictor

Another great buy in the pregnancy sectioin is an Ovulation Predictor. You can buy a big pack of these at Walmart for a good price, but the ones at Dollar Tree are still cheaper!

3. Hair Scrunchies/Hair Ties

The Dollar Tree is a great place to buy hair scrunchies and hair ties! They are not only affordable, but also super cute! I love the huge selection available!

4. Bleach

One of the best deals at Dollar Tree is their bleach. For only $1.25 you can get a 96 oz. container of bleach! That is a great price and I haven’t been able to find it cheaper anywhere else.

5. Bandaids

If your kids are anything like my kids you probably go through a lot of bandaids. Fortunately, you can buy them for a great price at Dollar Tree!

6. Flip Flops

I love grabbing a few pairs of flip flops at the Dollar Tree every summer. They are super cute and comfortable, plus it doesn’t matter if they break or get lost….because I spent less than $1.50 on them!

7. Candles/Wax Melts

You really can’t beat paying less than $2 for a candle and a carton of candle wax melts. Whenever you need to buy a candle, make sure to buy it at the Dollar Tree.

8. Coloring/Activity Books

Dollar Tree has a huge selection of coloring and activity books perfect for kids. I love to buy a few at the beginning of each summer to keep my kids entertained for the next few months. The books are constantly changing and I love looking through the new selection regularly.

Related: 50 Fun Summer Activities For Kids

9. Seasonal Items

Another great buy at Dollar Tree are the seasonal items. Dollar Tree is wonderful at rotating through a large supply of seasonal toys, decorations, food and more. It’s a great place to stock up on summer fun activities or stocking stuffers….and everything in between!

10. Greeting Cards

The cheapest place to buy greeting cards is always at the Dollar Tree! For only $1 you can get TWO greeting cards to give to your loved ones. This is a great buy!

I also love to buy a package of blank note cards. For $1 you get 6 blank cards, and can use them for any occasion!

11. Gift Bags

The next time you are at Dollar Tree make sure to stock up on gift bags. They are a fantastic deal and come in so many designs and sizes.

Want to know the best part of buying a gift bag??? It’s reusable, so the one time purchase can be used again and again!

12. Sticky Notes

Another great buy at the Dollar Tree is the sticky notes. I love using sticky notes for weekly planning and list making, so I always buy a package or two!

13. LED Light Bulbs

LED light bulbs are expensive, buy can save you a lot of money in the long run! Buy your LED lights at Dollar Tree so that you can still get the long term rewards, without the high price tag.

Related: 12 Products Worth Buying To Save Money In The Long Run

14. Nail Polish

I have two girls in my home who LOVE doing their nails. They buy a lot of their nail polish at Dollar Tree because the prices are MUCH lower than at other stores.

15. Picture Frames

Did you know that you can even buy picture frames at Dollar Tree? Because you totally can! I love buying picture frames at Dollar Tree because they are so cheap, and have a lot of different styles and sizes to choose from! Yay!

In Conclusion

The Dollar Tree has so many great deals, especially the ones listed above! I have been able to save my family a lot of money by buying each of these things at Dollar Tree, and I hope this article will help your family save money too! That’s what I’m here for after all!

Dollar Tree Pantry Organization Tips

Dollar Tree Easter Basket Ideas

How To Save Money On Diapers

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I hope you enjoy the best deals at Dollar Tree!

Free Summer Reading Programs For Kids 2022

May 26, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

The best kids summer reading programs.

Summer is just around the corner and I can’t wait for the lazy days of summer. I love the BBQs, the late nights, the snow cones (ohhhh the snow cones) and the lack of schedule. However, I do NOT like when the kids are bored (because….that usually leads to complaining…and I REALLY don’t like complaining!). One of the things that I have found to help curb the summer boredom (and complaining) is to sign my kids up for free summer reading programs.

These fun kids summer reading programs are the perfect way to keep kids busy, learning, entertained and to help prevent the summer slump. Most of these reading programs offers incentives and prizes which encourages my kids to keep reading throughout the summer months. They love accomplishing their goals and receiving a fun reward at the end!

I have been searching for a few free summer reading programs to sign my kids up for this year and wanted to share them with each of you!

2022 Free Summer Reading Programs

If you are looking for some good reading programs for your kids this summer, make sure to check out each of these!

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program

Another fun summer reading program for kids is from Barnes and Noble. All they have to do is print out this reading journal, read 8 books and fill out the journal during the summer, and then bring the completed journal into a Barnes and Noble store. Your child will then be able to choose a free book from the free book lists (which always has lots of fun book choices!). This is one of our favorite programs and have been participating in it for years!

Books-A-Million

Earn a free “Because of Winn-Dixie” notepad from Books-A-Million after completing their reading challenge. All you have to do is read 4 books from their Summer Reading Adventure picks in store or online. Track your reading progress in the provided reading guide book and then show your completed book to a Books-A-Million store associate to get your prize! Easy peasy!

Related: How To Listen To Audiobooks For Free

Camp Book-It

Sign your kids up for Camp Book-It through Pizza Hut. This is a fantastic summer reading program for your kids. All they have to do is set up a monthly reading goal and track their progress digitally. Once they reach their goal they will be sent a gift certificate for a free personal pan pizza!

Chuck-E-Cheese

Chuck-E-Cheese offers multiple reward charts for your kids to use to help them meet their goals. We like to print off this reading chart to encourage the kids to read during summer. All they have to do is read every day for two weeks and mark it on their chart. Once their chart is completed they can turn it in to Chuck-E-Cheese for 10 free play points! (Note: Food purchase is required to redeem play points).

Half Price Books

Half Price Books offers a fantastic summer reading program. Sign up here to receive a reward map for your child to use when reading. If they fill out the map they can redeem it for $5 Bookworms bucks to use at Half Price Books in June or July.

Public Library

Check your local library to see if they offer a free summer reading program for kids. My library has a great reading program each summer that my kids always look forward to! They always provide a lot of fun coupons, toys and other incentives.

Related: 10 Free Things At The Library

Scholastic

Kids can join the Scholastic reading program to earn digital rewards for their reading. One of the things I love about the Scholastic summer reading is that the more your kids read, the more books Scholastic will donate to kids in need. So cool, right!!! It makes reading fun for kids, and gives them the opportunity to help give to others.

Showcase Cinemas

If you live near a Showcase Cinemas you will want to look into their Bookworm Wednesdays reading program. Your child can receive free admission to a movie on Wednesdays when they bring in a book report written off of one of the books they recently read.

Another thing that makes this deal even sweeter is that accompanying parents/guardians, and siblings under 6 years of age will ALSO get free admission to a movie.

Sync

Teens can get two free audiobooks from Sync each week during the summer months. This program doesn’t have rewards or charts, but it is a fun way to help teenagers get free books and keep reading!

TD Bank

And last, but certainly not least is the kids summer reading program from TD Bank. They will deposit $10 into an existing bank account of a child who reads 10 or more books during the summer months!

In Conclusion

Encouraging your kids to participate in these free summer reading programs is one of the best ways to help keep their brains active and literary skills sharp during the summer months.

You can even turn your summer reading challenges into fun family time. Reading books together and meeting a goal is a great way to build memories as a family!

50 Fun Summer Activities For Kids

How To Save Money On Kids Clothes

At Home Preschool Activities

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I hope you enjoy these free summer reading programs as much as we do!

Where to Buy Cheap Prom Dresses

May 9, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Best places to get affordable prom dresses!

Last month my daughter and I started on a mission. The goal? To buy the “perfect” prom dress, without spending a lot of money. The only problem??? My daughter was very picky about what she wanted. Fortunately, after a few days of research and lots of dress try-ons, I’m so excited to share with you that we accomplished our mission! We found an affordable prom dress, that my daughter LOVES! Keep reading to learn exactly where to buy cheap prom dresses!

Where To Buy Cheap Prom Dresses

It is possible to find the perfect dress….without spending a lot of money! Find out how below!

Facebook Marketplace

The first place I recommend you begin looking for affordable prom dresses is on Facebook Marketplace. This is a great place to start your search because many college and high school students love to sell their gently used formal dresses on Facebook! You can easily found dozens of options, all for a really low price!

Thrift and Consignment Stores

Don’t forget to stop by a few of your local thrift and consignment stores. They always have formal dresses in stock! We loved a few dresses from Uptown Cheapskate, but unfortunately they weren’t the right size. A few other stores I recommend you look at are:

Remember, when thrift shopping to keep an open mind. Stains can come out, with the right treatment. Dresses can easily be altered by a local tailer. Look at the possibilities of what the dress can be, rather than how it appears on the rack.

Online Stores

There are a lot of budget friendly prom dress options online! Once I started searching for them, I couldn’t believe all of the beautiful dresses we found, that were really affordable! Here are some of the stores I recommend you look at!

Lulus
JJ’s House
ASOS
Shein
Amazon (yes! believe it or not, Amazon has a huge variety of affordable prom dresses!)

At first, we were worried about buying an affordable prom dress, worried that it wouldn’t fit right or look like the picture. But then we decided to buy 3 dresses online, all with a free and easy return policy. This way she could try on a few different options to make sure one of them would work!

Rental Shops

You might want to consider renting a prom dress! Renting is a very affordable option! We actually ended up renting my daughters dress this year and are so happy about this decision! The truth is, you will probably only wear that dress once! So why spend a fortune on it, right? Right!

Do a quick google search to check to see if there are any dress rental stores in your area. We were able to find 3 within 30 minutes of our home.

Another option is to rent a dress from Rent the Runway. This online rental store will allow you to get 4 items for just $70/month for your first two months. I love this option because you can order 4 prom dresses, try on each of them, choose your favorite to wear to prom, and then send them all back…..all for only $70! The best part? You can cancel your membership whenever you want! The dresses are all really high end, and $70 is a steal of a deal!

Online Resale Store

Another great option of where to buy cheap prom dresses is online resale stores. These are websites where sellers can list their gently used clothing for others to purchase for a fraction of the cost. I recommend looking for prom dresses on:

Clearance Sections

Don’t forget to check the clearance rack at all dress shops! It’s very common for stores to have a few, last season dresses marked down to a low price. Your best bet is to plan ahead and shop the clearance racks right after prom, this will give you the biggest selection of dresses to choose from.

Your Friends Closet

Oh yes, I did just say to get a dress from your friends (or neighbor, or grandmas best friends great niece, etc.) closet. Your friends, family and neighbors are a great place to find affordable prom dresses.

Ask around on Facebook, at church, etc. to see if anyone has some prom dresses sitting in their closet that they would be willing to let you borrow. Most people are always happy to share! It’s fun to see these beautiful dresses getting used, rather than collecting dust in the closet.

This might also be the perfect time to host a clothing swap! All of your friends can bring their gently used prom dresses to swap!

Department Stores

Many department stores will carry prom dresses, especially during the spring. When we checked the department stores, the dress prices were a little high…but they are cheaper than you will pay at a formal dress shop. Department stores are the perfect place for a nice, new prom dress, that won’t break the bank.

Discount Stores

The next places I suggest you look for an affordable prom dress is at your local discount clothing stores. Most of them will have a good selection of formal dresses to choose from. I suggest shopping at:

In Conclusion

It is possible to find an affordable prom dress! It might take a little bit of effort, but it is possible!! Now that you know where to buy a cheap prom dress….happy shopping!

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I hope this article gave you some ideas about where to buy cheap prom dresses!

7 Simple Ways To Get Your Budget Back On Track (for good this time!)

April 20, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

How to fix a broken budget.

Struggling with a broken budget??? We have all been there, and I’ve definitely been there more times then I would like to admit! It might have happened because we gave into spending temptations to many times, or perhaps we let lifestyle creep sneak in. Or, there could have been a lot of unexpected expenses arise. There are so many reasons why we go over budget, it happens to everyone! Going over budget is normal, not great, but normal….but only if it happens occasionally. If you are looking for ways to fix a broken budget, I’ve got you covered! Keep reading for 7 simple ways to get your budget back on track (for good this time!).

How To Get Your Budget Back On Track

It is possible to fix a broken budget! Follow the steps below to get your budget back on track once and for all!

1. Stop Unnecessary Spending

The first step you need to take to get your budget back on track is to put a pause on all unnecessary spending. This doesn’t mean you cant pay your bills or buy food. It means that you will only spend money on things that are necessary for living. But, things like entertainment. going out to eat, home decor, etc. should be completely stopped.

There are so many ways to enjoy life, without having to spend money. Try a few new easy recipes at home, enjoy some at home date nights, and be creative about finding things for free!

Related: How to Have a Successful No Spend Month

2. Track Your Spending

If you aren’t already tracking your spending, now is the time to start! Tracking your spending is one of the most important (but easily skipped) steps to fixing a broken budget. Writing down every purchase that you make will hold you accountable to your purchases, making it much less likely for you to impulse shop.

I recommend taking time every single day to write down what you bought that day. Then compare your purchases to your budget to make sure you are staying within your goals.

3. Use Cash Envelopes

Anything thing that really helps me fix a broken budget is to start using cash envelopes. The cash envelope system is really fairly easy to use!

First, look through your budget to determine the amount of cash you have left to spend for the rest of the month.

Next, you will need to go to the bank and take out that exact amount of cash out of the bank. Divide the cash into different envelope categories. Once your envelope is empty, you literally can not buy anything else (no cheating!). I explain more about how cash envelopes here.

And, yes, you CAN use cash envelopes for online purchases! I explain exactly how to do so in the video below!

4. Give Yourself A Reward

I’ll let you in on a little secret about me…..I love to reward myself! It motivates me to work hard and reach my goal. Whenever I start struggling with my budget, I set up a reward system to help me stay focused on my money goals.

Choose your reward by thinking of something fun, but frugal, that you would enjoy getting. I love to reward myself with a treat from my favorite pastry shop or by buying myself a new small piece of jewelry.

Set up your reward system in a way that will help you get back on track with your budget. For example, if you go 10 days without splurging on any unnecessary spending, then you can treat yourself to your small reward.

5. Return Recent Purchases You Don’t Need

Do you have any recent purchases that you regret buying? Or perhaps that you don’t regret, but know deep down it wasn’t the best decision to buy? Return these items to the store ASAP! This is the quickest and easiest way to fix a broken budget caused by impulse spending.

6. Sell Clutter In Your Home

Another option for getting more money back in your pocket is to sell clutter around your house that you don’t need or use! My rule of thumb is that if I haven’t touched it for a few months, it needs to go!

Use the money you earn from selling your clutter to get your budget back on track, don’t spend it on something frivolous, put it to use in a budget category that needs it.

Related: 10 Household Items To Sell For Quick Cash

7. Use An Accountability Partner

One of the best ways to get back on track with your budget is to find an accountability partner to help you reach your goals. An accountability partner could be your spouse, a friend or everything in between. Ask the person you choose if they will help hold you accountable to your money goals. Share with them your desire to fix your budget and what you need to do to get there.

As you go about your day to day routine, make sure to check in with your accountability partner regularly. Make sure to always call this person to help you when you get the urge to spend, they can talk you through your spending choices to help you make the one that will help your budget best!

8. Focus On Your Goals

The most important things to remember is to stay focused on your goals. Set a goal of where you want your budget to be, write it down and then hang it up somewhere so that you can see it regularly. A bathroom mirror or phone lock screen are great options for this!

When you stay focused on your BIG goals, it’s easier to say “no” to the temptations that come along.

You Got This!

Please don’t beat yourself up for getting off of your budget. Like I mentioned earlier, it DOES happen, and there IS hope for fixing it. The fact that you are reading this article shows me that you want to stick to your budget and make it work.

I know that through a little bit of work, some sacrifice and following these steps you can fix your broken budget!

How To Find Extra Money In Your Budget

How to Make a Zero Based Budget

How To Stop Living Paycheck To Paycheck In 6 Steps

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Follow these simple steps to get your budget back on track, for good!

Is Butcher Box A Good Deal? Here’s My Honest Review!

April 14, 2022 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Here’s my honest Butcher Box review!

For years I have been asking “Is Butcher Box a good deal?” I kept hearing so many people say how awesome Butcher Box is and I have been wanting to try it out for myself! I finally got my wish when they contacted me and offered to send me a box to review. Talk about a dream come true! I know a lot of you out there have probably heard about Butcher Box, but have been unsure if it’s right for you or not. Today, I’m sharing my honest review of Butcher Box to help you make that important decision.

This article contains affiliate links. I will be compensated from purchases made from links in this article.

What is Butcher Box?

First things first, Butcher Box is a meat delivery service that offers 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef; free-range organic chicken; heritage-breed pork, wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon, and more!! These high quality meat products will be sent straight to your doorstep.

But! The thing that makes Butcher Box most special is their commitment to raising animals in a humane way, with no added hormones or antibiotics, EVER!

Their mission is centered around making the lives of farmers and animals better, and helping the consumer gain access to a higher quality meat. (win, win!)

How Does It Work?

Butcher Box works very similar to other subscription services.

First, choose your box from the 5 different box choices.

The box choices include:

Custom Box Classic

9-14 lbs.
$159/month

The Custom Box Classic gives you the option of choosing your own cuts of beef, pork or chicken.

Custom Box Big

18-26 lbs.
$288/month

The Custom Box Big gives you the same option of choosing your own cuts of beef pork or chicken as the classic custom box. The Big box is just…bigger!

The Basic Box

7-7.5 lbs.
$99/month

The Basic Box includes high quality beef, organic chicken, and pork.

The Mixed Box

8.5-11 lbs
$137/month

The Mixed Box is the box that I ordered. It came with high quality selection of beef, chicken and pork. The amount and exact cuts will vary month to month, but we were very pleased with our box.

The Beef and Pork Box

8-11 lbs
$137/month

The Beef and Pork Box will give you a variety of both beef and pork cut meats. You will find anything from tenderloin to steaks to ground beef and more.

The Beef and Chicken Box

8.5-11 lbs
$137/month

In the Beef and Chicken Box you will be treated to a selection of both chicken and beef meat cuts.

The All Beef Box

8-10 lbs
$137/month

In the All Beef Box you will receive beef cuts ranging from ground beef to roasts and steaks. Yum!

How Often Will I Receive My Box?

You have three options for delivery frequency. You can choose to have your box delivered monthly, every 6 weeks, or every other month. However, you can cancel or pause delivery at any time at no extra cost. So, if you are needing a break, just put it on pause and continue whenever is convenient for you.

What Makes Butcher Box Special?

Butcher Box is special because of their commitment to delivering high quality products to their customers and their mission of raising animals in a humane way. Here are a few other highlights about Butcher Box and their animals.

Beef:

100% grass fed
Pasture raised

Chicken:

Free range organic
No antibiotics ever
No added hormones (Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones or steroids in poultry)

Pork:

All vegetarian feed
Humanely raised
Bacon has no nitrates or nitrites and does not contain added sugar

How Is The Box Shipped?

All of the meat shipped from Butcher Box is frozen and individually vacuum packed. It will be shipped in a box with insulation and dry ice if needed. Your meat will arrive frozen, cold and ready for the fridge or freezer.

What Came In My Box?

Alright, now let’s get to the good stuff! Here is all the nitty gritty about receiving my first box.

I wanted to try out the Mixed Box and was really excited to see everything that I got. In this box I received:

2 lbs of Ground Beef
2 NY Strip Steaks
4 Top Sirloin Steaks
1lb of Whole Pork Tenderloin
3lbs of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

The meat was still frozen and cold when arriving on my doorstep, just the way we like it! I also loved the packaging!

How Did It Taste?

The meat we received was so yummy and tender. It was delicious! In all honesty, I usually buy fairly cheap meat and we could definitely tell a difference in quality from Butcher Box and the cheaper variety.

My husband even made a point to tell me how much he enjoyed it more than the kind I usually buy. (hint noted hubby!)

Can I Cancel My Subscription?

Canceling your Butcher Box subscription is super quick and easy. You can cancel anytime with no charge. Or, consider just putting your subscription on hold for a few months.

Putting it on hold is a great way to take a break if your freezer is getting to full or your budget is getting tight.

What I Liked About Butcher Box

The Convenience

Butcher Box is about as convenient as it gets! The ordering process was quick, delivery painless and I didn’t even have to leave my house. As a busy mom, I am all about making life a little more convenient.

The Taste

We truly loved the taste of Butcher Box meat. Everything was tender, juicy and delicious!

The Quality

You just can’t get better quality than Butcher Box. I love that their animals are raised in a humane way. And, I love that the meat is fresh, organic with no added hormones.

It’s important to me what my family puts in their body, and I know I can trust Butcher Box in this.

What I Did NOT Like About Butcher Box

The Cost

Butcher Box averages about $6/per dinner. I do not think this is an extreme cost, considering the quality of the product, but it is more than I usually spend on my meat products.

However, like I said before, I usually buy much lesser quality….and we can taste the difference.

Will I Order From Butcher Box Again?

Absolutely! I will order from Butcher Box again!

After tasting this product, and enjoying the convenience of it being shipped right to my front door, I definitely want to start ordering from them with an every other month subscription.

I decided (to help offset the cost) to keep a mix of higher quality Butcher Box meat and lower quality grocery store meat in our freezer at all times. It’s a good way to get the best of both worlds.

Try Butcher Box For Yourself

If you want to try Butcher Box out for yourself click here and start enjoying some delicious meat!

Budget Friendly Gifts For Young Adults

Essential Oil Diffuser

Cell Phone Stand

Laundry Basket

Sleep Mask

Makeup Brushes

Cell Phone Armband

Adult Coloring Book

College Cookbook

Wristlet Keychain

Water Bottle

Bluetooth Key Tracker

Sewing Kit

Portable Charger

What Do You Meme Game

Stress Balls

Tool Set

Pillow Slippers

Throw Blanket

Dart Board

Personal Finance Books

Portable Safe

Snack Care Package

Toiletry Bag

Amazon Prime Student Membership

Clip On Fan

In Conclusion

Check out my other gift guides:

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Best Christmas gift ideas for college students under $25.

Fun ideas for a Harry Potter birthday party!

Harry Potter Party Decorations

Sorting Hat Cupcakes

How To Make Sorting Hat Cupcakes

Harry Potter Party Activities

History of Magic

Potions

Divinations

Charms Class

Defense Against The Dark Arts

The Party Was A Hit

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I hope you enjoyed these Harry Potter Theme Party ideas!

Easy Homemade Harry Potter Wand With Chopsticks

How to Make DIY Harry Potter Wands

1. Squeeze Hot Glue Onto Chopstick

2. Let The Hot Glue Dry

3. Paint Chopstick

Enjoy!

You might like these other easy crafts:

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Have fun making your own DIY Harry Potter wand!

Check Out These Budget Friendly Gifts for Toddlers.

Melissa & Doug Safari Chunky Puzzle:

Matching Eggs Set:

Kids Tent:

Shopping Cart:

Mega Bloks:

Slice and Bake Cookie Set:

VTech Spin and Learn Flashlight:

Fine Motor Hedgehog:

Play Doctor Set:

Shape Sorter:

Pull and Sing Puppy:

Take Apart Truck With Toy Drill:

Storybook Projector Flashlight:

Luv N Snuggle Baby Doll:

Kids Cleaning Set:

Board Books Set:

Doodle Mat:

Fishing Bath Toy:

Bristle Blocks:

Toddler Busy Board:

Bubble Machine:

In Conclusion

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