Works For Me Wednesday ~ Goody Bags

I participated in the Works For Me Wednesdays hosted by We are That Family - this week was a theme of "Frugal"... click on this button to go and visit more posts with frugal ideas!

I am one that shops all year long - I grab bargains and fill up 3+ Rubbermaid totes with gifts for all occasions including fillers of goody (loot) bags for parties! Just like We Are THAT Family posted for her WFMW here: Gift Stockpiling.

I was talking with some friends a few weeks ago about this and I told them that my goody bags are not all the same most of the time - and that's okay because I give out the goody bags as children are on their way out our door, therefore no comparing can be done! So if you have 10 children but only 8 of something, don't worry and use it! You can find 2 other things for the 2 bags missing that one item.

I like goody bags to have a bit more of a substantial fill to them, rather than just a bunch of candy and toys that break before the child gets home!
Since I like goody bags to be more substantial, I could never fit the goody bag contents into the loot bags you buy from a Dollar Store... I use paper lunch bags (probably cheaper anyhow than even the pack of $1 bags) and then incorporate our theme somehow onto the front with the name... like this:Under the child's name I like to include a 'Thank You For Coming' note too and get that all taken care of right off the bat.

I do start to think of a theme for my children's birthdays far in advance (with my Child's input too) which helps! Or actually what can create a theme some of the time is finding something to work with first (a deal)... for example: I decided my son would have a Shrek Birthday Party in February (his birthday is in October) when I found packs of these (below) Shrek figurines marked down for $1.25 at Target - I bought all 4 or 5 packs that were left... some figurines were used for decorating part of the cake, and the rest were divided into the goody bags - each child got 3 different characters.In that goody bag was also a ziploc bag of slime (cornstarch and water), Prince Charming's truffles (which I had got a box of make-your-own-truffles mix from a Liquidator that was there after Christmas), a Shrek pencil (that came in a box of Shrek Valentines cards that I bought for 99c) and some candy.
As part of the Children's goody bag too, was to bring home the Gingerbread Man Cookie (Gingy) that they decorated at the party (another item, gingerbread cookie dough mix at the liquidator for less than $1)...

Another idea I have done in previous years is making several batches of playdough, putting it in ziplocs and having them as part of the goody bags. It's always been a hit!

Be Creative, Plan Ahead and keep your eyes peeled for RED TAGS, CLEARANCE SECTIONS, DISCOUNT BINS, and LIQUIDATION STORES! (no wonder every shop I do even at our regular grocer takes me one hour - I scour the places for deals!!!)

Last week at Michael's I found (by "accident") their Easter stuff that was still left (2 weeks later), now marked down to 90% off. I bought at lot of what was there including:
Playing cards that were 15cents a pack! These will be great for girl goody bags as well as for the shoeboxes I pack at Christmas Time for Operation Christmas Child. I bought a dozen packs I'm sure!
And carrot-shaped bubble pendants and bubble solution-rings... very fun things for extremely cheap!

I picked up these (below) once the "Back to School" stuff was on clearance... they are supposed to be lunch boxes and pencil cases - but to me they are great birthday gifts! This can be the wrapping paper... or it can be wrapped as the gift... perfect! I bought a few of each design.
This coming weekend the Princess one will wrap up a Webkinz for a birthday party my son will attend - the gift will have cost me $10 (Webkinz bought on "Webkinz Day" last week... buy one get one for $1. Sweet deal.) with the value of $25!


Do you have a cheap, creative idea for goody bags?
Who's birthday is next in your Family? Maybe your next dinner-conversation will be "what kind of birthday party would you like, son?"

Thanks for visiting! :)