Budget-Friendly Teatime - Poetry Teatime
Budget-Friendly Teatime

Budget-Friendly Teatime

Poetry Teatime doesn’t have to be fancy and expensive with finger sandwiches and gold-plated teacups. If you’d like to make your teatime a special occasion without stretching your budget, consider these tips for cost-effective food, decorations, and poetry for your Poetry Teatime.

Budget-Friendly Food

  • Buy tea in bulk: Shopping in bulk doesn’t always work for perishable goods, but tea is the perfect item to buy cheaply in bulk. You can find a good selection on Amazon, or check your local bulk store like Sam’s Club or Costco for more options.
  • Use leftovers: If you have leftovers, you can use them to make sandwiches and finger food. Or, repurpose leftover Poetry Teatime ingredients for other purposes! For our best leftover tips, see this Poetry Teatime post.
  • Shop smart: Check out the cheapest seasonal fruit and veggie options for your teatime. Buy products whole and do your slicing and dicing from home. Buy ingredients, not final products. Check out these money-saving tips from Money Magazine for more ideas on using grocery store coupons and shopping effectively.
  • Clearance candy: Be sure to stock up on nonperishable goods like candies after the holidays. Those treats will last you a while, and a little bit of sugar goes a long way at teatime. Plus, having sweet treats on hand can help persuade reluctant kiddos to take part.

Affordable Decorations

  • Repurpose household goods: Some of the best teatime decorations are lurking at the back of a dusty shelf in your house. Rotate items you’ve collected as centerpieces, or let each family member choose a different centerpiece from household items each week.
  • Use the outdoors: Go for a nature walk and pick up natural items to make into a centerpiece. A bowl of pinecones or a dry branch painted in fun colors make great table decorations.
  • Dollar store decor: Check the dollar store for cheap items such as plastic tablecloths that can also be used as a backdrop, or for bulk teatime supplies like paper plates and napkins. The dollar store is also ideal for finding themed teatime decorations. Check the dollar bins at Target, Michaels, and Walmart for more cheap goodies.
  • Wrapping paper decorations: Wrapping paper is one of the cheapest ways to add a different flavor to each teatime. Use wrapping paper as a tablecloth, backdrop, bunting, paper chains, streamers, paper flowers, origami crafts, or whatever else you want to use as decorations.
  • Antique store finds: If you don’t already have teacups or a teapot for your teatime, check out the china selection at your local antique shop. Let each family member choose their own special teatime cup for a bit of extra fun!

Bargain Poetry

  • Use the library: This is pretty straightforward, but don’t forget to stock up on your favorite poetry books from the library in advance, especially if you’re planning a themed teatime!
  • Ask for poetry as presents: Use holidays and birthdays to request a particular poetry book you’ve been craving, or try a poetry book exchange at Christmas.
  • Check used bookstores: If you want to add poetry books to your family library, check first at used bookstores and antique shops near you. It’s always an adventure to see what you may find!
  • Find free poetry online: Of course, one of the best poetry resources is right at your fingertips—the Internet! Find a great selection of children’s poems on a wide range of themes here at Poets.org (be sure to preview the poems, as some are best suited for older kids), or check out the videos and articles here at Poetry Foundation for more poetry-related resources.

Having Poetry Teatimes doesn’t have to be an expensive occasion. You can use the resources you already have for a fun-filled experience. If you’ve got more tips for a budget-friendly teatime, be sure to share them with us here!


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