But, long before we were expecting our first baby, I knew my husband really wanted us to send out announcements after our child was born.
I also knew that if we were going to send them out I wanted them to be 1) inexpensive and 2) good looking.
If you've ever looked at baby announcements online, you know that you can spend an absolute fortune on them. We had no fortune, absolute or otherwise, so this wasn't really a good option for us.
Instead, I figured out what components I needed and how little I could spend on each part:
- I needed a photograph. We have a nice camera, so we could have taken it ourselves, but happily, a friend of ours is professional photographer and she offered to come take some newborn pictures for free. That's my favorite price. If you don't have a nice camera, I bet you know someone who does and might let you use it for a few hours - it seems like everyone I know owns an SLR now.
- I needed an announcement design. I spent quite a lot of time (and forced my husband to also) browsing the announcements on Minted so I could get some ideas and see what kind of things we both liked. Then we mocked up a few of our own in Photoshop. Also free!
- We need to actually print the announcements. I made our mockups to be a 4x6 (standard picture size) and then plan to upload them to Snapfish (Shutterfly and other online photography places also would work). When you sign up for an account, you get some number of free prints (depends on what current deal is going on - sometimes it's 20, sometimes it is 50) and you can usually print them right to your local drugstore or Walmart. Freeeeeee (depending on how many you need, of course).
- Envelopes. I hoarded all my Staples rewards dollars and waited until invitation envelopes (which fit a 4x6 perfectly) went on sale and then I bought those. Free again!
- Stamps. Sadly, I haven't yet figured out a great way to get discount postage, although I know it is possible. But when stamps are the only thing you're paying for, I figure that's pretty good.
9 comments:
I didn't do mine as cheaply as yours, but it was worth every penny. I had NO IDEA the amount of money and gifts that people would so generously send because we sent an announcement. Completely worth it from a financial standpoint (definitely came out more than on top from sending the announcements--it was like having a massive baby shower but with cash and gift cards as well as gifts).
We were so grateful for that, but didn't expect it at all when sending them out. I say do it even if you have to spend a little money...
Mine were...not free. Sigh.
We didn't send an announcement with Raymond, but both of my sisters went the post card route (cheaper postage for sure) and were able to get some very inexpensive deals (as in less than five dollars for fifty announcements). I'm not sure who they went through, but I want to say one of them just did Wal-mart. We'll see if it makes the budget for the next baby!
Definitely send the announcements as postcards to save on postage. I believe it is only 28 cents for the postcard instead of 44 for the letters. I did this with Christmas cards last year and it went well.
Wow, what a great idea!
I did mine with snapfish (totally free, had a bunch of free prints and had a promo code for free shipping) and the envelopes came with them. I didn't have to haul my post-birth self and my baby down to wal-mart to get them done, it was totally worth having them sent in the mail.
P.S. I'm expecting an announcement ;)
Uhm, MORE importantly, how could one hypothetically get on a list for said announcement? :)
I hope you will post an announcement even if you leave off your baby's name.
Stamps at a discount - Costco sells them at a small discount. Also, you might try usps.com . I just looked and didn't see a discount, but I think I have other times???
Like Kayla, mine were... not free either! But they're done. Finally.
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