You Save Hundred Fifty Dollah Here!

This is a re-broadcast of a post I did last year.  It's that time of year again for graduation photos and for anyone on a tight budget, I thought this may be helpful:



I know I just posted about more ways to save money a couple of days ago, but I just came across another one today while going through a pile of "stuff" that's been sitting in a box for...uhhhh...YEARS.  [No sense in my trying to hide that fact since those who know us well know that Jordan graduated two years ago!]  As school will be starting soon and some of you will be faced with the expense of Senior photos, I decided to post this immediately.

When we decided to let Jordan go through the graduation ceremonies, we found that the senior photo deadline had already passed.  We had to rush to get a photo for the yearbook so we went outside and took some photos of her in our backyard.  Happily they turned out pretty well and I emailed one to the yearbook class.

As graduation approached, I realized that we'd need photos to pass out, so after ordering more prints from the drugstore,  I went to a photography studio in Honolulu and was able to purchase black photo folders for under fifty cents each.  I think you can probably find them online for even less.  I'd advise using either a rotary cutter or paper cutter to make trimming the photos easier.

Next I went to Vistaprint.com and using their template, easily designed those name cards for the graduation announcements and photo folders.  They cost under $20.  Note: Try coordinating the cards with the photo to create a theme.

All considered, we spent under $50 and maybe 3-4 hours (taking photos, ordering prints and cards, trimming photos, etc.).   A photo package from a professional photographer will cost from $200 to $400, so wow, by being "late" we ended up saving money...and not just fifty cents either!  (See posts below if you haven't already.)  Russell Peter's father would be impressed, I think!

Now I realize if everyone did this, the professional photographers would lose business.  Rather than blame me, they ought to take it to whoever originally had the idea to go "natural."  Remember when all annuals had those senior photos where everyone had to wear graduation caps?   Or how about those fake tuxedos and fake gowns?  Even worse.. the FURRY gowns?  Oh my god!! [For the integrity of good journalism, I am selflessly inserting an example of a typical "fur" photo.  That's not me, it's some typical late 60's/early 70's conformist Hawaii teen who contributed to the demise of many hair salons back then.]

That photographer thought he was being clever by letting seniors to go "casual," and the students probably cheered him, thinking "Thank god I don't have to wear that goofy furry thing!!" but inadvertently, he/she now allowed us to do it ourselves.  Big oops!  So as Stephanie Plum always says, "It's not my fault."

More important than just saving the money, doing it yourself gives you such a great feeling of accomplishment.  Besides, the money you save will be spent on something else, I'm sure, still contributing to the economy!