My hubby and I recently decided to pursue adoption and were floored at how expensive it is. I immediately began researching different ways to save money, raise money, and make a few bucks here and there. I soon found myself with a pretty decent list of fundraising and other money tips that I thought I’d pass on to you. We are using them towards adoption, but they can all be tweaked for anything you need to raise money for. Hope this helps you out!
Fundraising Ideas
Give friends and family a baby bottle (mason jar, cleaned out juice jug, or other container) that you have either purchased at a thrift store or had donated to you, and ask that they fill it up with their spare change. You can label each bottle with something to remind them of why they’re doing this. (Like, “Bring Baby Smith Home” or “A Big Change for the Smith Family.” Did ya get the play on words there? Ha!) Each container will likely have about $10 in change, have a few of those filled up and it’s a lot!
Ask friends and family to donate any books that they don’t want anymore and hold a book sale. Or, roll up your sleeves and warm up your mixer for a good ‘ol bake sale. These are most effective in churches, schools, or community centers.
Haul out all of your junk and hold a garage sale. You can use a catchy slogan in your advertisements like “Making room for Baby.” At our sale, we had a large change jar and a sign that said “All proceeds from our garage sale will go towards our adoption expenses.” Many people donated their spare change and a few dollars too. We also asked friends and family if they had any items they wanted to donate towards our sale. (Make sure that they understand this is a donation though, otherwise things can get a little awkward when they want you to give them some cash later.) Be sure to advertise your sale with signs the day of, as well as on craiglist.org or in the newspaper. Don’t forget to mention in the ads that the proceeds will be going towards your fundraising efforts, since most people love helping out a good cause.
Before your sale, go through and save out any clothing or toys that are in excellent condition. It is likely that you’ll make much more of a profit consigning these items than selling them for 50 cents at your garage sale. Keep a container of consignable items in your garage, and when they come in season, bring them into your local consignment shop. This is great, especially for women’s and kid’s clothing, as well as maternity, and baby gear.
Start a blog about your adoption. On the sidebar, put a fundraising badge from www.ChipIn.com. You can see an example of ours here: http://yougrewinourhearts.blogspot.com. The badge is connected to your Paypal account, and anyone can safely and securely transfer money to you.
Speaking of Paypal, have you heard of http://www.RevolutionMoneyExchange.com? They are similar to Paypal but don’t charge the fees that Paypal does to transfer money to and from others and into your bank account. Right now they are offering $25 for every new member, plus $10 for every person you refer that signs up for an account. I have had a few friends sign up from my referral and have brought in about $45 just in referral and sign up bonuses.
If your friends have children, they probably don’t get to go out much. Offer babysitting for a few hours every other Friday night for a flat fee ($40 for 2 kids for 3 hrs is pretty reasonable). If you’re feeling really adventurous, offer to babysit a few friends’ kids at the same time!
Do you know a group of crafty ladies? Host a Crop ‘n Drop (also known as a Scrap ‘n More) on a Saturday and tell them to bring any projects that they want to work on. Charge a registration fee and provide light snacks (or have guests each bring something to share). Have items or gift certificates donated from local craft stores and sell raffle tickets to guests who would like a shot at winning them. My Mom’s Group does this twice a year, each time for 27 hours straight. (We’re hardcore.) The ladies come with scrapbooks, knitting, photo albums, any projects that they want to work on, and many really do stay up all night! We all love it, because it’s a good break from the norm, and a good opportunity to work on things without the usual distractions!
Similar to the Crop ‘n Drop idea, you can host a spa day, afternoon tea, or a game night, charging a registration fee. Just make sure your expenses don’t outweigh your earnings, because that defeats the purpose!
If you know some crafty people, or are really good at getting items donated, a silent auction is a great way to go. Great items for auctions are gift cards, artwork, unique handmade gifts, gift baskets, etc. Invite friends and family over or hold it at your local community center or church. Don’t forget to let everyone know that the proceeds are going towards your adoption.
A spaghetti feed or baked potato bar can work nicely in conjunction with the silent auction. Both of these meals are very quick and easy, and allow you to feed a lot of people for very little dough!
People love giving money when they’re getting something out of it. If your friends love to party, then a dance fundraiser is the way to go. Check with local community centers or churches to see if you can use their space at little or no cost. Ask a friend or family member to emcee, fill your iPod with lots of great tunes, and charge an admission. This would also be a great place to have a raffle for donated items!
If you like things a little more low-key, host a mystery dinner. Serve spaghetti and charge admission. You can either have guests play the murder mystery out, or have actors (friends and relatives who have volunteered) perform for the guests.
Do you know someone who runs their own business? Or maybe they sell items in their own online store? Ask if they would consider donating a portion of their earnings for one week toward your adoption expenses. This way, you are helping to increase visibility of their business, and at the same time benefiting from their sales. It’s a win-win!
Maybe you know how to whip up an amazing casserole or make the tastiest enchiladas in town. Why not sell meals? I email my family and friends every couple of weeks with a list of meals that I am making and their prices (I charge about $5 more for each meal than the groceries cost). They submit their orders to me, I make them up, and deliver them! Instead of only putting the $5 per meal profit into the bank, I put in the whole amount, so I’m paying myself twice. My “clients” love getting the meals because it means they don’t have to cook every night!
If all else fails, you can just ask for money. Sometimes the simplest way to raise money for your cause is to write to those closest to you and tell them that you would really appreciate their help. Be straight with them and tell them how much it is going to cost, but don’t beg. You can do this in person or on the phone, but many people choose to do it by mail. Many people are happy to give their money, they just want you to ask them for it.
Saving Money
What if fundraising just isn’t your thing? There are lots of other ways you can save some money that you may not think about.
Loose change and dollar bills add up really fast. Make it a point to pay for everything only with large bills, and at the end of the day stick the dollars and change into a jar (preferably one that you can’t access easily once the money is in there). You’ll be surprised at how much you end up with once that jar is full.
Lets say you made plans to go out on Friday night with friends. Dinner, drinks, a movie, it would’ve cost you around $80 or more, but for some reason you had to cancel. Take that $80 and put it into your adoption savings account, since you would’ve spent it anyway!
Instead of going crazy the week after payday, pay yourself first. Stick $100 in your adoption savings immediately and don’t touch it. (Don’t touch your adoption savings account anyway!)
If you’re going through the drive-through, stop getting the full-meal deals. First of all, they’re horrible for you, but they’re expensive too! That $14 worth of 2 value meals could easily become $4 instead, if you just order off the dollar menu.
One word: eBay. People want to buy your stuff! Electronics, jewelry, gently used name brand clothing, it’s all great. If you have a bunch of baby clothes in good condition, list 5 outfits under one sale, they’ll sell better. Another option for bigger items (like your lawn mower or TV) is craiglist.org.
Adoption is very expensive, and for most of us that kind of money is really hard to come by. I believe that with some time, energy, and a little creativity, you can do it. It is important to appreciate every penny that comes your way, because every little bit truly does count. I bet you’ll find your child in your arms soon, without having to take out a loan, dip into that 401-K, or maxing out your credit card. It’ll take a lot of patience, but it’ll be worth it. Best of luck!
