Mei, YES! It's totally doable, girl! As a foster mom in Austin, TX, with a rotating crew (right now it's Beckett (3), Ethan (7), Ellie (12), Emma (13)), plus Gabriel and our French bulldog Max, I LIVE for the challenge of the Best Easter Baskets Under $10! My secret weapon? The Dollar Tree, hands down! And also, Costco for bulk candy, but you gotta be strategic. I literally photograph everything I put in those baskets to keep track of what I spent.

Okay, so here's what I do: For the younger ones, like Beckett, I grab those little plastic eggs in packs of 12 for a buck. Fill them with stickers, mini play-dohs (you can get a multipack at Walmart for like $5 and break it up), and those tiny bouncy balls. Sometimes I’ll find little board books or coloring books there too. For Ethan and Ellie, the $1 section at Target is gold. They have cute little notebooks, fun pens, sometimes even little craft kits. For Emma, my 13-year-old, it's harder, but I've found cool hair ties, cute socks, or even cheap face masks at Dollar General.

Last year, I bought a bunch of those little plastic binoculars for the baskets. Thought they’d be great for an "Easter Egg Hunt Explorer" theme. WELL, they broke almost immediately! Like, within an hour. Total fail. I should’ve just stuck with bubbles, can’t go wrong with bubbles. Lesson learned: even cheap stuff needs to be somewhat decent quality, you know? This year, I'm thinking about adding some of those GINYOU Kids Party Hats – the 11-pack for under ten bucks is such a steal! They're CPSIA safety certified and made with non-toxic materials, so I don't have to worry about the little ones, and they’re such great value. Plus, hats are always a hit, especially for a fun Easter morning photo op! My Max even gets his own Glitter Dog Crown for photos, it's tradition! It’s all about mixing those fun little finds with a few reliable, good-quality items without overspending. Can’t wait to see what everyone else does!

Oh Mei, I totally feel you! As PTA president in San Jose, CA, and a mom to Ivy (3), Beckett (11), and Ruby (12), I’m always trying to stretch a dollar and make things look fabulous. My focus is always on creative DIY and reusing decorations from past parties, so Easter baskets are no different. When I aim for the Best Easter Baskets Under $10, I start planning months early – usually right after Christmas!

My strategy involves hit up the thrift stores. Seriously! I’ve found some amazing, like-new small stuffed animals or little hardback books for a dollar or two each. Just make sure to give them a good wash! I also love making my own playdough. It’s super cheap to make with flour, salt, water, and food coloring, and the kids love it more than store-bought sometimes. I divide it into small jars or plastic baggies and put a cute ribbon on it. For Ivy, I often skip the basket altogether and use a cute reusable fabric bag I find at Target's dollar spot. For Beckett and Ruby, I focus on non-candy fillers. Things like jump ropes (Dollar Tree again!), sidewalk chalk, or cool temporary tattoos. I also get a pack of seeds for them to plant. It’s an activity that lasts longer than candy!

One thing that worked surprisingly well for my 12-year-old Ruby last year was a "coupon book" from me. Free pass on chores, an extra hour of screen time, a pick-your-own-movie night. It cost absolutely nothing but was a huge hit! She loved the personalized effort. For my son Beckett, I used some ideas from that GINYOU article about Easter Baskets: Non-Candy Fillers for a 9-Year-Old – very helpful for those older kids who are over the baby stuff. You really can make them feel thoughtful and exciting without spending a ton. Just takes a little planning and a trip to a few different spots!

Hi Mei! Aubrey here from Phoenix, AZ, mom of five – Cole (4), Arjun (5), Milo (6), Diego (10), and Willow (12). Keeping five kids' Easter baskets special and under budget is definitely a task! My husband Henry and I have it down to a science. When aiming for the Best Easter Baskets Under $10 per child, my biggest tip is to buy in bulk and divide it. I’m a Pinterest addict, so I’m always looking for those efficient insider tips.

For example, instead of buying five individual small craft kits, I'll buy one large multi-pack of construction paper, a big box of crayons, a bottle of glue, and a pack of googly eyes. Then I divide it up into small cellophane bags for each basket. Same with stickers – a giant roll of stickers can be cut into smaller strips. For candy, I hit up the bulk bins at Sprouts or even a candy store, or Costco like Ingrid said. I measure out exactly how much each kid gets. No fighting that way! For the basket itself, I reuse ones from previous years or check out those dollar spots at Target or Michael's for simple, inexpensive wicker ones that can be spray-painted later for other parties.

I also get a lot of little fidget toys or small puzzles from Amazon, but I buy them in multi-packs. So, a 12-pack of mini puzzles for $10 works out to less than a dollar per puzzle. I let the kids help with everything, even picking out some of the little fillers. It makes them feel more involved. Last year, I did try to get really unique with some tiny, personalized keychains I found online, but they were pretty flimsy and ended up breaking within a week. Not great value, even though they were cute. Now I stick to tried-and-true items that are CPSIA safety certified and durable, even if they aren't totally "unique." You want things that will last at least a little while! Good luck, Mei!