More KidMin Budget Advice
Sharing
- Next, if you have a local children’s ministry network, hold a book swap every month.
- Partner with another church to budget and purchase bulk quantities of paper products and snacks.
- Borrow VBS decorations from other churches who’ve used the same theme.
- Share expensive items with neighboring churches or the youth department at your church. This works especially well for items you use only occasionally, such as camp and recreation supplies.
- Share free video resources from Lifetree Kids YouTube channel with families to view at home.
Cutting Training Costs
- Research local training options to save on travel and hotel costs.
- Bring speakers to your church rather than sending large numbers of volunteers out to seminars. This strategy often increases participation, and you’re not spending money on food, lodging, and travel. Link up with other churches to help share the cost.
- Cut costs on camps by doing your own cooking and renting time-share condos rather than staying at a camp.
Smart Shopping
- Purchase a curriculum subscription like DIG IN. You can select your pricing tier based on the average number of kids who attend each week. Then you’re ready to roll with unlimited classrooms. All pricing tiers include access to all age levels, class formats, activity blocks, and media.
- Buy crayons, scissors, and glue before the school year starts.
- Purchase equipment from school-district warehouses that discard old furniture.
- Buy used. Watch for local preschools and private schools that are closing or upgrading equipment. Ask about purchasing their used furniture, equipment, and supplies.
- Seek out doctors who own their practices and attend your church. They can purchase latex gloves and other nursery supplies at a reduced cost.
- Finally, ask self-employed or small-business owners to purchase wholesale supplies and furniture and resell items to the church at their cost plus taxes.
This article about kidmin budget tips originally appeared here.
