Conversation Starter Cards on my $0 budget

Before I start I want to let everyone know that due to such positive support, I will be hosting a $0 Budget Party at the end of the month. Since this will be my first party, I would really love it if everyone who has any ideas (no matter how big or small) to remember to stop by and share them.  I will finalize the date soon but I was thinking April 1st. What do you think?

Here my fun $0 family building craft.

Last summer, my daughter and I had a girls day out in New York City. We went shopping and I took her to the American Girl restaurant for a special dinner. We had the most amazing time! If you have ever been, you know they have a box full of cards on the table with questions or conversation starters to ask the other people at your table. My daughter loved this and I really enjoyed giving her answers to questions we would never have thought about. Like "What is your favorite childhood memory?" or "If you were able to give up one chore for the rest of your life, what would it be?"

This past weekend my daughter asked if we could write up some questions and discuss them at the dinner table.  I thought it was an amazing idea. We wrote our own questions and then went on the internet and searched for "conversation starter questions" and found hundreds.

Materials:
Questions
Scrapbook paper
Mod Podge
Small box

Method:
I put all the questions in one Word file and then converted the text into a table with 2 columns. I formatted the rows to fit 8 questions on each page. We selected a font we loved and started printing them on light colored scrapbook paper. In total we had 20 pages or 160 questions.

Since I could not run to the Dollar store to buy a cute little box to store these in (doesn't fit in my budget of $0), I got resourceful. I used a cup a soup box to create a custom sized holder for the 160 questions.

I covered the box with a piece of scrapbook paper she selected and Mod Podge. I punch 2 holes in the top flap and on the body of the box so I could thread a piece of ribbon through. I used a large bead (doesn't match 100% but she loves it) to slip through the bottom loop to keep the lid closed.

We have put this on our lazy susan in the middle of the table so that when we sit down at dinner we can ask each other questions. It really is fun!

A small project but it still falls within my $0 budget.

If anyone would like me to email them the 20 page Word file (so you can print them yourself or change them to best suit your family), please download it here or leave me a comment with your email address and I would be happy to send it to you.

Side note: I have found we have gotten closer as a family since we started this spend free month. We have spent 2 full weeks without going shopping. We play games, talk, do crafts together or simply lay on the couch and watch a movie. The money saved this month will be nice, but the family bonding time is truly priceless!


Thanks everyone!