Easter always breaks the bank for me.

I have an iron-clad budget for Christmas but Easter is more surreptitious — from its tempting Cadbury Crème Eggs to those irresistible pastel baskets and bunnies, a breath of fresh air after winter’s doldrums.

My family’s tradition has been to attend the community’s annual Easter egg hunt. We enjoy the camaraderie with our neighbors and, most important, the chance to score free candy. (Although, parents of young children know the latter is only true in theory!)

For our first Easter egg hunt, my daughter thought the eggs were balls and launched them in the air. Another year, she passed over the eggs and raced around in circles.

Oh, and I can’t forget the time when the organizers set up the course on the playground and my kids preferred to play on the slide than hunt for treats.

The husband and I had become like Jimmy Fallon in those Capitol One commercials, only instead of touting free money, we were imploring them to just take the free candy.

I resolved that last year was our year to reap the spoils

CLICK TO READ ON ABOUT AFFORDABLE EASTER IDEAS