It’s Christmas shoebox season…well, isn’t it always?! As you lead your effort to provide meaningful, practical and fun holiday gifts to kids around the world, consider how you can increase the impact of your boxes with longer-lasting items while keeping costs down.

Check out our five tips for packing higher-quality Christmas shoeboxes for less.

Many things that kids appreciate in their Christmas shoeboxes, like hygiene items and school supplies, are made to be used up. By choosing lower-cost, basic items in these categories—especially when bought in bulk—you can fill more boxes at a low price point.

Saving money on disposable items also reduces waste and prevents disappointment when cheap, non-disposable items break or wear out quickly. Instead, focus your budget on items that are more valuable when they last, like your WOW items.

Whether you’re shopping for higher-quality items or inexpensive filler, it goes without saying that the best prices are available when you buy in bulk. This is likely a strategy you’re already employing, but it can be difficult if you have a small budget or are only looking to fill a few boxes.

Consider teaming up with your church, organization or friends to combine resources and bulk purchase the main items for all the shoeboxes—like soap, toothbrushes, socks, shoes, and a plush toy. This way, you can get the best per-unit pricing and individuals can still add personal touches with smaller items to fill boxes to the brim. Plus, this strategy lends itself to fun packing parties!

If you’ve been bitten by the shoebox bug and love seeing the impact of Operation Christmas Child, why not think bigger and plan for the long term? By planning in two- to three-year cycles instead of just focusing on this year, you can take advantage of sales and meet bulk order minimums.

Multiply your savings by combining resources with others—saving money, time and energy in preparations year after year. Make Christmas shoeboxes an annual tradition for your church or family!

Fundraising is key to expanding your impact in the quality and number of Christmas shoeboxes you pack. Operation Christmas Child encourages fundraising to cover the $10 per box administrative fee. Consider launching a fundraising campaign to cover this cost and to secure higher-quality items for your boxes—especially your WOW item.

Plan fundraisers early and think creatively about ways to involve the community. Providing specific details about what you’re fundraising for—like The Shoe That Grows!—can encourage more generosity. Operation Christmas Child provides a fundraising guide, and Because International also provides fundraising resources to help you reach your goals.

Whether you’re filling Christmas shoeboxes just this year or plan to do so year after year, starting early is critical to building better boxes on a budget. Like any Christmas shopping, finding the best deals during peak season is always challenging, especially when buying in bulk. Having enough time to receive items is also more difficult if you wait until the fall.

Planning ahead and shopping early ensures you can avoid rush shipping costs and won’t be limited to current stock. Fundraising during the off-season is also a good idea because you’ll have a clearer sense of your budget and can catch potential supporters when there are fewer demands on their time and budget.

Shoes are essential for children to attend school and protect their health, but feet grow so fast that sizes can be difficult to predict. The Shoe That Grows was designed to solve this problem and is the ideal Christmas shoebox WOW item as it supports education and health, and it’s fun for the kids who receive it.

Order The Shoe That Grows for your Christmas shoeboxes below.