Home Jar Fund Is The New Wedding Gift

May 17, 2022

The Home Jar Fund has swapped places with traditional gifts found on a wedding gift registry.

Getting married doesn’t mean buying a house with a fence, a pet and having a baby all in one shot.

The idea of buying a home before or after marriage shows independence and success.

But, Is it, though?

There’s more to being a homeowner than paying for a mortgage and property taxes.

Gone are the days of buying a toaster as a wedding gift as couples want to be homeowners first.

For example, a cash gift at an Italian wedding is strictly cash based on the meal, venue, and bar status.

Today, I want to talk about getting married, savings, debt and why cash is a meaningful gift.

What is a home jar fund?
How much should you gift for a home jar fund wedding?
Is it appropriate that wedding invitations state the cash amount each person has to gift?

Cash Only Wedding Gifts — **Home Jar Fund For A Wedding Gift**

Cash Only For A Home Fund Jar Wedding Gift

A home jar fund means bringing cash as a wedding gift which is a relief for those who aren’t into shopping.

Both Mrs. CBB and I are awful at buying gifts for special occasions and always give cash.

Other names you might come across are a house jar fund or a downpayment fund instead of practical gifts.

Cash-only gifts may take the weight off the guest’s shoulders, but for cash-strapped guests, it’s stressful.

Home Jar Fund Pays For A House Downpayment

Jump ahead to 2022, and the real estate market houses have doubled or tripled in price since late November/December 2021.

Being priced out of the market is heartbreaking for couples or single homeowners.

House sellers saturated the market, and buyers hit their max to bid the highest if they wanted to win.

Who wins?

The seller and the real estate agent bank money where a buyer hopes they made the right decision.

Unfortunately, newly married couples or anyone who wants to buy a house have to sell their soul.

It’s disheartening to watch how the war on real estate has quickly saturated the market all over Canada.

Mind you; it’s great if you’re ready for retirement and have somewhere to go.

In our neighbourhood, a home built in 1995 that cost $135,000 will sell for one million dollars in 2022.

The sheer amount of houses that have gone up for sale and fetching over a million is mind-blowing.

When we bought our home, we used only one of our income sources to be on the safe side.

Sure enough, something happened, and we lost one income, but we were still doing fine.

Buying a house at today’s prices requires a hefty downpayment, and two working adults are needed.

We thought paying just over $1000 for our mortgage each month was money.

Why is it not scaring other adamant people about buying into over-inflated houses for sale?

Often I hear that renting costs more than a mortgage which may be accurate based on where you live.

Canadian House Prices Dropping

As I predicted, Ontario house prices dropped 6% in April for the second time this year.

“Canadian home prices fell six percent to $746,000 in April, as higher interest rates poured cold water on a red-hot real estate market.

Home sales fell 12 percent nationally in April, with the most significant drops seen in big cities like Toronto, the Canadian Real Estate Association said Monday. – Source linked above.

Those who bought a house in 2020-2022 with inflated prices are now treading into scary territory.

However, it might not affect their wallet until mortgage renewal, when interest rates have gone up.

The focus is on paying for petrol and buying groceries for the family.

Be Smart When Buying A Home

About two years ago, I wrote a blog post detailing whether a home was the best choice for a buyer.

However, this has changed because I think some buyers set themselves up for disaster.

Home buying is out of reach for many adults who opt to live with their parents as long as possible.

Although, I’ve found that the real estate buying mindset removes the rental option.

What happens then is they are stuck paying for an overpriced house for the rest of their lives.

Moving in with parents allows Canadians to save at least a 20-25% downpayment for a reasonably priced home.

Being house poor is the last thing anyone wants to go through, so a home jar fund is ideal.

Bridal Shower Invite Cash Only Gift Suggestion

Last month Mrs. CBB was invited to a bridal shower held in a small banquet hall.

The invite said that gifts were not necessary; however, the couple had a new home jar fund instead.

The wedding invitation explained the home jar fund reason but only a suggestion for guests.

How much money do you even gift for a bridal shower?

Bridesmaid had specifically asked for $200 per person for a home jar fund. — **Bridesmaids ask for $200 cash per person attending the Wedding**

A home jar fund is not a realistic expectation to ask guests who want to be at your wedding.

I was sent the above anonymous message from a Canadian Budget Binder fan asking for my opinion.

She found it on social media and thought perhaps I would have something to say about it.

Instantly I felt this was an excellent topic to discuss on CBB since we were going through this ourselves.

How Much Cash Should We Gift For A Home Jar Fund?

The amount of cash you gift is up to you as is attending the wedding.

If invited to a wedding with an open bar and a meal, we pay for the dish each plus $200 cash.

In total, it’s not uncommon to stuff an envelope with $400 for a wedding gift.

From the bridal shower to the wedding, cash is all couples want to see floating around.

Having a traditional wedding can cost thousands of dollars but should be based on a wedding budget.

Low-Key $1400 Wedding Was A Hit

Here Comes The Happy Couple Just Married

We had a low-key wedding at my in-laws’ house and went out for a Chinese food buffet afterwards.

The men wore suits from their closets, and the women wore comfortable dressy clothing.

We opted for no wedding flowers for our special day, and Mrs. CBB’s friend made a bouquet.

The total cost of our wedding was approximately $1400, which included the minister and desserts.

Related: How We Planned Our $1400 Winter Wedding

We did not ask for wedding gifts, but our friends and family still brought gifts.

I understand where they are coming from, as I wouldn’t want to go empty-handed to a wedding either.

We forget to wrap a wedding gift and stuff cash inside a wedding card these days.

You give based on how much you can afford, as there isn’t an industry standard.

The Home Jar Fund Is Here To Stay

I’d instead save money for my funeral than stage a big wedding.

For those couples who plan a wedding with all of the trimmings saving up for the wedding is ideal.

Don’t expect your guests to pay for the wedding as it’s yours and not theirs.

I don’t think the problem is the cash gift but rather the suggested amount per couple.

However, telling your guests how much money to bring is a huge NO from me.

Although, giving the gift of cash to help a couple start their life is better than buying them a dust collector.

Thanks for reading,

Mr. CBB

Discussion: What are your thoughts about the home jar fund trend for a wedding?

If you’re already married, consider this a fantastic time to speak up about your experiences.

Please leave your comments below, and I will respond to them all.

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