This birthday money box is the perfect gift! Easy to make, fun to open, and a practical gift that everyone will love! Made from a tissue box and free printables, it comes together in minutes.
You might also like my root beer soda sampler gift, chocolate fruit basket, or free Chick-fil-A gift card holder!
These money boxes are fun and perfect for a variety of occasions. I made a birthday version and gave it to one of our favorite teens last week on his birthday! How fun would this be to receive as a graduation gift?
Why I Love This Gift Idea
- Inexpensive. If you watch my video, it seems like a never-ending roll of money coming out of the box! In actuality, I only used 15 one-dollar bills. You can also use 10, and it's still a pretty impressive gift. For a graduation gift, throw in a few 5-dollar or 10-dollar bills!
- Easy to assemble. My free printables take the guesswork out of coming up with your own fun phrases and tags. Simply cut and tape!
- Practical. Cash is the one gift that is practical, always appreciated, and always needed. This gift is perfect when you aren't sure what to give!
How Does A Money Box Work?
Make sure to watch my video for the best visual, but essentially, you roll up bills of cash, insert them into the box with a "pull" tag, and let the fun begin! The recipient pulls the tag, and an array of fun messages and bills start coming out of the box.
Jump to:
Tips and Tricks
- Use a tissue box. No need to find a gift box, an inexpensive tissue box covered in cardstock or gift wrap works great!
- Use new dollar bills. If at all possible, try to use new bills or bills that are crisp and flat without bent corners or excessive wrinkles, as they are easier to tape together.
- Place a piece of tissue paper in front of and behind the pull tag. This helps center the tag, making it stand up straight, and is the easiest way for the recipient to pull the bills out of the box.
💵 Money Box Gift Supplies
- Tissue box: You'll need a square box, not a rectangular box. I bought mine at my local dollar store.
- Gift wrap: You'll want some way to wrap the box or cover it. You can cut squares of cardstock for each side, or wrap the box in gift wrap, leaving an opening on the top.
- Dollar bills: 1's, 5's, it's up to you. I used 15 one-dollar bills.
- Tape: Transparent tape works best for taping the bills and tags together. I would not recommend glue dots as they might be harder to remove from the money later.
- Printable Tags: The pull tag, as well as the fun filler tags, add a pop of color to the gift!
- Scissors: You'll need scissors or a paper cutter to trim down the tags.
- Tissue Paper: Two sheets of tissue paper help fill the hole from the tissue opening.
See the how-to card at the end of the post for full information on supplies and quantities.
🎁 How To Make a Birthday Money Box Using a Tissue Box
Step 1: Open the tissue box from the side. Remove tissues. Secure the opening with a piece of tape.
Step 2: Wrap the box in gift wrap, leaving the top of the box open. You can remove the plastic film from the top of the tissue box or leave it. I left it in place.
Step 3: Cut out printable money tags and arrange them in the order you want to use them in.
Step 4: Tape the tags and dollar bills together using a piece of tape on the back of each one. Continue taping until you have a long strip of bills and paper.
Step 5: Roll the bills and paper up tightly.
Step 6: Place the roll inside the tissue box, leaving the pull tag outside the opening.
Step 7: Place one piece of tissue paper in front of the pull tag and another behind the pull tag to keep it straight.
You are now ready to gift this cash box to a friend!
Money Box FAQs
I'd recommend using 10 bills. For kids' birthdays, I generally keep the gift between $10 and $20.
Cut out squares of cardstock and attach them to the sides of the tissue box, or use tissue paper to cover the sides. You can also paint the box if you'd like!
Absolutely! The recipient can create their own roll of cash to give to a friend another time. You can also test out the box to make sure it works before giving it as a gift, without worrying about ruining the box.
More Gifts To Make
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Birthday Money Box Gift
Equipment
- scissors or paper cutter
Materials
- 1 square tissue box
- wrapping paper optional
- tape
- 10-15 dollar bills
- printable tags printed on copy paper
- tissue paper
Instructions
- Open the tissue box from the side. Remove tissues. Secure the opening with a piece of tape.
- Wrap the box in gift wrap, leaving the top of the box open. You can remove the plastic film from the top of the tissue box or leave it. I left it in place.
- Cut out printable tags and arrange them in the order you want to use them in.
- Tape the tags and dollar bills together using a piece of tape on the back of each one. Continue taping until you have a long strip of bills and paper.
- Roll the bills and paper up tightly.
- Place the roll inside the tissue box, leaving the pull tag outside the opening.
- Place one piece of tissue paper in front of the pull tag and another behind the pull tag to keep it straight.
Video
Notes
-
- Use a tissue box. No need to find a gift box, an inexpensive tissue box covered in cardstock or gift wrap works great!
-
- Use new dollar bills. If at all possible, try to use new bills or bills that are crisp and flat without bent corners or excessive wrinkles, as they are easier to tape together.
-
- Place a piece of tissue paper in front of and behind the pull tag. This helps center the tag, making it stand up straight, and is the easiest way for the recipient to pull the bills out of the box.
Brandy says
We gave this to a friend last week, and it was so fun to put together. He loved it!