Need a creative way to give cash as a gift? This DIY flower money lei is perfect for graduation gifts, birthdays, Christmas and more! Made with folded dollar bills and printable Hawaiian decorations, it’s a fun twist on giving money gifts!
You know that awkward moment when you’re standing in the card aisle, realizing that yet again, the graduate/birthday person/holiday recipient on your list just wants cold hard cash? Don’t get me wrong – I love giving money as a gift because it’s what people actually want. But handing over an envelope stuffed with bills feels about as exciting as watching paint dry.
That’s where this adorable flower money lei comes in! It’s a fun and memorable way to give cash that will actually make the recipient smile (and probably snap a pic for Instagram). Plus, with my free printable Hawaiian-themed decorations, you can make these money leis look fancy without spending hours on crafting.
I’ve always loved finding creative ways to give money as gifts. A few years ago, I made these pizza box money gifts and this money chocolate box gift for our teenage nieces and nephews, and they were a huge hit! This flower money lei is just as fun but with a tropical twist that’s perfect for graduation season.
Why You’ll Love This Money Lei Gift Idea
- Super Easy to Make – This money lei uses simple accordion folds and ribbon. If you can fold paper and tie a bow, you can make this!
- Budget-Friendly – The only “expensive” part is the cash itself! The supplies cost just a few dollars, and you probably already have scissors and tape at home.
- Perfect for Any Occasion – Graduations are the obvious choice, but these money leis work great for birthdays, Christmas gifts, going-away parties, retirement celebrations, or any time you want to give cash in a fun way.
- Unique Presentation – Everyone gives money in cards. How many people give money in a lei? Your gift will definitely stand out, and the recipient will love wearing it for photos!
- Free Printables Included – My Hawaiian-themed printables include a cute “Hula with some Moolah” sign and colorful paper flowers to make your lei extra special without any extra work.
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Supplies Needed
Here’s everything you’ll need to make your flower money lei:
- Dollar bills – I used thirty $1 bills for my lei, but you can use any denomination you’d like! You can also mix in $5 or $10 bills. The number of bills you’ll need depends on how full you want your lei to look.
- Colored construction paper – We used colored paper cut to the same size as the dollar bills. Add in the paper after every 2-3 bills to use less cash in your money flower lei and to add some color.
- Curling ribbon – Pick a color that coordinates with your printable flowers or your graduate’s school colors! I used about 40 inches of ribbon to make sure it was long enough to comfortably go over someone’s head with room to tie.
- Beads – We used pony beads (available at Dollar Tree) to act as spacers between each folded bill.
- Free printable templates – Download my Hawaiian-themed templates that include the “Hula with some Moolah” sign and colorful paper flowers! Available at the end of this post.
- White card stock – This is recommended for printing the templates so your money lei is more durable and looks professionally made.
- Scissors – For cutting out the printable decorations.
- Wall-safe tape – This is key! You want tape that’s easy to remove so the recipient can take their money off without ripping the bills. Scotch wall-safe tape works perfectly.
How to Make a Flower Money Lei
Once you’ve gathered your supplies, it’s time to make your money lei! Don’t worry – it’s way easier than it looks. Here’s how:
Step 1: Print and cut out the printable templates
Print the Hawaiian flower templates and “Hula with some Moolah” sign on white card stock. The thicker paper will hold up better and look more polished than regular printer paper.
Use scissors to carefully cut out all the pieces. You’ll have several colorful flowers in different sizes and designs, plus the cute sign.
Step 2: Fold the dollar bills accordion-style
This is where the magic happens! Take each dollar bill and fold it accordion-style (back and forth like a paper fan) along the length of the bill. The folds should be slightly bigger than ¼ inch wide, or about the width of your pinky finger.
Once you have the whole bill folded, fold it in half so it creates a “V” shape. Then straighten it out and fold it the other way to create a “V” – folding the “V” both ways helps to make the dollar bill more pliable and easier to open up into the flower shape.
Step 3: Tape the ends of the folded money
Open up the folded bill to create a half circle paper fan shape. Use a very small piece of wall-safe tape to tape the first two ends of the bill together – you’ll want to place the piece of tape so that only the ends of the folds are taped, leaving the center open. This is where your ribbon will slide through.
Then, carefully open the other half of the folded bill to create a full circle – similar to those folded paper circle party decorations. Use another small piece of tape to tape those two ends together. You should have a complete folded circle that looks like this:
Step 4: String the dollar bill flowers onto ribbon
Cut a piece of ribbon about 80 inches long (or longer if you’re making it for someone tall or if you want extra length for a big bow). Then fold the ribbon in half, and tie the folded end into a knot – you may need to tie a few knots to keep the beads from sliding off. *Be sure to leave about 2″ on the folded side. This is where you will tie the money lei ends together to form the round lei.
Next, string on a few beads to get started. Then, string on the first dollar bill. Slide one side of the curling ribbon into the first hole in the center of the dollar flower, then slide the second side of the ribbon through the other hole of the flower. See photos above.
Add one pony bead in between each folded bill. This helps to keep the dollars nice and tightly folded, and it also acts as a spacer.
Continue stringing on the folded dollar bills and pieces of construction paper (if using), leaving a few inches at the end for tying.
Step 5: Add the printable flower decorations
This is where your money lei goes from “cute” to “WOW!” Take your printable Hawaiian flowers and tape them to the dollar bill flowers to add pops of color. The colorful paper flowers really make the lei look festive and fancy.
Then use a hole punch to make a hole at the top of the “Hula with some Moolah” sign. Thread the ribbon through the hole so the sign hangs at the front center of the lei like a pendant.
Once everything is in place, tie the ends of the ribbon together in a bow. Your flower money lei is ready to give!
You can present it in a gift bag or a decorative box, or anything that will keep the cash lei protected. The recipient will love wearing it for photos before taking it apart to enjoy their cash!
Tips for Making a Money Flower Lei
- Older bills are easier to fold – Older, more worn bills are more pliable and easier to fold. This makes it easier when folding the accordion bills in half.
- Use curling ribbon – The curling ribbon has a stiff, flat end making it much easier to string on the dollar bills versus something like yarn or string.
- Mix in colored construction paper – For a less expensive gift, you can mix in 8-10 pieces of colored paper. This makes your lei fuller without having to add more bills, and it also adds some color.
- Consider the recipient’s favorite colors – While my printables include tropical Hawaiian flowers, you can customize by adding different colored beads or construction paper.
- Present it at the right time – Money leis are meant to be worn and shown off, so give it to them when there will be people around to take photos and celebrate!
Free Printable Money Lei Templates
To make your flower money lei extra special, I’ve created a set of Hawaiian-themed printables that include:
- “Hula with some Moolah” sign (because who doesn’t love a good pun?)
- Colorful tropical flower designs in various sizes
- All templates designed to print on standard 8.5″ x 11″ card stock
These printables are completely free and ready to download! Just click the link below, print on white card stock, cut them out, and you’re ready to make a gorgeous money lei.
Download The Printable!
Click below to download your FREE Money Lei Decorations!
Other Creative Gift Ideas
Love giving cash in creative ways? Check out these other fun money gift ideas from the blog:
- Pizza Box Money Gift – Arrange dollar bills in a pizza box to look like a pizza (because the best part of pizza is the DOUGH!).
- Chocolate Box Money Gift – Another fun way to gift cash. Replace the chocolates with folded dollar bills!
- Birthday Candy Bar Poster – Attach candy bars to a poster with punny messages for a sweet birthday gift.
- Box of Sunshine Gift – Fill a box with yellow gifts and treats to brighten someone’s day!
Have you made a flower money lei? I’d love to see how yours turned out! Leave a comment below and let me know who you made it for!
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