Snapfish.com: When you first create an account with Snapfish, you’ll get 10 free 4×6 prints as a welcome bonus.  You can get just 10 prints to see the quality of the photographs if you’re not sure, or you can include the 10 free prints in your first order. You can also have custom t shirts made that say just about anything you want on them. I can think of a few Spiderman T shirts I’d make.  The best photo printing deals to be had at Snapfish are from the pre-paid prints:

• 250 4×6 prints = $19.99 (just 8 cents each)
• 50   5×7 prints = $24.50 (49 cents each)
• 100 5×7 prints = $39.00 (39 cents each)
• 200 5×6 prints = $72.50 (29 cents each)

If you still have your 35mm camera, you can ship your used rolls of film to their processing center and get your photographs back through the mail.  Pre-pay for developing to get the following rates:

• 10 rolls = $2.69 each
• 15 rolls = $2.59 each
• 50rolls = $1.99 each

When you pre-pay, you then have that number of credits available in your account to use all at once or a little at a time.

Photoworks.com:  Another online service that allows you to upload your digital photographs ormail in your film to get prints back in the mail.  You receive 25 prints as a first time user of photoworks.com. Once again, the lowest prices are obtained by creating an account and pre-paying for prints.  (Hint: you can buy your pre-paid prints and then turn around and upload your photos to use them right away if you want)

• 220  4×6 = $29.95  (14 cents each)
• 500  4×6 = $59.95 (12 cents each)
• 1000 4×6 = $89.95 (9 cents each)
• 50 5×7 = $39.95 (69 cents each)
• 100 5×7 = $59.95 (59 cents each)
• 200 5×7 = $99.95 (49 cents each)

You can mail your rolls of film in for developing as well, including a postage-paid mailer to help keep your shipping costs down.

• 4×6 double set of prints with a photo cd = $15 (up to 27 exposure) and $19 (up to 47 exposure)
• 5×7 double set of prints with a photo cd = $18 (27 exposure) and $21 (47 exposure)

Walmart: You have a few different choices when you use Walmart.  You can upload your photographs through the Walmart Photo Center website for pick up at the store or home delivery, or you can go to the store with your camera’s memory card and use the photo printing kiosk in the store. Unfortunately, you can’t do custom Batman T shirts or other t-shirts with Walmart and you’re limited to basic photographs.

One of the nice conveniences of using Walmart is that you can upload your photographs from home, and run to Walmart to do your shopping.  Within one hour, you can pick up the photos.  One hour pick up prices are as follows:

• 4×6 prints= 19 cents each
• 5×7 prints = 1.47 each
• photos on cd = $2.47

Allow one or two days for free in-store delivery (you can pick them up another day) for lower pricing:

• 4×6 = 15 cents each
• 5×7 = 58 cents each
• photo cd = 2.47

Finally, if you prefer your photographs are sent through the mail, you do get lower prices per print (but remember you have to add shipping):

• 4×6 = 9 cents each
• 5×7 = 58 cents each
• photo cd = 2.47

CVS – CVS offers similar services as Walmart. You can do everything over the internet or show up at the store for instant prints out of the photo kiosks with your memory cards.  If you upload your photographs online, you can pick them up in the store without having to use a credit card (For orders under $49).

You get 50 free prints if you create an account with CVS online photo center and add your ExtraCare number to the account.  No ExtraCare card?  You can still get 20 free prints when you open an account.

One Hour pricing:

• 4×6 = 19 cents each

Pick up 1-2 days after uploading and home delivery photo prices:

• 4×6 = 15 cents each
• 5×7 = 1.49 each

Shipment of your photographs through the mail will range between 99 cents and $3.99 per order, based on the number of photographs in your order.

When you are ready to have photographs printed from your digital cameras (or your 35mm rolls of film!) you have several options.  Depending on the number of photographs you want to order at a time, how often you order, or whether you need to pick them up on the same day, you can make an educated decision as to where you order your photographs from to get the best deals.

A Comparison: Pricing 4 Popular Photo Printing Options was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

The pictures came back a couple weeks later and they were really great.  I loved them and figured it was money well spent!  Four months later, I check my son’s bag for homework and notes and find another envelope of photographs – taken a different day!  These were “look before you buy” pictures – apparently his school had a second picture day.  They do one in the fall and one in the spring.  This set of pictures was even BETTER than the first!  Plus, I already had them in hand, how could I resist?  I ended up writing another check for $45 – because this package was bigger and included stickers of his smiling mug shot.

My son started soccer last year.  At the end of the soccer season, they took soccer pictures.  We spent another $8 to get him standing with his soccer ball and then one of him and the team together.  He also played his first year of little league baseball… and you guessed it!  They took photos of him at bat and another with his team, and I spent another $8 to get those!! 

All of these photographs were from his Kindergarten year at school – $96 in photographs to be exact.  I realize I didn’t have to buy all of them, but as the photographers know, it’s really hard to resist – especially the package that they send you the photos BEFORE you have to pay!

This year, I wanted to get some photographs of my two children together, since we really didn’t any other than the snapshots I take around the house.  We decided to give Wal-Mart a try.  Their Picture Me Studios are all-digital, and that meant everytime the photographer snapped a photo, I got to preview it instantly on the screen and decide whether to keep it or take another one of the same pose.  We took about 28 pictures in the space of an hour (they do at least 7 different poses).  You can walk out of Wal-Mart with an 10×13, an 8×10, two 5x7s, five 3.5x5s, sixteen wallets and eight keepsakes of the same pose.  This gives you one for yourself, one big one for grandparents, two 5×7′s for other close family members, five 3.5×5′s to frame and give as gifts, wallets and keepsakes for friends.  That’s a steal.

Of course, don’t be surprised if you end up buying some of the other poses and building a more expensive package, since you know they’re all going to be gorgeous!

School Pictures Cost A Lot – Ever Consider Wal-Mart? was created by and is property of American Consumer News.