Easy DIY Graduation Card Money Holder with Free Template

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Last Updated on December 19, 2023 by Chris Butler

Are you looking for a unique and special way to congratulate a graduate this year?  This easy DIY Graduation Card Money Holder is the perfect graduation gift idea.  The card will hold cash nicely; and let’s face it, that’s what every graduate needs when heading off to college or starting new adventures.  

Theses fun cards feature a graduation cap and are 5 inches wide and 7 inches tall.  You can use any card stock color to match the school colors.  And the text is customizable as well!  

Add the graduate’s name, change the saying on the card, and print in whichever color you choose.  Homemade cards are the best cards.  I love how they can be personalized to make them more meaningful.  

With this free SVG file, you can make a card and a gift in one to give to high school graduates this year. (it’s great for a college graduate too!)  

Let’s get to it! 

Materials Needed

To make this creative graduation card, you will need the following materials:

• White cardstock (8.5″ x 11″)
• Black cardstock (any size)
• Glue, glue stick, or glue tape
• Printer
• SVG file (Free for personal use – more details down below)

Once you have all your materials ready, it’s time to start making the card. The finished size of the card will be about 5 inches wide and 7 inches tall.  So you can use scrap cardstock for the backing if you have it.  And feel free to change the color to match your graduate’s school colors.

Video Tutorial

Step-by-Step Instructions

We will use Cricut’s print then cut feature to make the front of the card. Printable cards are so easy to make with Cricut.   I’ll show you how to do everything in Design Space to customize and prepare your card for printing and cutting.  

Step One:  Load the white cardstock into your printer.

Load the white cardstock into your home printer so it’s ready to go.  

Step Two: Download the SVG file and upload it into Design Space.

Grab the free graduation card template and upload it into Design Space.

All of our free SVGs and Designs are kept in a library for your convenience. Fill out the simple form and we’ll send you the link and password to access the SVG files right away.

Already have the password? Enter the Library HERE

For help downloading SVG Files and uploading them to Design Space see this post.

Step 3: Ungroup the SVG file

 Once we’re in Design Space you’ll need to ungroup the design.  Click the ungroup button on the top right of the layers menu and then click anywhere on the canvas.  

You’ll notice all of the elements of the card can be customized.   Slide the backside of the card (the black silhouette) over and out of the way.  If you don’t like the saying, you can delete it and add your own.  

RELATED: Learn How to Make Graduation Lantern Centerpieces Here

Step 4: Hide the half-circle shapes.  

The most important thing we need to do before we start designing is to hide the half-circle shapes.  Select the half-circles on the design and you’ll see that layer light up green on the layers menu.  Hover over that layer and you’ll see an eye icon.  Click on the eye to hide the half circles.   

Step 5 Personalize the card with the special graduates name

Next, personalize your card with the name of your graduate.  On the left menu click the text button.  When the text box appears type out the name.  

On the top menu you can change the font and the color the name will print in.   Center the name on the graduation cap.  

Step Six: Select all the elements and flatten them.  

Once all of your customizations are done, select everything on the card front by dragging your cursor over it.  Then on the bottom of the layers menu click flatten.  

This will turn it into a print then cut.   Make sure you only select the front of the card.  The black silhouette we moved out of the way doesn’t need to be printed, it will just be cut.  

Step Seven:  Unhide the half-circle shapes.

 Now we need to go back and get those half-circle shapes.  If we left them visible Cricut would have turned them into a print, and we need them to cut.  

Go to the layers menu and select the half circle shapes.  You’ll see the eye icon again, click on that to unhide them.  At first it will look like nothing happened.  When we flattened the card it moves that layer to the top.  So your half circles are still there, they are just hidden behind the card.  

With the half circles still selected in the layers menu, go to the top menu and click arrange > Move to front.  Now you will see them.   Make sure they are in the correct place.  If you’ve moved the base of the card around, you might need to reposition the half circles.   They go on either side of the circle shapes on the bottom.  

Step 8 – Attach all the elements.

There’s one last thing we need to do before we’re ready to print and that’s attach the half-circles to the front on the card.  If we do not attach them Cricut will put them all willy-nilly on the cut screen and they won’t be where we want them.  So select everything on the front of the card again and click attach on the bottom menu.  

Step 9:  Click the “Make It” button and print the front of the card.  

Then next screen will show you how the mats will cut.  Your first mat should be the front of the card, which we will print first.  And the second mat is the back of the card, which just needs cut.  

Click Continue and we’ll go to the print screen.   On the print screen, select your printer and turn bleed off and then click print.  This will send the design to your printer.  

Optional Step 10 Calibrate your machine for print then cut.

 It has been awhile since I’ve calibrated my print then cut and Cricut prompted me to do a calibration.  If you get the same prompt it’s easy peasy to do.  

Print the test page, place it on your cut mat and load it into your Cricut.  Cricut will do a series of cuts on the test page.  In design space you’ll see a series of prompts so you can tell Cricut how well it cut.  Once finished your machine will be calibrated.  The whole process takes five minutes or less.  

Step 11: Cut the Card  

Once the front is printed, and your machine is calibrated, place the printed card on your cut mat and load it into your Cricut.  After it’s finished cutting remove the mat and be sure to flip the mat over remove the mat from your card.  This will help prevent the paper from tearing and curling.  

Place the second color of cardstock on the mat and load into Cricut to cut. 

Step 12: Glue the two sides together.  

Before we glue it’s important to fold in the flaps on the front of the card.  This is where the money will go and we don’t want it glued down!   Place glue on the back of the printed card and glue it to the base.   Make sure you’re tassels line up!  You can see in the video I was about to glue mine on backwards lol. 

Don’t forget to write a personal note on the back of the card.  If you used black paper like I did, silver or gold Sharpies, or chalk markers work well.  

Step 13: Roll up some cash and put it in the card

Last step!  Roll up some cold hard cash and place it in the circle tabs.  It will hold the cash nicely and keep it in place while you go to the graduation party. 

Congratulations! Your Graduation Card Money Holder is now ready to give to your favorite graduate.  It’s the best way to give a card and gift in one.

Free SVG File

To grab the free SVG for this craft fill out the simple form below

All of my free SVG files and Designs are kept in a library for your convenience. Simply CLICK HERE to get access. We will send you the link and password right away and you’re free to use all the resources you want in the library.

Already have the password? (It’s at the bottom of every email) Enter the Library Here

And there you have it – a DIY money card for graduates that’s easy to make and customizable to suit everyone this graduation season.  You can use any color or pattern of cardstock for the card, and add additional design elements or decorations to make it extra special. This is a great way to give a gift to new graduates. 

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make an easy DIY Graduation Card Money Holder. Best wishes to all the 2023 graduates! Don’t forget to grab your free SVG file, it’s a great way to bless your favorite graduate this year.  

Need a creative decor idea for your high school or college graduation parties? 

Learn How to Make Graduation Lantern Centerpieces Here

God Bless and Happy Graduation! 

Yield: 1

Easy DIY Graduation Card Money Holder

Print

Celebrate your graduate's achievement with a personal touch! Learn how to make a DIY Graduation Card with our easy free template. Make a keepsake that the graduate will cherish for years to come.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Estimated Cost Less than $1

Materials

• 8.5x11 Sheet of White or Light Colored Cardstock
• Sheet of Colorful Cardstock at least 6x8
• Glue

Tools

• Cricut Machine
• Cut Mat
• Home Printer

Instructions

1. 1. Load the White Cardstock into your Printer
2. 2. Download the free SVG template for the card and upload it into Design Space.
3. 3. And your Graduate's name to the card, customize the text and colors.
4. 4. Hide the half-circle cut marks using the layers menu.
5. 5. Select the front of the card and flatten it to turn it into a print then cut
6. 6. Un-hide the half-circle cut marks from the layers menu
7. 7. Select everything on the front of the card and click attach
8. 8. Print the front of the card following the prompts in Design Space. Make sure Bleed is toggled off.
9. 9. Optional - Calibrate your Cricut for Print then Cut
10. 10. Place Your print out on a cut mat and have Cricut cut it out.
11. 11. Fold up the tabs on the front of the card
12. 12. Flip the front card over and add glue to the back
13. 13. Glue the front of the card to the base
14. 14. Roll up some cash and place it into the money holder

Notes

Change the colors to match the school colors for an extra special touch. Don't forget to write a personal note on the back.