Box of Happies Subscription Review – October 2018

Box of Happies is a monthly subscription box for handmade goods. It’s a great way to discover new Etsy artisans. There are three subscription options: Box of Happies Mini for $17.99 a month, Box of Happies Full for $29.99 a month, and a new monthly Grab Bag for $10.00 a month.

This is a review of the $29.99 a month Box of Happies Full box.

The plastic boxes are always protected with lots of bubble wrap.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

About Box of Happies

The Subscription Box: Box of Happies

The Cost: $29.99/month + free shipping. Save with longer subscriptions. 

ACTIVE DEAL: Get a bonus handmade necklace in your first box!
CODE: HAPPIES

The Products: 3-5 handmade items such as jewelry, stationery, bath/body items, accessories, and more.

Ships to: U.S.

Box of Happies October 2018 Review

If you like jewelry that’s generally delicate and handmade items from Etsy and similar artisans, Box of Happies delivers those things every month. The items are also usually packaged nicely for gifting if something isn’t to your taste:

You’ll usually get a little card with basic information about the items as well as a Box of Happies business card. The information cards have a new design this month.

Clip-On Cup Holder – Listed Value $10

Hoot and Hook Vinyl Decal – Listed Value $4

In case you were wondering, the decal listed on the information card has been pre-applied to the cup holder. This was custom-designed for this item so it’s not in the Hoot and Hook Etsy shop, though they have other decals here in the $4 range.

This is a handy item. I have this problem of knocking over drinks while I am trying to do other things but this gives me a way of supporting a glass (or mug with a narrow bottom, of which I’ve got a few) not directly flat on a work surface. It clips to a really thick table, too, and seems pretty secure.

Box of Happies Notecard Set – Listed Value $4

You’ll get a fair number of blank cards with this subscription but they are so handy to have around. The gold details here make these suitable for the holidays, and since they’re blank inside they could be used for pretty much anything.

Bee Active Wine Cork Keyring – Retail Value $4.99

I am not much of a drinker but I do have some wine drinkers in my life who would appreciate this. (My sister-in-law got married at a vineyard! But I won’t send her this now because she had a baby less than two weeks ago and probably won’t be drinking for a while…)

Box of Happies Earrings – Listed Value $12

These are leather (more likely imitation leather-based on the texture and weight) cutouts and they are super lightweight. You’ll get a lot of earrings in this subscription and they are always for pierced ears. I don’t know what material the hooks are made of so I have coated them with clear nail polish but if I end up wearing them a lot, I may replace the hooks with niobium (which is hypoallergenic).

Box of Happies Necklace – Listed Value $15

This is really my style. I like the pendant shape and the single stone and the length. I will get a lot of wear out of this. (When you receive necklaces in Box of Happies, they are often, but not always, simple pendants on chains like this. Most of the time they are delicate, which nicely fits my preferences.)

Curvy Girl Crafting 78 Bracelet Set – Listed Value $19

I couldn’t find this exact item in the Curvy Girl Crafting 78 Etsy shop, but the value may depend on the particular stones/beads included in the bracelets (different jewelry-making materials can have very different prices!). These are adjustable and should fit various wrist sizes, but…

…I need to find out if there is a way to shorten these because I just can’t imagine wearing strings this long dangling off my arm. (My wrists are only 5.25 inches around, though. I guess if you have a larger wrist you won’t have the same problem)

Verdict: I calculated a value of $68.99 for the October 2018 Box of Happies. That’s a really high value for this subscription. The “Box of Happies” jewelry values are about the same as always and most of the Etsy prices were in line with what was on the information card. Even if you consider one or two values to be inflated, I think you’re still getting well more than $29.99 worth of value. And if something doesn’t work for you, most of the items are pre-packaged for gifting.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you subscribe today? No, your first box would be November’s. From Box of Happies:

Your box will ship on the 25th of every month. Please order by the 20th to get the current box. For existing subscribers, we ship on the 25th of every month.

ACTIVE DEAL: Get a bonus handmade necklace in your first box!
CODE: HAPPIES

Value Breakdown: At $29.99 for this box, you are paying approximately $5 per item (if you count the cupholder and decal as a set, which you probably should since you can’t separate them from one another). Alternatively, you are paying about the following per item:

• Cup holder $4.35
• Decal $1.74
• Cards $1.74
• Keychain $2.17
• Earrings $5.22
• Necklace $6.52
• Bracelet set $8.26

Check out all of our Box of Happies reviews or and the Artisan Subscription Box Directory!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What did you think of the October Box of Happies? Do you get any artisan or handmade subscriptions?