April Fool’s Shenanigans: 10 Cheap and Easy Pranks That Are Guaranteed to Make Them Laugh

April Fool’s Day is tomorrow, and playing pranks is a light-hearted way to have fun with your friends (as long as no one gets hurt!)

Here are some great ways to play an April Fool’s joke that are cheap and easy!

April Fool’s History

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While we don’t know the origin of April Fool’s day, it goes back further than you might think. Historians believe it goes back to the Ancient Romans. The modern iteration can be traced back to the 18th century.

Cheap and Easy Pranks

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Someone asked on Reddit, “April Fools is just around the corner. What’s your go-to cheap and easy prank?”

Some of the answers were great! Here are some cheap and easy April Fool’s pranks, and always remember: Prank Responsibly!

1. Serve Mashed Potato Ice Cream

three kids eating ice cream
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“My mother once switched out our vanilla ice cream with frozen mashed potatoes,” one person wrote on Reddit.

This is a great idea because no one gets hurt! Of course, after they take the first bite, make sure to have the real ice cream ready to serve!

2. Leek in the Sink

Playful Young Woman Holding Toothbrush in Bathroom
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“Put a leek in their sink and tell them it’s there,” someone said.

Get it? Tell them there is a “leak in the sink,” and when they check it out, they will see the “leek.

This works great on Dads or other family members who usually deal with the maintenance of the house.

3. Put Vegetables in the Doughnut Box

mother and daughter shopping for groceries
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Someone shared a “Very harmless prank.” They said, “Get a Krispy Kreme box and fill it with vegetables. Leave it closed in the office kitchen, and when people open it, they will think it’s mildly amusing.”

You can do this at home as well.

4. The Bear Rang

three bears playing
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“If you work in an office, leave a note on your colleague’s desk saying a ‘Mr. Baehr’ rang and then leave them the phone number of a Zoo,” one person wrote.

One person added, “I use Rory Lyons as the fake name, though.”

5. Put Out a Bowl of M&MS

hand with M&M's
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“A bowl of M&Ms with just enough Skittles mixed in,” one person suggested.

This is a great prank because M&Ms and Skittles are both delicious, so no one gets hurt- however, only do this to people who you KNOW have no food allergies.

6. Put Out Lawn Flamingos

lawn flamingos
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One person shared what he was planning to do, “I bought 100 lawn flamingos this year for $1 each and will be setting them all up around my apartment complex tonight.”

That takes dedication and a bit of money, but you may be able to find some cheap lawn decorations at the Dollar Store.

6. Light Bulbs

young woman holding lightbulb looking thoughtful
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“Replaced the light bulbs in their lamps with whatever I found at a hardware store on clearance so she had black lights or red lights,” one person wrote.

Very cute and harmless but a good surprise when they turn on the lights!

7. Freeze Mayonnaise

three kids eating ice cream
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“I froze a bowl of mayonnaise and told my friend it was ice cream while I had a bowl of actual ice cream. When we were eating, I was so into it, making yummy noises. The look on his face was of confusion and revulsion,” one person wrote, “He ate the whole thing.”

If you do this to kids, ensure there is real ice cream for right after they take the first bite!

8. Raisins Instead of Chocolate

Stressed Out Mother with two kids
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Bake some “chocolate chip” cookies but put raisins in them instead. Tell everyone you made chocolate chip cookies and see their reaction!

9. Fill Something With Balloons

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Balloons are cheap, and although this takes a lot of work, it’s pretty harmless (unless the person has a known fear of balloons). Fill a space with the balloons- car, closet, room, etc.

10. Put the Vanilla Pudding in a Mayo Jar

Angry woman gesturing and looking at camera near fresh vegetables in kitchen
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One person shared how you can mess with someone’s head, “Put vanilla pudding in an empty mayo jar, walk around eating with a spoon.”

They certainly will be confused!

11. Slow Down Their Mouse

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One person wrote, “Get on a coworker’s computer and go to the mouse settings and set the speed level as slow as possible. Most people don’t know how to find it and even if they do they still have to scroll like hell to get over there and fix it.”

I wouldn’t know how to fix it!

12. Glue a Coin

five US Cent Coins
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If you have a sidewalk where a lot of people walk by, then one person suggested gluing a coin to the sidewalk and watching and seeing how many people will try to pick it up!

13. Tell the Truth

Senior grey-haired woman wearing casual clothes shouting and screaming
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Someone shared a prank that will definitely psych them out, especially since it’s not really a prank!

“I look people straight in the eye and say slowly, in a very serious portentous voice: “I will not prank you today.” Then refuse to discuss the matter further. Depending on the person, you might stress whatever word will make them think the hardest about who might do what to who, when”

Evil!

April Fool’s Prank

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I hope you enjoyed some of these cheap and easy April Fool’s Pranks; as always, prank responsibly and only to people who you know will enjoy it!

This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.

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