We all love to celebrate our kids’ birthday party. However, as of 2017, the average amount of money U.S. parents spent on a child’s birthday party had risen to $500. These 10 tips for a budget-friendly birthday party will help you throw a parent- and kid-approved bash without breaking the bank.
Prioritize
Consider what is most important to you and your child, and worth spending your money on. Do you want your birthday party featured online or in a magazine? If so, you’ll want to prioritize photography and decorations. Are you a foodie who wants to share your favorite recipes with your friends and family? Dedicate more of your budget to food.
Every party is different, and not every party has to have everything. Maybe you’re just looking to give your little one some social time with his peers, and don’t need to spend much on the party at all.
Determine your overall budget for the party, then sit down and rank each party item by importance to you and your little one. The higher an item ranks on your list, the greater the amount of your overall budget it should receive.
Recruit
Got a mom who loves to make handmade invitations? A bestie who’s a baker? Ask them for help. Acceptable payments include gift cards for coffee, handwritten thank-you notes, or a bottle of wine. Knowing that your child’s birthday party was a group effort by the people who love him or her will make it all the more special. These little budget-friendly birthday party ideas can lessen your expense to a great extent.
“Shop” Your Home
This is a great place to start sourcing party decorations, and it’s always my first step when I’m planning a party. I’ve pulled faux plants, picture frames, vases, and trays off shelves in my home to use as party décor. One of my favorite tips is to save glass jars to use as vases – pickle jars are great because they hold so many flowers, and canning jars have a classic look.
When my twins turned one, I purchased some cake stands and dessert platters that I can reuse for every party. By the time they turned three, I sourced just about everything on my DIY dessert table from my kitchen. Scour the dusty, dark corners of your home for unique items before you spend a dime on party décor.
Shop for Deals for a Budget-Friendly Birthday Party
The further in advance you plan your party, the more time you have to shop around and wait for sales at local party stores and online. One of my favorite places to shop for modern kids’ party decorations and paper goods is Oh Happy Day’s sale section. You can also cut weekly coupons from craft chains like Michael’s to get large discounts on individual items or an entire shopping trip.
Buying in bulk is another great way to save money. Growing up, I remember my mom bookmarking pages in the Oriental Trading catalog when she was planning my birthday parties. Last year, I ordered glass bottles by the dozen from the company’s website to display and serve pink lemonade. Amazon is another year-round source of low-priced, bulk party goods. The best items to buy in bulk are generic items that will suit any party theme and that you can use year after year.
Finally, remember to take advantage of any rewards programs you participate in. I use my free Target debit card to get a discount on any party supplies or gifts I buy there, and my grocery store rewards card to get discounts and rewards points on party food. Local craft stores often have free rewards programs such as punch cards that save you money if you purchase frequently.
Trim the Guest List
If you’ve prioritized and eliminated as many costs as you can and you’re still over budget, it’s probably time to cut the guest list. Try the “Age + One” Rule for children two and older. (For example, if your child is turning five, they can invite six guests).
If your child’s school requires that you invite all their classmates to a birthday party, consider hosting a separate celebration or sending treats to school. Then, have a smaller shindig with your child’s best friends and family.
Skip the Meal
Most kids come to a party for one thing: cake. If you keep your party brief (two hours or less) you can skip savory snacks and meals, and serve just dessert. You’ll save money on food, and also save on rental times by keeping your party short and sweet.
Host at Home
A party venue can easily consume half of a $500 budget. Consider hosting your child’s party at home instead. Not only will you save money on venue fees, but you also won’t have to worry about venue rules, paying to rent your venue during setup time (or rushing to decorate during the venue’s 30-minute decorating window), or transportation.
Before hosting at home, scout out the best areas for serving food, playing games, and opening presents, and for any decorations, you’re planning to use, and start setting up the day before the party. Don’t be afraid to move furniture out of or into each space as needed.
DIY Decorations
Do-it-yourself (DIY) is almost always an inexpensive way to go when it comes to party decorations. If you have the time, DIY as much as you can. You’ll want to start collecting materials two to four weeks before the party (nearer the four-week mark if you’re ordering online).
Then, start assembling your decorations two weeks before the big event. Avoid stressing yourself out, and do not wait until the night before the party! If you have dozens of favors to put together or a seemingly endless stack of cardstock to cut into confetti, this is another good time to call in friends and family for help. Order in takeout, and make it a DIY party!
Save on Favors
Though a thoughtful party tradition, favors are never required. If you’d like to include them in a budget-friendly way, make favors out of something you’ve already purchased for the party. For example, you can send each guest home with an extra piece of the cake you’ve already paid for or give each child a small flower arrangement if you’ve used flowers to decorate.
If you decide to purchase favors separately, food items (like candy or cookies) are often least expensive, followed by paper goods, then small toys.
Make Your Fun
Hired entertainment can be pricey. It can also backfire if you’re planning a party for young kids who may find the clown or magician you hired for $100 an hour frightening. There are many activities you can do at home for little or no money, and most kids won’t notice whether you spend $200 or $2. Stage a kids’ field day, try DIY face painting, play board games, or have summer fun with water balloons.
Follow these tips and always keep in mind what’s important to you and your child, and you won’t need to spend a fortune to host the class-favorite kid’s birthday party.
Hope the above mentioned budget-friendly birthday party ideas were useful! Do let us know in the comments if you have any other ideas to celebrate an awesome party within a reasonable budget.
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an incredibly
long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear.
Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say wonderful blog!
Thanks! Gald you liked it.