Throwing Kids’ Birthday Parties Without Breaking the Bank
Every parent I talk to has the same problem when their kid’s birthday comes around…MONEY! Throwing a birthday party can be - Cha-Ching! - expensive. By the time you have planned and paid for the party, there is nothing left for presents.
We have solved this problem in our household in many ways. Here are some frugal kid birthday party planning ideas that I have used personally:
- Have your child choose between a big party or big present. - This is one thing we have done with our kids now that they are getting older. If they want to throw a big birthday bash where they can invite as many friends as they want, then the birthday budget goes toward the party. If there is a big present they cost quite a bit of money that they have been dying for, then they can invite a couple of friends over for a sleepover and then we can buy them the big present. So far this has worked out great and our kids actually like getting to choose.
- Put a limit on the amount of kids they can invite. - Almost all places that will host your birthday party, will have a price per child attached to it. Decide how much you want to spend, and then tell your child he/she can invite 10 kids. You will probably have to mail out the invitations to the kids they have handpicked, since most schools have the “invite the whole class or no one” rule.
- If you decide to throw the party in your home, add up everything! - I used to be under the impression that they only way to throw a frugal party was to have it in my own home. Well, this isn’t always the case. When you throw a party in your own home, it can be easy to go overboard on the food, drink, decorations, games, party favors, presents, etc. In order to solve this problem, be diligent about adding up what you want to buy and then compare it to having the party somewhere else. Sometimes it’s about the same and sometimes when you add the stress of hosting the party yourself, that far out-weighs the price.
- If you have the party somewhere other than your home, ask if you can brink your own cake , food and drink. - Some places will let you bring in your own cake, food and drink and some won’t. Also, sometimes it is cheaper to have them provide everything and sometimes it’s not. If you want to throw a frugal party it will take some research on your part.
- Be creative when deciding where to have the party. - You don’t have to throw a party at your own home or even one of those party places where everyone else has them. Think of some other places around town that may be original or even more fun. Maybe you could have it at the park (check your park rules first) or you have a friend who has a pool would let you celebrate at their house.
More frugal party planning tips below the cut.
Throwing a frugal birthday party that won’t break the bank can be a lot of fun and so can the party. Frugal does not equal boring! Just be sure and start planning the party way in advance so that you can do the necessary research. Have fun with this and even turn it into a competition - see if you can beat your budget from the year before while still making the party one everyone will be talking about!
Do you have some frugal kid birthday party tips? If so, then send them in and share with the rest of us!
Picture Source: Elmo Face Cake Pan
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POSTED IN: Frugal Party Planning, Kids Birthday Party Ideas
2 opinions for Throwing Kids’ Birthday Parties Without Breaking the Bank
Linette
Jan 5, 2008 at 4:57 pm
We had my son’s birthday party at the bowling alley last year, and the cost was sooo reasonable. All the kids bowled one game. They loved it, it was a great focused activity, so we weren’t chasing kids everywhere. We brought our own cake, and since we were bowling we didn’t have to pay a separate fee to rent the space. The cheapest party (per kid) I’ve ever done.
Julie
Jan 10, 2008 at 4:07 pm
We’ve done a couple of bowling parties too. They are very reasonable and so much fun. :)
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