Cheap Ways to Celebrate a Birthday
Birthday parties are one of the best parts of the year. There’s nothing quite like having all of your friends over, receiving dozens of presents, and indulging in as much cake and ice cream as you could possibly want. Unfortunately, many parents find that the expenses associated with birthday parties can quickly add up.
Moon bounces, costumed party performers, and magicians can all contribute to the costs of a party spiraling out of control. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to throw a birthday party without ruining your budget.
First off, limit the guest list. Remember that while a birthday party is a special celebration, you don’t need to invite your child’s entire grade. Consider limiting your child’s party guests to one for each year of his life. For example, a six-year-old could invite six party guests. Another option would be to have your child pick only his closest friends to invite to the celebration. This will reduce your costs since you’ll need less food and fewer party favors to distribute to the guests.
Next, make sure you talk with your child about his hopes for his birthday. You may find that substituting less costly options in regards to the party isn’t as difficult as you think. For example, maybe you think your child wants a professional face painter but what he simply wants is a face painter. Instead of paying $200 to someone to paint your child’s face at the party, consider picking up a face painting kit at your local store and doing face paintings yourself.
Another important way to minimize your party expenses is to cut out the meals. Instead of serving lunch or dinner at the party, consider having an early-afternoon party so you don’t have to serve large amounts of food. Your guests will have just eaten lunch and it will be too early for dinner. This means that your food requirements for the party will be limited to cake, ice cream, and drinks for your guests.
Younger kids often have a special character or movie that they love. Create your own themed character cups using stickers from the dollar store.
Consider hosting your birthday party at a local park or having it in your own backyard. This will cut back on the costs associated with renting a room at your local community center or of having the party at a professional party location. Hosting at a park means you’ll have minimal clean-up and the party guests can run around as they like. If you host at your home, you’ll be able to have indoor party games if you want to and you’ll have the convenience of public restrooms.
Finally, don’t forget to end your celebration with party treats for your guests. Remember that party favors don’t have to be large or extravagant to be fun. You could do something simple like give each child a small craft package to take home. Another option would be to give each child a bag with candy or stickers.
If you want to do something a little fancier but still cost-effective, consider visiting your local dollar store and buying each child a small toy. You can wrap the toys in wrapping paper so each party guest feels like they are getting their own gift. You’ll spend only a dollar or two per toy but the guests will be thrilled with what they receive.
