Tips to Throw a Birthday Party on a Budget
If you’re anything like most parents, you spent a lot more than you planned to for the last birthday party you hosted for your child. The invitations, the food, the goodie bags, the decor, the presents – it’s easy to see how the cost of throwing a kids birthday party can spiral out of control. Is there a way to reign in the budget, while still making your child’s day special? Absolutely! With that in mind, here are five tips to throw a birthday party on a budget:
- Don’t invite everyone you know
- DIY where you can
- Save by planning ahead
- Avoid buying extras you don’t need
- Pay for an all-inclusive party
Don’t invite everyone you know
In the era of FOMO (fear of missing out), it’s more common than ever for a parent to invite their child’s entire class to a birthday party. As much as we may not want to leave others out of an event, the truth is your child might not even interact with, or be friends with everyone in their class.
To save on party costs ask your child who they actually want to have at the party, and only invite those children. To avoid questions about why certain children weren’t invited, don’t hand out invitations in class. Instead, get the invites out directly to the parents outside of school. Save even more by using e-vites in lieu of paper invites.
DIY where you can
Making the cake, snacks, party favors, etc… You could even make your gift for your child. If you’re crafty, doing things yourself can yield big savings. Think about what you already have around the house and get creative!
Save by planning ahead
The sooner you know when the party will be, the sooner you can look for coupons and sales for party supplies. It also helps to plan ahead of time to save on shipping. Ground shipping, and free shipping where possible, beats paying upcharges to get the present in time for the party.
Avoid buying extras you don’t need
Your party bag doesn’t have to be Oscar grab-bag worthy. Those novelty decorations that light up with all the bells and whistles and fancy appetizers aren’t necessary either.
Remember, this is a kid’s birthday party, not a wedding. Even when you keep it simple, they will be happy with how it turns out. Kids don’t need nearly as much as you may think they do for their party. In other words, if you start feeling like you’re overdoing it, you probably are.
An all-inclusive party is the best way to host a party on a budget
Depending on your chosen venue, when you pay for an all-inclusive party, you don’t have to worry about things like food, decorations, or even entertainment. Ask your favorite birthday party venue about specials, because the best ones include everything you need, and sometimes more, in their price for one low cost.
We may be a little biased here, but we think our birthday party packages are a great value for your party planning dollars. All of our kid’s birthday parties include handmade pizza, decorations, GameZone cards, and free bowling shoe rentals! Kid’s birthday parties come with a souvenir bowling pin for guests to autograph for the birthday child as well. Learn more about our bowling party packages by clicking here.