Throwing a frugal kid birthday party doesn’t necessarily mean you have to drain your wallet. We have lots of Spring birthdays in our family, and we just celebrated our youngest son’s birthday this past weekend. This is the third birthday party I’ve hosted this year! With a little bit of creativity you can have a great time designing your own birthday party theme and activities which will be better than anything you could have purchased from an expensive party store. I’ve thrown quite a few birthday parties over the years and I’ve discovered a few ways to save money along the way. Here are some of the best ways I know to throw a frugal birthday party while not scrimping on the fun:
Food
I think that everyone knows that food is one of the most important parts of the a good birthday party. To really save money you need to make the food yourself. I don’t mean you have to cook everything from scratch – take help from the stores when you can. Make your own sub sandwiches, or simply place cold cuts on a platter so guests can make their own sandwiches. Provide other snacks such as homemade macaroni or potato salad. Deviled eggs are always a good appetizer as well. Add a platter of fresh fruit and cut up veggies, along with a couple of bags of chips with dip and salsa and you’ve got all that you need food wise. All of these are easy recipes that can be found either in your cook book or online. Another way to save money is to only have a dessert based frugal kid birthday party or even a breakfast themed birthday party.
Birthday Cake
Have you seen how much store bought birthday cakes cost? You can make your own birthday cake right at home, either from scratch or out of a box. Either way it will cost only a fraction of the price of a cake from the bakery. You can also use templates found online or your own artistic ability to design the top of the cake. The new edible decorating paper by Wilton makes cake decorating a snap!
Decorations
Decorations do not have to be plentiful. A few balloons and streamers are really all you need to decorate the house inside and out. Streamers and balloons can be purchased at the local party store or even at the dollar store for ridiculously cheap prices. Use tape to hang them up, or removable putty if you are concerned about damaging the walls and ceiling paint.
Games
Nothing gets a party going like a game of Twister or pin the tail on the donkey for children. If you have sidewalks in front of your house or a nice, long driveway, sidewalk chalk is great for games such as hopscotch or for having small children doodle on a large canvas. For the adults of the party, board games go a long way in keeping the fun and conversation going.
Throwing a great frugal kid birthday party does not have to equate spending a fortune. When you’re on a budget, taking matters into your own hands is the best option for your wallet. Have your friends and family chip in with the preparations and sit back and enjoy the fun.