BUDGET BIRTHDAY TIPS
Keeping up with the Joneses can be difficult when your kid’s friends are having huge parties. These tips help cut down on the cost, not on the fun; while still making your child feel very special.
Place:
Hosting the party at home or in a park could save you hundreds of dollars.
Time:
One and a half to two hours is plenty of time for under fives. The longer the party, the more things you have to do or buy to keep them entertained. The best way to keep food costs down is to plan your party around meal times such as 1pm-3pm, 2pm-4pm or even 10am-11:30am for younger children. That way you are just catering for a snack as opposed to a full-scale meal. Prepare cheese and crackers and or sliced fruit and veggies with dips for the kids to nibble on if they get hungry. Another handy money-saving idea is to ask everyone to bring a plate to the party. The smallest contributions will help load up the snack table and save you a lot. Parents are more than happy with a slice of cake and tea or coffee.
Uniquely Special:
Don’t throw each child a big party every year. Reserve parties for special birthdays or alternate with siblings. Do something as a family – make the birthday child’s favourite meal, have a BBQ on the beach or invite friends for a cake-cutting ceremony – no presents, just an afternoon or after dinner visit to sing Happy Birthday and enjoy a piece of cake. The friends could bring over their favourite toys and spend an afternoon just playing and enjoying company.
Acceptable Boundaries:
When you do throw a birthday party for your child, set some limits. Work out how much money you’re going to spend and how many people will be invited. Do this before you tell your child so there are boundaries about what they can do. One way to make the guest list numbers easy, is to invite as many people as your child is years old.
Helping Hands:
Recruit as many friends as possible to lend a hand. Assign everyone a task and pool your resources. Hire a favourite babysitter/teenager or friend to help with fun-filled party games and activities instead of hiring an entertainer. You will save a bundle and the kids will have a ball!
Creative Thinking:
If money needs to be cut, take it from the decorations. Instead of party bags, a thank you note with a Freddo Frog attached will be appreciated. Balloons with curly ribbon can also be given out to your guests as a gift to take home. Streamers are cheap and look great hanging around the party area. Instead of a party, perhaps your child might prefer to go on a shopping trip or have breakfast out with their best friend. If you do want to give game rewards, keep them small with stickers, small candles, homemade cookies or a container of homemade play dough.
With a little creativity, you’ll be amazed how many things you have around the house that can be included in your party decorations. Keep these items in mind when decorating.... A sheet of paper makes a great table cover- provide felts and crayons and let the party guests create their own. Make a centrepiece using a similar item to your party theme and decorate (e.g. Cinderella’s glass slipper- find an old shoe and decorate with paint, glitter and jewels). Scatter candy, confetti or sequins on a table for festive touch. Use your child’s toys, posters and stuffed animals for added decorations, A piñata can be a decoration and a party activity, A poster board, markers and photos make a great party banner.
Free colouring sheets or on-line printables and a box of crayons can go along way when entertaining kids.
Merry Making of Old:
Save on games and activities by using things you already have in your house, and adapting traditional games to fit your theme. Traditional party games such as Musical Chairs, Simon Says, Follow The Leader and treasure Hunts are fun to play, easy to prepare and require no additional expense. Turn you house or backyard into an obstacle course. Line up different games such as ring toss, balancing beams, slides and a basketball hoop. Back-to-back clown races. Party guests partner up for this race. Teams of two must run together while holding a balloon between their backs – without popping it! Egg and Spoon races. Another fun team race. Twister. Is fun, inexpensive and an easy game for partying circus kids to play. Sing Star and Guitar Hero. If you have these play station games, they’re perfect! Limbo. Decorate a broom handle with ribbons and have two helpers hold it as the party guests try to travel under it, feet first, without falling. The bar gets lower with each round.
Finally, keep the guest list to a minimum. Six – eight children are really ideal – it’s enough to have a plenty of fun but the right amount to keep cost down.
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