Birthday parties can be something that children really look forward to and that parents like to do well. There can even be competition between some parents to have a good party. It can mean that parents hire venue, caterers, entertainers and things like this and it can end up costing a lot of money. There are things that you can do though, that will keep the costs down but still keep it fun and memorable.
Have a Joint Party
It can be worth thinking about whether a joint party could work out better. If your child has a birthday that is near to the date of friend’s birthdays, then you could get together as parents and do a joint party. This could mean that if you hire a venue, entertainer etc, you could split the cost between you and save money. If they have some of the same friends it will also cut costs of food too. This will only work if the children are happy with it and you are likely to be able to agree with the other parents on the details of the party. You do not want to fall out over it or compromise on your child’s special event so it can be a bit tricky. Speak to your child and the parents about it before making a firm decision.
Cater Yourself
Food can be expensive for the party and paying caterers can make it even more so. There are cheaper ways that you can do things. You could make the food yourself, so make sandwiches, buy some crisps, make veggie sticks have grapes and make cakes. If you do not want to make it all there are short cuts without having to pay a caterer. You could buy pre cut veg, pre made sandwiches (even cut them in half so they go further) and buy cup cakes etc. Baking the birthday cake yourself or having a display of cup cakes instead of a large cake can save money and even buying a pre boxed cake rather than commissioning a personalised one can make a big difference.
Have it in Your Home
Having a party in your home can be a lot cheaper than hiring a venue. It will mean a lot of mess to tidy up afterwards, but it might be possible to have it in the garden if the weather is good and you have enough space. However, tidying up the mess can be a small price to pay compared to the expense of hiring a venue. You will be able to let the children play with the toys and games that you have and they will hopefully still have a lot of fun.
Do Old Fashioned Games
Rather than hiring an entertainer, it could be possible for you to do the entertainment. Just a few party games could be a lot of fun. So, a pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey and other old-fashioned games could be worth a try, especially for younger children. It might cost a bit of money to buy prizes but it will be a lot cheaper than hiring someone to do the entertaining for you. You could even play music and have a sitting room disco for them.
Have a Fun Theme
Having a theme to the party can help to make it more memorable and fun. The children could dress up if they want to and you could have food and games on that particular theme as well. It will make it a lot of fun for the child as they will choose the theme and it will be something that they really like. You will find that buying themed napkins, plates, banners etc will be expensive but you could always make your own banners and use plain plates etc as kids will really be too busy eating and drinking to worry about what is on the plate.
Do not Invite too Many People
It can be cheaper if you invite less people. It can be tempting, when kids are little to invite their whole class or everyone whose party they have been to. This can be really costly though and it is worth considering whether it will be better for you to just invite their special and close friends so that it will be cheaper to feed them. It is also worth thinking about whether to ask family as well as friends to the same party. This saves having the cost of two parties as often grandparents and other family members will want a get together as well.