It’s easy to feel compelled to splurge when celebrating your child’s birthday.
Some moms and dads pull out all the stops for their kid’s big day, even hiring high-end caterers and paid performers. Family traditions and social expectations can also create heavy pressure to spend extravagantly for birthday festivities.
Although yearly parties for your little one can quickly become pricey, take comfort: You don’t have to match your neighbors to give your child a memorable, joyful birthday! Below are practical suggestions to help you reduce expenses for a kids birthday celebration.
1. Swap Presents for a College Savings Account
Per The College Board, in-state public university tuition averaged $9,650 for the 2016–17 academic year. Over four years that totals about $38,600. Use special occasions like birthdays to begin padding a college fund — it’s an excellent preventative step against future tuition stress.
Raise money for your child’s education with user-friendly crowdfunding platforms such as Future College Fund or You Caring. Let guests know about the fund and politely request donations in place of traditional gifts.
You may feel uneasy asking for cash instead of toys, but remember that a contribution is often easier for the guest, too.It saves them time shopping and wrapping.
Besides, what could celebrate your child better than investing in their future education? A college fund offers far more value than many toys, which are often outgrown or forgotten within months.
This is a great habit to establish early so your child doesn’t expect heaps of presents. If they’re already used to lots of gifts, consider allowing one or two presents while asking others to donate to the fund.
2. Choose a Craft Activity for Entertainment
Many chain locations provide birthday packages for kids, but they can be costly. A party at Chuck E. Cheese’s begins at $15.99 per child and basic packages at Dave & Buster’s start around $19.99 per kid. Rather than booking entertainers who bill hourly or purchasing an expensive venue package, sit down with your child and pick a DIY craft from sites like PBS or Kidspot.
Many projects need only a few low-cost materials, and some supplies can be scavenged at home, such as egg cartons or paper plates. These mini art books from PBS only require a paper grocery bag, coloring implements, and scissors.
Next time you shop, request paper bags instead of plastic. If you already own scissors and coloring tools, presto! You’ve got everything needed for a fun craft without extra spending.
To cut costs on materials, ask attendees to bring what’s required for the chosen activity, and keep a small stash for anyone who forgets.
Crafts engage kids’ imaginations and leave guests with a homemade memento that replaces typical party favor bags, saving you more money in the long run.
3. Economize on the Cake
Store-bought sheet cakes can range from $20 to $50, while specialty bakery creations may cost even more depending on design and flavor. Instead, bake your child’s cake yourself or use an affordable box mix — often just a few dollars, or less if you use sales and coupons.
The bonus is that your child will appreciate knowing you made their cake, which will make the day feel extra meaningful.
To save on serving ware, use real plates for a small gathering, or purchase disposable plates and utensils from a dollar store.
4. Skip Paper Invitations
Generic printed invitation packs usually cost $5–$10, while custom invites from sites like Shutterfly can be as high as $2.78 each.
Use a service like Evite to make and send digital invites — it saves money and time. You’ll also avoid postage costs, which recently rose from 47 cents to 49 cents per first-class stamp. Plus, you won’t have to hand-address envelopes.
When it’s time to send thank-you notes, bypass spending $5–$10 on a card set and choose a complimentary e-card from Punchbowl instead. The site offers many attractive options and again saves you the cost of postage and time.
5. Decorate Creatively and Cheaply
Don’t rush to Party City and fill your cart with store-bought décor. Instead, brainstorm affordable, inventive ways to decorate for your child’s party.
An impactful decoration idea is to print photos of your child taken through the year and scatter them around the house.They needn’t be framed — tape them in cheerful patterns on the walls. Guests will enjoy seeing the memories!
Another fun plan: use some of the paper plates you’ll serve cake on to make letters spelling “Happy Birthday.” Decorate the plates with your child and hang them to create a homemade banner. A custom banner from Party City such as this one typically costs $19.99, so you’ll save roughly $20 and involve your child in prepping for the celebration.
6. Lean on Friends and Relatives
Don’t stop at the ideas above — your circle of friends and family can be a great cost-saving resource. Here are a few ways to tap into that network:
- Ask friends and relatives for their thrifty birthday party tips. You might pick up some surprising, helpful ideas!
- If you have creative acquaintances, see if any will volunteer to take photos during the party. A Smartshoot survey found that professional photographers average about $1,341 per day — and that might not include prints. A friend who enjoys photography can provide quality images without the steep price.
- For food, avoid the stress of preparing everything yourself and don’t hire a caterer; catering often costs $10–$25 per guest or more depending on the provider and menu. Instead, organize a potluck and ask guests to bring a dish. With enough contributors, you may not have to cook a thing.
7. Plan Ahead!
The secret to maximizing savings is to begin planning well in advance. Early organization helps ensure you stay within your party budget.By applying the suggestions in this piece, you could end the event with money left over — maybe even a small college fund for your child — and some tasty leftovers.
For more ideas on hosting celebrations without breaking the bank, check out these affordable kids party ideas, and if you’re arranging snacks for any gathering or work day, see these healthy snacks for work.
