A birthday is always a special day and a party is a great way to celebrate. Don’t worry, the celebration does not have to be expensive to be great. A budget friendly party done the right way will not scream cheap birthday party but will be just as fun and memorable as a budget busting party. Here is a list of great ideals on how to have a fabulous but cheap birthday party, use the ones that work best for you and have a rocking good time.
Cheap Birthday Cake Ideals- There are a few options for a budget friendly cake. A home made cake is not only less expensive then a bakery cake but it is also a chance to show off your creativity. If you or someone close to you is a cake decorating wizard then baking and decorating a cake for the birthday party is a wonderful way to save some dollars and at the same time make something special that your guest will enjoy and remember. If you are not a cake decorating wizard don’t worry, there are many cake molds to help you make a fabulous cake and many books and videos that show basic decorating skills that can be used to decorate that fabulous birthday cake. If cake decorating is new to you then practicing on a cake before hand is a great way to work out the kinks before you tackle the birthday cake.
Purchasing a ready made cake from a grocery store and placing the birthday persons name on it is a cheaper alternative to special ordering a birthday cake. A premade store cake is especially good for the first couple of birthdays and small gatherings. Since premade cakes will reduce the number of themes to choose from, how about choosing a cake with the birthday persons favorite colors or seasons. I once had a standard supermarket cake in the colors of fall and it was so pretty with the oranges and yellows that every one at the party thought it was a special order cake.
Cupcakes are an excellent cheap birthday party cake ideal. A boxed cake mix, muffin cups and a muffin pan and you are ready to go. Cupcakes are a little more forgiving then a traditional cake. There is less worry in producing a lopsided cake and it is easier to decorate cupcakes. For young children decorating the cupcakes can be a party activity. All you need is some white icing, a couple of different kinds of decorating candies or colored sugar. With this activity it doesn’t matter if your decorating skills aren’t very good, no one will see them and the kids will have a great time for little money.
Many neighborhood stores have birthday club programs that include a free cake for the 1st birthday. So if your child has not celebrated his or her 1st birthday, sign them up and you may not have to worry about the birthday cake at all.
Cheap & Free Birthday Party Locations – Typically the most expensive thing about a birthday party is the location so how about a free location. Free birthday party locations not only work well for kid parties but for all age groups.
A great free location is your home or the home of a relative or close friend. If the weather is warm you can have the birthday party out side in the back yard or community common area. Some subdivisions have playgrounds, perfect for a young child’s party. Do you have access to a pool? Then make it a pool birthday party; keep in mind the age of the party goers and make sure there is sufficient supervision.
Another free party location is a community clubhouse. Some communities especially apartment or town home communities have club houses that can be used for free and only need a small fee to hold the date, the fee is typically returned after the event if there is no damage to the property. Many times the club houses have full kitchens and multiple bathrooms. To use a community clubhouse you will need to live there or have some one who lives there reserve the space for you, remember to reserve the space well in advance.
An additional free birthday party location or at least very budget friendly is the public park. In some parks you can rent a covered structure with tables for a nominal fee. In many parks there is no rental fee at all, you just need to reserve the structure, remember to reserve as early as possible to guarantee you get the structure you want for the party.
For a different free birthday party location how about the beach or lake? You can have a shore themed party, with a picnic or bar-b-q. Don’t forget the music and games.
Cheap Birthday Party Themes – Art’s & Crafts party are great, especially if your child enjoys being creative. For the cake use cupcakes or large cookies and make a decorating project out of it for the kids. You not only have a fun party project but save a lot of money on the birthday cake. For an Art’s & Crafts party you can choose from a host of art projects depending on the age of the party child. For toddlers one or two projects is plenty, for older children maybe have a painting section. The party goers can take their projects home with them as their goody bag.
A superhero theme is always popular, especially with boys, but they can also be pricy. A way to cut the cost is to have an inclusive superhero party. Instead of a Superman or Batman party have a party where the theme is all superheroes. A superheroes party is especially good for a child whose birthday is near Halloween. Guest can dress as there favorite superhero and not only will it be an extra special birthday party but the costumes can serve as part of the decorations. For plates and cups anything in the primary shades of red and blue would be perfect, and black is also a good color for the theme.
A princess themed party can work the same way as a superhero party. You can mix and match princess themed decorations, if plates for one princess is on sale and cups for another use both, typically the colors are pastel so they will work well together. To save even more use pastel colored plates, cups and napkins that do not have a particular theme on them. If you want to make the party extra memorable make it a dress up or custom party.
Some of the best birthday party themes use the things that are already there. So if you are having a party at the shore how about using a pirate theme or an ocean theme. If there is going to be swimming at the party make is a pool party and the only decorations you need is the pool and some pool toys. A little girls party at the park how about a woodland fairy or Tinkerbelle theme, all you need are themed plates and cups and you have the decorations and theme all in one.
Cheap Birthday Party Decorations – Some of the best places to purchase party decorations are discount stores like the Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Everything’s a Dollar. Another good place for party decorations are large discount ware houses like Ollie’s and Big Lots.
For out door parties don’t worry about decorations, let Mother Nature be your decor. If you want to add some color use some colorful plastic table coverings from the dollar store.
For cups, plates and napkins don’t buy themed but buy using the colors of the party theme.
If your child really wants the themed plates, cups and napkins then buy a package of each and mix them in with the non-themed plates, napkins and cups. One child gets the Spiderman cup and the next gets the Spiderman plate and every one is happy especially you and your wallet.
Cheap Birthday Party Ideals – Joint Party – Share the party. If there is a good friend or cousin who has a birthday the same month and the kids are within a couple of years of each other a joint party may be just the thing. I have done this for my daughters 1st birthday with a cousin who was turning 5, also for my sons 2nd birthday with a friend whose son was turning 4. In both of my cases the guest list for both party children was pretty much the same with maybe each child having an additional guest or two. The older children picked the theme, as long as it was something that the younger child could get into and the parents split the cost for the party in half. You can put both names on the cake or have two separate cakes if you prefer, just have the kids sing happy birthday twice, once for each birthday child.
Typical Party Places on the Cheap – Party locations such as bowling alleys, skating rinks and fun centers typically have reduced prices for party packages during the week, and you can save 20 % – 30% typically.
Cheap Birthday Party Food – To keep food cost down scheduling the party for the middle of the afternoon after people have had lunched but well before any one would be expecting dinner. This removes the obligation or expectation that a meal will be served, all you need is the birthday cake and juice.
For a pizza party the party guest make their own pizza. You provide the dough; a canned version like Pillsbury is perfect, premade sauce, cheese and pepperoni or sausage and let the fun begin. This not only serves as the meal but also as a major entertainment project. The pizza, cake and juice and you have all the food you need.
Now take these cheap birthday party ideals and celebrate the birthdays in your life with out sacrificing your budget. Every ideal listed may not work for every party but by using a mix of the cheap party ideals you should be able to throw a rocking party for little money.
