7 Frugal Tips for Planning your Kid’s Birthday Party

Over the years, I have learned a few frugal tips when planning my kid’s birthday parties. My six kids love their Birthdays! Honestly, I love birthdays too but I sometimes it can be stressful planning for a party. Especially, when you are on a tight budget.

Occasionally, we go crazy with decorations or themes and loose sight of why we are even throwing the party. We forget that sometimes less is more. Truly, when we spend less money on the party, it can be more enjoyable because there is less stress involved. We can be totally present as we watch our kids blow out their candles. Instead of reviewing a constant stream of justifications for our purchases, in our minds. Birthdays can be fun and simultaneously, not break the bank.

Frugal Tip #1: Start with a Budget

This tip might seem like a “well, duh” type of tip. But it’s actually the key to doing a party on a budget. If you don’t plan ahead and have limit of what you will spend, you will spend more. It’s SCIENCE guys! Over and over again, I followed many of these tips in the name of frugality, thinking I was being thrifty. When in actuality, I was just spending more than I should on cheap things. So, set that limit!

What do I spend on Birthdays?

Our budget for birthdays currently is $60-$85. Specifically, this number includes all birthday expenses. Often times, I’ll use money from our food budget to cover some of the food costs. Other than that, all presents and party expenses come out of the “birthday budget”. Depending on the age or favoritism (just kidding) it could be a little more or less. What I am trying to say is, is that we don’t always spend the same on each kid. There are a few variables to consider. As a result, when planning my kiddos party I ask them a few questions, which directs us to the appropriate budget. Typically though, I always start with the $60- $85 range.

Questions to Ask your Kiddo when planning their party?

• What Activity/ Activities do you want to do with your friends? (you can help give them a few ideas and options, ex: movie night, playing baseball at a park, tea party, bowling, etc…)
• Do you want 1 or 2 friends to come over or a bigger group?
• Do you want a theme?
• What is important to you this year? (Do you want decorations or are the activities more important?)

Frugal Tip #2: The Dollar Store is your Friend

Usually, I head to the dollar store to get my birthday decorations. You can grab a few tables cloths, plates, napkins and cups. It will instantly make your house look a little more festive. In addition, you can use the table cloths as back drops or wrapping paper as a table runner. Creativity is a must when planning a birthday on a budget. Frequently, I will choose decor from the dollar store that I know I will be able to use multiple times and store it. So, that way it’s even more economical, bam! We all know the truth about party decorations: they just get thrown away. Thus, keep costs low in this area.

Free Birthday Printable Decor

My kiddos love a good theme but purchasing “Frozen” Party decor can be more pricy. Often times, I choose colors that remind me of the desired theme and then print out a pictures and bam! They have their Frozen theme and are happy! Pinterest or google are both great places to find little printouts for your party.

Find some great Free Birthday Printable items Here!

Frugal Tip #3: Keep the Birthday Party Smaller

Sure, the saying “the more the merrier” can be very true. It can also mean more money and work and sometimes it’s just not realistic. Our hearts want to say yes to everyone but our wallets are saying “None shall pass”. If you’re want to throw a party on a tight budget, try to keep the party small. Meaning, it’s not required to invite everyone and their uncle’s best friend’s canary. I give my kiddos a number of kids they can invite and then they choose who they want there. It can be hard but they usually can figure it out. Occasionally, we add a couple more kids but we compromise on what types of activities we do. Meaning, we spend less on activities since we have accommodate more children.

Frugal Tip #4: Think Fun and Free Activities 

Something I have realized over the years is that kids are pretty content with simple, good ol’ fashion fun. We all have experienced how a box can be the source of hours entertainment for young kids. The same principle applies to kid’s parties. Think of things your kids normally like to do and then build activities around them. For example, one of my boys loves sports. Taking his friends to a nearby park or field to play wiffle ball, kickball, soccer or football is so cheap and yet it’s seriously so, so fun.

List of Cheap or Free Party Activities

• Lego challenge: give kids bag of random legos, choose a category and they have 2 minutes to build there lego masterpiece)
• Blind fold, smell test: create 2 teams and blind fold a kiddo and see if they can guess what they are smelling.
• Art time: grab some cheap water color kits, thick (card stock or watercolor paper), lightly draw/ trace something that has to do with the theme and let the kids create.

• Scavenger hunts: There are so many options with this! One year I put little dinosaurs in old easter eggs and the kids did a dinosaur egg hunt. Or I made a pirate map and the kids followed the map to find “buried treasure”

• Piñata: I usually make my piñatas because it’s cheaper, some turn out great, some look like a box with candy in it. Kids love smacking stuff and candy. It’s a win/ win. Just make to do this as safely as possible.
• Playing Outdoor games: kids love kickball, hide n’ seek, or playing tag. Usually our kids wish recess was longer at school and so do the things they like to do at recess with their friends.
• DIY Crafts: making a crown or party hat can be so easy and cheap. Cut out a crown-shape out of construction paper. Then, snag some stickers from the dollar store and you got an activity. You can also look at Orientaltrading.com, Walmart, or hobby lobby for supplies.

• Playing board games or card games: most of us probably have some games in our closet that our kids like to play. Why not use them for a party.
• Decorating sugar cookies or cupcakes
• Make an obstacle course: use things around the house to make an obstacle course around your back yard.
• Spider man Silly String fight: Kids wear old t-shirt and spray each other with silly string.
• Breakfast Party, build your own crepe, or waffle
• Create your own unusual games: One year I had made a face cutout poster stand. I had my older son stand behind the stand and kids threw whip cream pies at his face. Unfortunately, one kid got too close and smashed the pie in my son’s face. A bloody nose ensued but before that, it was a super fun game. Next time I’ll use just the poster…

Check out more of my budgeting tips!

Become a Budget Boss

11 Reasons Why Getting out of Debt is the Worst…

5 Tips for Grocery Shopping on a Tight Budget

How We have Paid off 100K of Debt

Frugal Tip #5: Make Things instead of Buying them

Sticking to a budget can be very difficult if you go out and buy everything ready to go. For instance, buying a cake mix and making the cake yourself is substantially cheaper than buying a pre-made cake. Depending on your skill level, the cake may have to be pretty simple and that’s ok. It’s so simple to make a round cake, frost it and slap on some pretty candy or some cheap figurines. I love being creative with cakes but I don’t want to spend days on a cake. When you are making things, you have to also consider what your time is worth as well.

Make A Piñata and Other Decor

Another thing, I like to make for my kid’s parties are piñatas or party decorations. Piñatas can range anywhere from $15 to $50 bucks. Sometimes, it might be worth it to you to just go order a piñata from Amazon because of the time-cost. That’s perfectly fine but I have made some pretty simple piñatas out of boxes and it worked out just fine. A word of caution, try not to make this piñata extra sturdy. I have made a few indestructible piñatas.

Another way to break the bank is with decorations. Decorations can really make a party look magical but just remember that less is more. Choose some colors that match your theme and then use some free online party printable decor.

Frugal Tip #6: Use Fun Things you Already have

I do most of my parties at home because it’s free. I have also done a few parties at the church I go to because they have a nice big gym… and its free. Basically, utilize fun things you already have or can use. I shall explain. For Christmas one year, my awesome hubby gave me a karaoke machine and disco light. That gift has brought so much joy during parties. So, if you have a pool table, a wii, ping pong table, Foosball table or any manner of “fun” table, use it for your party.

Think outside the Box

Also, perhaps consider using some of your fun “toys” in a different way. If you have a Pool table, maybe have the kids do billiard ball races. You line up the balls at one end and then the kids knock the ball with a straw and see who reaches the other side first. Maybe that’s a weird idea but it’s the first thing that came to mind.

Frugal Tip #7: Keep it Simple, don’t let Pinterest take Control!

Pinterest is incredible and has a variety of party ideas. I always peruse Pinterest when I begin planning a party. Although Pinterest is an amazing way to search ideas, you have to be careful! You can find yourself planning a party that doesn’t match your budget or requires way too much of your time. Along the same vein, some people on Pinterest may outsource some of the aspects of the birthday party. So, you really can’t compare. Eventually, we all have to just do what works for us and our circumstances. We have to drown out the noise of comparison! It doesn’t have to perfect; it should be fun!

My Frugal Advice

Here is my suggestion, decide what your priorities are. If your kiddo wants an amazing cake, then put your money and/or time toward that. Are they super excited about decorations, then perhaps you spend some more money on that. Basically, being intentional about what you spend on the details of the party, will save you some money.

Dual Functionality can help keep a tight budget

Sometimes, you can add some dual functionality to certain details of the party. For example, my son wanted a farm party. I utilized the piñata as both an activity, decor, and the candy was the party favor. Another time, we did a Beanie Boo party. Weeks leading up to the birthday party, I would head to hobby lobby, to use my 40% coupon to buy beanie babies. We planned to have a “Beanie Boo hunt” (no stuffed animals were harmed during this hunt), an adoption, and collar making. The stuffed animals not only served as the main entertainment but they were also the party favor.

Parties can be Frugal and Fun!

Now you know my 7 frugal tips for planning a kid’s birthday party. All in all, go be creative, use your talents and have fun with your kids. Let them be apart of the planning and don’t stress about appearances. Remember, a party is about creating memories and not creating an impressive social media feed.

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