Creating a memorable birthday party without breaking the bank is all about creativity and planning. As prices have kept increasing recently, it can be hard on the budget to plan an expensive party. My middle child has turned four years old, so I took on the challenge to plan a budget-friendly party. I can share what worked for us and hopefully will work for you too.
Planning and Budgeting Tips
It is crucial to stick to the budget. Unpredictable expenses can always arise, so maintaining good control over the budget can help you in case there are any emergency expenses you have to cover. I always follow these steps:
- Plan early
- Make a list of guests (my guest count is approximately 20 adults and 13 children)
- Create a list of all budget areas you see coming
- Check for prices with local businesses and ways to be creative and save
» » » » » » » » » » » » RELATED READ: How to Survive Your Kid’s Sleepover « « « « « « « « « « «
Invitations
Canva and PosterMyWall are great resources for creating invitations. I have been using digital invitations for the past few years, and it is great because I can text invitations to friends and family and create a Facebook Event. For the invitation I created for this year, I used Canva (using almost all the features in the free version). NOTE: It can be time-consuming, especially if you are doing it from your phone. But you can always just search the theme and most of the sites will have a template ready to edit.
BUDGET: $0
ACTUAL COST: $ 0
Decorations
Amazon came to the rescue. I ordered a party packet that included: polka-dot balloons, a tablecloth, a backdrop, and stickers of the characters. I ordered some extra balloons, candy bags, and cupcake toppers to bring it all together.
BUDGET: $180
ACTUAL COST: $73.14
Venue
There are amazing venues in town for birthday parties. Especially nowadays, a lot of venues have become toddler-friendly. In the past, we have hosted our parties at The Little Gym, Peter Piper Pizza, and Chuck E. Cheese. However, hosting at home is always a great option! My aunt offered her home this year to host the party as it has an amazing backyard. This increases our entertainment options and allows the party to be longer than just 1½ to 2 hours.
BUDGET: $350
ACTUAL COST $0
» » » » » » » » RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Guide to Birthday Parties in El Paso « « « « « « « «
Food and Drink
The food will be my mom’s special recipes from her catering business Suegra’s Kitchen. We are making my daughter’s favorite meal of spaghetti with marinara, some classic chile con queso, and a fresh salad. For drinks, we are getting juices and sodas (local specials and coupon deals from the stores have helped in lowering the cost).
BUDGET: $250
ACTUAL COST: $150
Entertainment on a Dime
We will set up a cute and toddler-friendly environment for the kids since 90% of the kids are younger than 6 years old. We have an inflatable slide (we purchased it last winter during summer items clearance sales). And we will be printing out coloring pages of the birthday theme and the Bluetooth speaker will have a great playlist. For the older kids, we will have a football and soccer ball handy as well as the karaoke playing inside the house.
BUDGET: $50
ACTUAL COST: $0
Favors
Favors are budget-friendly as well. I got cute ladybug bags from Amazon along with the decorations. I went to the local candy store El Loco and got our must-haves: lollipops, gum, pelones, churritos, and all these other candies that are perfect for toddlers and adults!
BUDGET: $100
ACTUAL COST: $45
While our party is not big, we truly enjoy celebrating our little ones with only those closest to our family so the kids can enjoy and feel the love. A party of any size can exist whether you have 3 or 120 guests. What matters is the memory you are creating. There is nothing wrong with saving some money and still having a blast!
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