Hip, Hip, Hooray! How to Plan a Memorable Birthday Party on a Budget

It’s your child’s fifth birthday. You want to be able to throw them the party of a lifetime but your wallet isn’t having it. Just because your funds are a little low doesn’t mean you can’t give them a good bash though.

There are a million ways to throw a birthday party on a budget. Nobody has to know that you got your party supplies from the dollar store and children aren’t going to notice if you recycle some old decorations from last year.

These are only two things that you can do. To help you with your party budget planning, check out this quick guide.

1. Find Your Budget

The first step of budget party planning is to set your budget. If you don't give yourself a limit then you're most likely to spend way more money then you intended to spend.

Once you have your budget in place, be sure to stick to it. Sure, those new decorations look nice but so do the ones that you used last year.

2. Budget-Friendly Locations

The most budget-friendly location you could ever choose is your own backyard. There's no need to waste gas driving to another location and you don't have to spend out any extra money on a venue or to rent out a room.

If for whatever reason you can't have the party at your place, there are a few pretty good alternatives. You can rent a space in your local park for all but free, for example. They may make you pay some kind of security deposit but as long as you don't trash the place you'll be able to get it back.

3. Make Your Own Invites

Instead of going to the store and buying expensive invites, create your own right at home. If you're not adept in Photoshop that's fine. There are plenty of places on the world wide web where you can create online birthday invitations.

Once you've created invitations that you like, pay a fee (if there is any), print out the invitations, cut them out, and mail them off or hand them out in person. It's that easy.

4. Keep Your Guest List Small

Nothing says that you have to allow your child to invite every single kid in their class to the party or if you're throwing the party for a friend, your entire social circle. The more people you invite the more room you have to allow in your budget for food and cake.

Try to keep it to at least ten people or under. Invite close friends and relatives. People who are fun to be around and want to be there.

You should also get a headcount ahead of time for who all is going to be there. That way you know exactly how many people to budget for. It would be annoying to buy enough food to feed ten when you could have gotten away with feeding six.

5. Choosing a Time

Yes, there are certain times of the day that are nicer to the wallet than others. For example, if you plan for the party to start at 5 PM you will have to feed everyone dinner.

If you start it around noon then everyone will need to have lunch at some point. So, if you don't have that much room in your budget for food, plan to have the party in the early morning or mid-afternoon. You'll still want to spring for a cake and snacks so people don't get hangry but you won't have to provide an entire meal.

6. Decorations

If you can't afford decorations, no worries. There are ways you can have them without spending a penny. For one, there are decorations on sites like Pinterest that you can print off and use.

For another, if you bought decorations last year, just reuse them. If you use them in different ways nobody is going to notice. This is especially true if it's a children's party. If you do have to get decorations such as balloons, there are many party suppliers out there with affordable rates as well.

They care about cake, ice cream, and playing. They aren't going to notice nor care if you put up the same birthday banner for three years in a row.

7. Make and Decorate Your Own Cake

Store-bought cakes are nice but depending on what you get they can be expensive. You can go out and get the flour and other ingredients to bake a cake from scratch. You would still most likely get out cheaper than buying one from the bakery that way.

If you're not so handy with a mixer though, there is nothing wrong with getting a boxed cake and dressing it up. If this party is for your child and they want a themed cake, don't worry about it.

Clean off one of their figures and stick it on their cake. If the kid wants a Spiderman cake, they want a Spiderman cake. They're not going to care where the figure came from.

8. The Dollar Store is Your Friend

The dollar store is going to be your best friend when it comes to budget party planning. You can get all the plates, cups, napkins, and utensils you need for a fraction of what you would spend in another store. Trust us, you'll be amazed at how far ten dollars or less will go.

Throwing an Awesome Birthday Party on a Budget

Birthdays are hard. You want to plan the biggest, most extravagant bash imaginable but sometimes your wallet doesn't share your sentiments.

The good news is that there are ways for you to plan a memorable birthday party on a budget. Use some of the tips that you've read here to plan a celebration that both you and your funds can agree upon. If you find yourself needing help or advice when it comes to planning and budgeting for family events, consider working with top consulting firms to help you manage your investments and secure your financial future.

If you want to provide a meal for your party, you may be able to get out cheaper cooking yourself rather than buying pizzas. Check out the recipe section of our blog daily for all the latest food options.