Party Planning is in my blood. Ever since I was 5, I’ve been planning my own birthday parties months in advance. My little sister takes after me in this way, so perhaps my parents are doing something right after all?
The only problem with parties is that they’re EXPENSIVE. Even simple things like buying food become deal breakers when you’re on a budget. And yet, every mom wants to celebrate her kid’s birth in some fashion, because, hey, it means so much! I’m all about an outdoor display when some huge emotion is occurring. Make parties, not tantrums, can I get an amen?
So allow me to share a few of the things we did to keep Gregory’s 3rd Party under $75 for around 34 people! I’d like to suggest best birthday party ideas.
Craigslist and eBay are your best friends. I got Gregory’s adorable train conductor outfit for only $7 on Craigslist. Turns out, I was actually searching for the keyword “trains”, hoping to find some steal of a deal on party favors. This little outfit was a winner, however, even though I wasn’t specifically looking for it, and his birthday pictures will be such a cute memory for years to come.
I also used eBay to score the wooden trains we painted as our craft. Only $20 for the dozen! The trains counted as our activity AND party favor, instead of a goody bag full of useless items.
When you can’t buy used, buy at the dollar store. As long as you assemble items on your own, they don’t look like something bought for under a dollar. Instead of getting an obviously cheap sign, buy the card stock, print off the letters from the computer, and voila! A cute sign for $0.99.
By keeping the menu items simple with a max. of 3 ingredients, we saved a lot of money on the food. For our main course, we served grilled cheese sandwiches made with the help of our two and six gallon cheese presses rather than buying it from outside spending additional cash. Granted, it’s not gourmet, and they weren’t made with fancy cheese or spices, but when you’re serving a wide variety of toddlers and their parents, simple is key. We did have a few gluten-free/goat cheese sandwiches, since a few of our guests had special dietary concerns, but the majority of the sandwiches were made with whole grain bread and pre-sliced cheese.
To save us from having to prepare things ahead of time or buy pre-made items, we used raw finger foods as appetizers. We served raisins, tomatoes, berries, pretzels and hardboiled eggs. Another advantage to finger food is that you don’t need much cutlery! We only bought spoons for the cake.
Another good option would be a huge batch of thick and hearty stew, like we did at Anthony’s party since it was during Lent. The main goal, however, is to only have ONE cooked item planned, so as to spend time socializing at the party instead of slaving away over a hot stove (I made this mistake with Gregory’s 1st party! Not cool).
Of course, if your party is centered around cuisine (aka, NOT a kid’s party!), you should re-allocate funds from other categories and spend more on making the food.
Back when I was picturing this vintage trunk with the “All Aboard” sign, I almost bought one for $20 on craigslist. Then, I remembered that my mom had given one to a mutual friend of ours, so I borrowed it just in time for the party. Free!
I asked around and was able to borrow tables and chairs, along with a drink dispenser. And for the games, I remembered the tennis table lying in the front yard, so all I had to do was get some ping pong balls. Granted, the tables and chairs didn’t match, but given how many people we had, renting tables and chairs would’ve eaten up our budget rather quickly. Instead, fake uniformity by using matching table cloths (from the dollar store, of course!).
This one should really be titled, “Make Everything From Scratch”. Except for you can’t. Not on your own! Every mom has her limits, so the only way to stay on budget AND keep your sanity is to delegate tasks weeks/days ahead of time.
For Gregory’s birthday party, I bought poster board and asked my sister to make railroad signs. She was able to put them together while I was busy baking. Instead of buying the decorations from a store or online seller, I paid $1.20. She was also able to make the boxcars out of shoeboxes and brown newspaper.
When enlisting help, make sure to do any of the tricky or confusing stuff yourself. Also make sure to pick up the supplies and have everything ready to go for your help. It’s one thing to say, “Here, can you cut these pieces to look like this exact picture, using these pens and these labels?” and another to say, “Can you make all the decorations?” Be specific and reasonable, and friends/family will help!
Perspective is something I really struggle with when it comes to planning parties. When one is caught up in all the planning, every detail or idea can seem like the biggest deal. If some Pinterest idea is just “too cute” and you “have” to have it, you lose sight of the fact that it might not be budget friendly. I’ve caught myself caring less and less about the budget when an idea is becoming more and more appealing.
For this reason, it’s good to run all of your party ideas by a 3rd source. Ask them if you’re going “over the top”, especially if you’re like me. It’s also good to have a best friend/husband who has the ability to gently remind you when you’re losing sight of the big picture.
I don’t want to mail it in and say, “Whatever, the kid won’t remember”, because let’s face it– it’s not just about the kid, it’s about the guests and the parents having a good time. In order for that to happen on a budget, there has to be planning and there has to be someone in charge who cares. But it’s good to take a step back every so often and look at the big picture. Is this expensive detail necessary for others to have fun, or is it just something I want to make me look good in the eyes of others? Perspective is key to weeding out the “shoulds” from the “shouldn’ts”.
How about any of you? If you have any party planning tips I’d love to hear them! God knows we have many more birthdays to celebrate around here!
If you want more great ideas, follow my Party Planning Pinterest Board!