Exploring children’s birthday party ideas on Pinterest can be quite overwhelming. Indeed, it’s impressive to see the lengths to which some people go, both in terms of time and money, to celebrate their child’s birthday. Of course, a child’s birthday is a celebration-worthy event, but it’s not necessary to invest hundreds of dollars into a single day. Here are my best three suggestions to help you effectively manage the expenses of your child’s birthday celebration.
1) SIMPLIFY THE FOOD
Today’s trend of designer cakes and cupcakes is impressive but expensive. These stunning treats can set you back $100 or more for a personalized design. Truthfully, children are unlikely to differentiate between a luxurious bakery-made cake and one prepared from an economical $1 mix. With a bit of creativity, you can easily personalize any inexpensive cake with fun, do-it-yourself decorations. Even if it’s not as picture-perfect as a Pinterest inspired dessert, as long as it tastes delicious, I’m confident your child will be delighted.
2) CONSIDER BUYING “PRELOVED” BIRTHDAY DECORATIONS
For my daughter’s first birthday, I was searching for something modest and uncomplicated. A quick look on Craigslist helped me found an assortment of “gently used” first birthday party decorations for about $10. Interestingly, these were the exact designs I was considering at Party City – this simple switch saved me between $20-30. Craigslist and eBay are excellent places to find a variety of party supplies. It’s clever to buy from someone else who chose to splurge on their child’s birthday decorations and sell them afterward at a reduced price. You might also expand your search to include wedding decorations, as you can come across some fun and useful items.
3) REDUCE ENTERTAINMENT COSTS
With your child’s friends over for a party, the atmosphere is already playful. However, there seems to be a perceived need to hire professional entertainers. Hiring a magician or Elsa look-alike can cost up to $200, whereas there are abundant, cost-effective options for entertainment. Simple, inexpensive activities such as crafts, cupcake decorating, scavenger hunts, water balloon wars, and other easy party games can be just as thrilling for the kids. If you’re still keen on hiring an extra hand, try getting a high school or college student for a day. A majority are content to work for $12-15 an hour. They can assist by dressing up, face painting, doing some nail art, or just supervising a basic fun-filled activity.
Celebrating a child on their birthday is essential. My own experience involved having only one grand birthday party where my parents invited my entire school class. This event, over two decades ago, remains my favourite. So, do make your children feel special, but also remember that you don’t need to break the bank to do so.
