Although you would like to plan the most spectacular party ever, sometimes your purse tells a different story. If you are charged with planning a birthday party but have a limited budget, don’t start worrying just yet. There are ways to host an amazingly successful party, even a themed one, with very little money to spend.
Watch Cake Prices Online
One of the biggest expenses in planning a birthday party is, of course, the cake. That needn’t keep you from having a wonderful cake if you know how to shop. It is suggested that you start comparing prices about a week prior to the big event. Check out sites like All Cake Prices where you can find the most current prices for stores like Walmart where everything is cheaper than your average grocery store or bakery. Even frozen ice cream cakes can be bought in advance and stored in your freezer, so snatch up good deals as soon as you find them.
Dollar Store Decorations
There is no need to go to your local party store to buy decorations. Actually, most dollar stores have a wide assortment of awesome decorations, especially where children are concerned. You can buy candles, floral arrangements, and even party favor bags and baskets for a song and a dance. Don’t let those super-high prices of party stores chip away at your already limited budget. Dollar stores to the rescue!
Choose Your Timing Carefully
Although you’d like to host a birthday party that offers a full meal complete with appetizers and pre-dinner snacks, a meal may be much more than you can afford. This is especially true if your guest list is a bit large. Some party planners suggest that you plan your party mid-afternoon so that guests have already eaten lunch and are not yet hungry enough for dinner. They wouldn’t expect a full-course meal at 3 pm, so that might be a way to cut back on expenses as well.
Potluck Birthday Meals
If you have no alternative other than to plan your party around meal times, then why not offer the menu up to your guests? Let them each bring a dish they’d like to share so that your expenses are minimal. Sometimes, even the guest of honor would like to make a dish to bring. People love to show off their culinary skills, so let them put them to good use. Potluck birthday dinners are fun!
Some party planners have a bit of fun in the days leading up to the main event. For circles of friends who are crafty, the guests get together for a decorating extravaganza. They hand-make everything from ribbons to party favors and everything in between. The point is, don’t despair if you want to host an awesome party but your funds are limited. There are workarounds for almost everything, and with dollar stores and Walmart in town, there is no need to pay the high cost of bakeries and party stores. You really can host the perfect birthday party – even on a less-than-perfect budget.
