In a world where a birthday party (even for someone who turns a year old) costs as much as an arm and a leg, parents and party-throwers nowadays have to find effective ways to cut costs. I am sure you don’t want to sacrifice your birthday celebrant’s enjoyment of the happy occasion, but you don’t want to burn a huge hole into your pocket either.
Birthday party supplies have become so essential that they can come in their own specialty stores. But you don’t have to pay all that good money for birthday party supplies that are so simple! There are lots of places where you can buy cheap party supplies; you just have to know where to look. So here are some top tips to get things for a birthday on a budget!
Do-it-Yourself!
If you have the time, try to do some of the party things yourself. This will probably mean that you make your own food (as it is sometimes cheaper to buy ingredients wholesale, your own piñata (the Internet has a lot of great tutorials, even for balloon decorations!) and your own decorations! The sky is the limit to the things you can make yourself, and it doesn’t really mean that you have to spend so much on birthday party supplies that are ready-made.
In one of the parties that I planned before (the advantage of having lots of siblings), my mother was on a strict budget, which put a great damper on decorations. So what we did was we just used a large poster board to write ‘Happy Birthday *name of celebrant*!’ and stuck handmade airplanes and clouds on the background (his party was airport themed). We put this at the center of the room alongside a couple of balloons, and bam! Instant party. Cheap birthday supplies? You bet, but the impact was still there.
Get Help!
Why hire a whole slew of expensive party planners and waiters when you have a lot at your fingertips? If you have other kids (aside from the celebrant), encourage them to help out during the party, facilitate games or maybe even help in the kitchen. All for family love, right? If you have older kids who know how to use Photoshop, have them design the invitation! It’s a great ego boost and a great way to boost family cooperation. In case you feel there still aren’t enough people, I’m sure people in your own community would love to help you throw the perfect birthday party. It takes a village to raise a child, but all it takes is a community to throw them a party!
Cupcake it!
Tiered cakes (especially for theme parties) can get pretty expensive. If you’re looking for a way to save money on the cake and giveaways, cupcakes can make things cute and fun. Just buy/make your cupcakes in bulk and arrange them in a cake stand. Add a few decorations, and you’re good to go!
Online
If all else fails, you can always find cheap party supplies online. Party planners (and most mothers) promise that Birthday Express is the best place to find birthday supplies for kids’ birthdays. If you’re looking for a more mature and reliable source, SindigZ.com is the World’s Biggest Party Superstore, and their prices come up fairly cheap. All these places are pretty reliable and easy to access. They’re worth checking out. Another good alternative to this is to find your party supplies at local department stores.
Photographers
If you’re looking to save on hiring your own photographer/videographer and still have time to enjoy the party, encourage your guests to being their own cameras to the event and snap as many pictures as they want. Give them your email address so they can send you their snaps of the event. Instant coverage!
So there you are, five top tips to get your birthday party supplies cheaper! Have fun, and trust me, everything will be so worth it!
If you’re looking for cheap party supplies for kids, check out Celebrate Express for more ideas.
