Birthday parties aren’t what they used to be years ago, and have more recently become expensive due to various factors. These rising expenses have made party planning more complicated. The average parent spends about $500 for their child’s party. If you want to give your child the birthday party they wish to have without breaking the bank, here are some tips to help keep costs manageable.
Throw the party at home
Renting a venue is one of the biggest expenses you will incur while planning your child’s party. Most venues usually charge for the space and amenities and don’t have flexible conditions, like bringing your own food. You might also be required to pay for damages if accidents occur, which can increase your bill.
If you want to save money and not be limited by restrictions, you can opt to have your party right in the comfort of your home. It may be easier to consider a home party if you have a bigger backyard that can accommodate the number of guests attending. If your home is too small, you can ask to use a friend’s or family’s home. Or, you can throw the party at a free venue such as a public park.
Photo by Natalie Chaney on Unsplash
Bake your child’s birthday cake or cupcakes
If you’re a great baker, you can save money by baking your child’s birthday cake or cupcakes. Your cake might not look like a professional baker’s, but it will not hurt your finances. Plus, you can ask a friend or family member for assistance if it’s too challenging. Try as much as possible to get all the ingredients ready weeks before the party, so you don’t have to scramble around wondering whether you will need ingredients such as salted or unsalted butter for baking a cake at the last minute. If baking a large cake might take up too much of your time, you can decide to bake cupcakes, which are much easier to prepare. Or you can get some pre-made cake mix to make things much easier.
Consider using some cute sprinkles and/or cupcake toppers to bring your desserts to another level, without spending much extra at all.
We used these cute plastic puppies for one of our parties, and they were a big hit!
Plan affordable entertainment
Getting a professional entertainer or another type of entertainment for your kid’s party can be very costly, so you will need to be creative with other forms of entertainment. You can set up a crafts station and provide cost-friendly projects to keep the kids amused and busy. Plus, they get to take their creations home. Other fun games include charades, freeze dancing, water balloons, tie-dye, musical chairs, and much more. You can also recruit some of the adults to help and even to get into the game, to create all-around fun.
Every parent wants to give their child the best birthday party possible. However, it would be unwise not to consider your finances when planning a birthday party. With these great tips, you can plan a party well within your financial boundaries.
A really good read and very thoughtful tips. I shall share this article. A must read for those with young children. Thank you!
I love all these suggestions. Hosting the party from home is always a great way of saving so much money that could have spent hiring off a venue and ample space for celebration of the birthday!
We love birthday parties in my home and always seem to go above and beyond, breaking the budget. I have learned some of these tricks to keep the cost down, such as making our own cupcakes (they are easier than cake) and planning games and such instead of hiring talent.
Thank You for this article. This is exactly what I’m going to do as I love birthday parties in my home!
The best thing I’ve done for birthdays was take the kids to an activity centre – like a video and play zone, lazer tags, or a movie, or whatever. They all get to do the activity for an hour or an hour and half, then they go for pizza. No mess in the house and they enjoy it so much!
This is cool, planning an affordable birthday party is nice for people trying to stay on budget and save money. Thank you for sharing!
I haven’t attended many kids’ parties lately, but it does seem that they’re more elaborate when I was a child. I guess you’re only young once so enjoy.
I remember being a kid and having the most amazing home-made, budget-friendly celebrations. In the end it’s not in how much you spend but how much heart you put into it, in my opinion.
Hostess fees for party venues are getting ridiculous these days. Planning a backyard bash or baking simple cupcakes at home saves so much money for more important things like extra gifts 🧁.
This came at the perfect time as my daughter’s birthday is coming up and I have been stressing about costs. The reminder that kids remember the feeling more than the money spent really helped shift my mindset.
I love how this post turns birthday planning into a joyful, stress‑free experience by focusing on creative, budget‑friendly ideas that don’t skimp on thoughtfulness. Your suggestions feel warm and personal, showing that meaningful celebrations don’t have to come with a big price tag. It’s a lovely reminder that heartfelt moments and clever touches make birthdays feel special without stretching the wallet.
I love this, hosting a party at home really is such a great option. We recently attended a party at a hotel, and I know the parents spent a lot of money. Honestly, with what they paid, the kids could have had just as much fun with a cozy celebration at home. Before long, the kids were already saying they were ready to leave! It was fun, of course, but this really shows that you don’t need a big budget or fancy venue to create a party kids will enjoy just as much.
This is basically what we do for my boy’s birthday party every year. We do a “big party” at a location every 5 years. Otherwise, it’s a simple but fun home party.
I love these tips! You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to have a good time, especially for kids!
Love these tips! Birthday parties dont have to cost an arm and a leg. We always have my sons birthday at a park because it’s free.
We do like home parties as those have always been the most fun for the kiddies. The cakes are always made by me as I’ve had loads of experience having 3 kids. We save a fortune on home parties and the kids always have the best time.
I love all of these extra ideas and details you shared for those of us who want to plan a special day for our little ones. Especially finding an economical way to hire an entertainer. Can’t wait to try some of your tips this year!
I remember when my twins were younger and we had to organize birthdays that were costly and even challenging. It is so easy to get caught it with the excitement and watch the budget go out the window. I love your tips because they are practical and make for a stress-free event.
I personally don’t feel the need to hire a professional entertainer. We just need to be creative and prepare lots of games and prizes for the kids.