While it has been four years since the catastrophic economic recession struck America, its effects continue to reverberate today and all of our lives have been altered in some way. If your child is about to celebrate his or her birthday and you are in search of ways on how to make throw a memorable party without breaking the bank, you have come to the right place. Here are some tips to help you do exactly that:

1. Choose your venue wisely. At the end of the day, your child won’t remember the high-end location that you chose for his birthday party, but he will look back on the memories that were created on that day. Hold the celebration at home or at a public park instead of an expensive country club or function room. You would be surprised at how much money you could save.

2. Make the decors and invites yourself. While it may be tempting to just run to a store or party supplier to pick up what you need, making the decors and invites yourself isn’t such a bad idea. You can turn it into a fun bonding activity with your child or ask your creative friends to help you out with the artwork and decorations for the party.

3. Bake the birthday cake. Picking up a cake at a bakery or ordering a customized one online can dent your budget significantly. Instead, bake the cake yourself and involve your child by asking him or her what colour and shape she would like it to be. If your child is very young, draw inspiration from photos online. Believe it or not, it is possible to bake a decent cake for less than $10!

4. Go generic. Don’t be swayed by advertising and be fooled into believing that branded is better. Generic products are just as durable and are considerably less expensive. Keep this in mind when picking up plates, utensils, cups and other party necessities at the store.

5. Get smart with the menu. If you feel that your budget can’t accommodate serving multiple dishes to your guests, then keep the menu simple. You can indicate on the invites that you will be hosting a ‘dessert party’ so that guests don’t show up expectant of a full-blown meal. Other ideas include hosting a pizza party. Pizza parlours often run specials and offer deals that you can avail of.

6. Learn how to prioritize. This is essential in cutting costs. Before purchasing anything, ask yourself, “Is this really necessary?” Instead of picking up a piñata, why not play parlour games instead? While party favours are fun to give out, no etiquette rules will be broken if you choose not to give out any.

7. Ask your friends to help out with entertainment. You don’t need to hire a clown or magician to keep the kids amused. You can probably ask an uncle or a goofy buddy of yours to dress up as a clown or to perform magic tricks for the kids.

8. Limit the guest list. Understand that you don’t have to feel pressured to invite every single person in your child’s life. Keep in mind that the more guests you invite, the more food and party supplies you will need to provide. That said, stick to the really important people in your child’s life such as his or her classmates and a few cousins.

9. Buy in bulk. Remember that you can slash 50% or more from your costs by buying in bulk. Keep this in mind when picking up party supplies and food items.

10. Ask a friend or family member to act as official photographer/videographer. You don’t need to hire a professional photographer or videographer to capture the special moments. Ask a friend or family member who has a special interest in photography if they would be willing to do it.

These are some ideas that you can use when planning your child’s birthday party. Remember that you don’t have to burn a hole in your budget to make it a special and memorable one. What is important that your child his or her celebration.

Olivia Nicholas is a writer and blogger for Storkie.

Olivia Nicholas

View all posts by Olivia Nicholas
Olivias website