Today is my birthday!! Not nearly as excited as I was in my younger years, but it is kinda nice to hear from so many wonderful people who are thinking of you. Makes me feel so loved!
So I decided against a birthday party this year, I have never been a big fan of celebrating my own birthday. Mainly because I am the party planner in my family, my husband is a trucker with little to no idea on where to even start planning events, and everyone else has so much going on I would feel horrible if they even attempted it! I prefer the small intimate family celebrations, just me, the hubbs, and the kiddos. Take out, movie night, and a homemade birthday cake. Simple and way more enjoyable than feeding a ton of people and cleaning up a huge mess afterwards. Leave the big parties for the kids and holidays!
Still - what are the best thrifty ways to plan a birthday celebration? One way is to make everything that you can! Decorations can get pricey especially if you are throwing a celebration for a child. Everything from banners, treat bags, balloons, tablecloths, plates, etc. Here are a few of thrifty ways to prepare for your next birthday bash:
1. Save everything you can from previous parties. This includes gift bags and tissue paper. If it's salvageable, stick it in a plastic tote and mark it "birthday supplies".
2. Shop around online for those special decorative items that can sometimes cost a pretty penny. Ebay, Amazon, and even Craigslist all are great places to start for new or gently used items that might be hard to find. Don't forget the dollar stores! Helium balloons, solid colored tablecloths, small favors for goodie bags - just watch your dollars and make a list of items you need before going and tossing everything into your cart.
3. Make everything you can! Make the birthday cake - great recipes can be found online along with creative decorating tips. Make birthday banners out of fabric swatches using liquid stitch (fabric glue) to attach letters and other embellishments. Centerpieces are another easy task that can be made with items you already have laying around the house with a little creative thinking, the possibilities are endless!
4. Food - to cook or not to cook? I usually opt to cook! But the key is to keep it simple, healthy, and fast! Fruit & veggie trays are always a big hit, dollar roll sandwiches and pasta are other inexpensive ways to feed a large number of people, and cupcakes! Cupcakes can pull double duty as a decoration in the center of a table or even by letting the kiddos decorate their own!
5. Entertainment can be the most expensive part of any party. Depending on the age and theme, you may want a clown or a rock band! My best advice is to ask family and friends first. Thankfully, we have some very talented and eccentric friends who have done everything from bake cakes to act like pirates at our kids' birthday bashes. Same goes for the band, although a live band at a party has become rare, it's more affordable if you know where to look. We have a youth group at our church that performs all over or community and these teens are really good! We simply make a donation for their performance and they show up and play everything from oldies to hip hop. DJs usually have set prices and time requirements, the best way to score a great deal is to know one or someone who does!
Great websites for more party planing tips:
www.birthdaypartyideas.com
www.stlbirthday.com
Deals of the Day:
Freebies:
www.totallyfreestuff.com
Grocery deals:
Aldis
1 lb strawberries 0.89
Cantaloupe 0.99 ea
Plums 0.25 ea
Schnucks
Dannon Greek yogurt $1 ea
Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks $1ea
Kiwi 3 for $1
Events:
Jungle Boogie @ StL ZOO
July 8th 5-8pm
free
www.stlzoo.org
ToyMan Toy Show @ Machinist Hall in St Charles
July 10th 9-2pm
cost $4
www.toymanshow.com
No comments:
Post a Comment