The Family Wallet

Birthday parties are a lot of fun for the birthday boy or girl as well as all of his friends and family. He gets to be the center of attention for an afternoon, or evening, and enjoy whatever fun topics you have planned for them. The only problem for you is often keeping the cost of the big day under control. Although you want him to have a great day, you probably don’t have a bottomless pocketbook to fund the birthday party.

Don’t worry; there are plenty of great birthday party ideas that won’t require you to take out a second mortgage on your home. With a little creativity and some planning, you can plan a party that will be the talk of the neighborhood.

Movie Night (Day) Party – Everybody loves going to the movies, but taking eight or ten kids to the theater can be awful expensive. Add in the cost of munchies and you’ll quickly exceed your party budget. Instead of going to the theater try hosting a movie party for the kids at your house. Rent a favorite movie and order pizza.

A Day in the Country – A country-themed birthday party will be a favorite with the younger crowd. Give each youngster a bandana (They’re really cheap at craft stores like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s.) when they arrive. The bandanas can be tied around the necks of the boys or over the girls’ hair. Play old-fashioned games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey or Hot Potato. You can serve simple food like cheese cubes or apple wedges.

A Proper Tea Party – Little girls will love dressing up and having a tea party. Dust off the tea cups that you never use, or buy inexpensive ones from your local thrift store. Unwrap the iced Little Debbie snack cakes and stack them on a serving dish to resemble the sweet cakes.

Super Spy Party – Give your youngster and his friends permission to be sneaky for a day by hosting a birthday party with a spy theme. You can help them write messages in secret code for an activity. Pick up inexpensive sunglasses at the dollar store to help the kids remain incognito.

Sleepover Party – There’s something about hosting a sleepover that is just timeless. Plan to have plenty of snacks and rent a few movies for the youngsters. Just make sure you set a final “lights out” time or you may be up until dawn.

Sports Party – A sports-themed party is always a good idea for a boy’s party. Games are easy; you can just organize a friendly game of soccer or kickball in the backyard. Food can include the hot dogs and popcorn that you typically buy at a baseball game.

For more great content, remember to subscribe to my RSS feed. Subscribe

Filed under: Kids, Money Management