Planning Your Child's Birthday Party Without Breaking the Bank

As a parent planning your child's birthday party, your first impulse might be to go out and buy all the matching Elmo decorations and plates, plan a four-course meal and buy a huge cake for your child's birthday party. However, the number one ingredient for a great birthday party is fun! You can plan a fun birthday party for your child without spending tons of money.

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Party Location

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Instead of going to the expense of renting a place for your birthday party, why not have it at your house or at the park. It's free! And if your house is not big enough for the occasion asking grandparents or another relative to use their home is not out of the question. Be sure and clean up afterwards though.

Go Cheap on the Invitations

Instead of buying those expensive invitations, why not make your own? Handwritten and homemade invitations can add a personal touch. Or you can make computer generated ones and even add a picture of your child on the invitation. Another great idea is the almighty Internet. Email your invitation or use a website such as http://www.evite.com to send your invitations. This will save you on stamps as well.

Plan Easy Games

Plan easy games that will cost nothing or little. You can make your own pin the tail on the donkey game or play duck, duck goose, musical chairs or Simon says. There are also many game ideas on the web to choose from. If you are planning an outdoor party some inexpensive sand toys, Frisbees and balls can add to the fun.

Keep the Food Simple

Keep the food simple. Most kids love hot dogs and chips. Serve drinks of soda, juice and punch from large bottles and avoid those expensive cans and juice boxes. Store bought cakes are expensive so prepare your own birthday cake or let grandma or another relative prepare it as part of their gift to the child. Or it is not unheard of to just serve cake and ice cream at a birthday party. Usually that is what the kids want to eat anyway.

Don't Go All Out on Decorations

There is no need to buy all those matching plates and napkins. If your child really loves Elmo maybe have a few Elmo plates for the kids and use regular plates and napkins for everyone else. You can also use leftover plates and napkins from other events and purchase decorations from discount stores. Blow up some inexpensive balloons to add to the occasion.

Avoid Spending a Bunch on Treat Bags

Purchase some white paper lunch bags and let the kids decorate their own treat bags with stickers, crayons and glitter. Find inexpensive items and candy at discount stores to fill the bags.

Don't Sweat it

Children are pretty easy to please. At parties they mostly entertain themselves. Throw in some games, toys and cake and they will have the time of their life!

Planning Your Child's Birthday Party Without Breaking the Bank

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Throw a Howling Halloween Bash Without Crying Over the Expenses

Here are some cost cutting ways you can throw a fabulous and fun Halloween party without crying when your credit card bill comes in the mail.

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1. Evite ghosts, ghouls and goblins. While physical invitations can be darling, they can also be expensive. It's not just the expense of the invitation itself either. You also have to consider postage, which seems to increase at the blink of an eye. There are plenty of online websites that offer free invitations that you can send online. These evites are just as adorable as paper invitations, but you're also saving money on invitations-and the environment at the same time.

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2. Pick a theme. Believe it or not choosing a theme for your party can help you to save money. A specific theme helps you to focus your efforts and spending on items that relate to your theme. A theme can be as complex as modeling your party after the HBO series True Blood or as simple as choosing a color theme of purple and black.

3. Use what you have. You can use common household items or craft supplies you already have and turn them into decorations for your Halloween party.

* Use black construction paper and downloadable free templates from the Internet to create bats, ghosts or other Halloween symbols you can hang from the ceiling or porch or hang on the walls.

* Turn your candy and clear jars into apothecary jars. Use brown food coloring to turn water brown and then fill with plastic rats and items that resemble things you'd find in mad scientist lab. For example, a cabbage can be used to look like a brain or a softened red pepper can be made to look like a heart.

* Candelabras adorned with spider webs make great centerpieces. You can also add melting candles or burning candles to help set the scene.

4. Limit food choices. A great party spread doesn't mean that you have to serve a dozen different foods. One or two drink options and 3-4 food options is usually more than enough to please guests. Typically, you'll have plenty of food and probably still have leftovers without going crazy trying to create the perfect menu.

5. Keep it simple. You don't have to turn your entire home into a haunted house when decorating one room is sufficient. Guests will appreciate your efforts and have as much fun at a simple Halloween party as they will at one that costs you thousands of dollars to create. The point is to have fun and mix and mingle with your friends, not to deplete your bank account.

Halloween can be a fun time of the year to throw a party. You can throw a great event without having to spend a lot of money. Keep it simple, use items you have and only buy what you need. You and your guests will have fun and you won't have to recreate the scream from a horror film when your credit card bill comes due.

Throw a Howling Halloween Bash Without Crying Over the Expenses

Kristie Lorette is a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant specializing in helping small businesses and entrepreneurs. Visit http://www.studiokwriting.com to learn more about Kristie and see samples of her work. Kristie also produces The Inky Dot, a weekly e-newsletters that includes writing and marketing tips for businesses. Subscribe to The Inky Dot at http://www.studiokwriting.com

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