So this weekend is the big day!!! Baby girl’s second birthday party. Anyone that knows me, knows I’ve been planning and prepping for months now. What most don’t know, is that I plan and prep early in order to stick to a budget. With two kids with birthdays in October and Christmas right around the corner, it’s important to stick to a budget and resist the urge to splurge.
So this blog will be about a couple of tools and tips I use to stay on budget when planning birthday parties (especially if you’re like me and more excited about the party than your kid)
1. Pick a theme (character, color, activity etc.)
This year I chose an Elmo and Abby theme, because Sesame Street really grabs her attention. I chose the color scheme of pink, purple and blue with pops of red. I chose this because I had a lot of decor left over with these colors from her party last year and because I saw tons of templates and ideas on Pinterest that utilized these colors.
2. Use Pinterest to get inspired!!!!
Pinterest is your friend. Just go to the site (its free) and type in your theme and pin all the ideas that inspire you. I recommend pinning as many things as possible so you have a whole host of ideas to choose from. (I pinned 817 things on her birthday board this year, including pins for my initial Doc McStuffins party idea) You’ll quickly learn that all ideas aren’t easy to replicate or just don’t make since for your event. So the more you pin, the more options you have.
My Pinterest Page for Her Birthday
3. Make a list of priorities/must haves
What must you have at the party for you to consider it a success? What components do you know would absolutely put a smile on your baby’s face? My baby girl loves to jump so I decided early on that I wanted a Moonbounce as the main attraction this year. I personally wanted to make sure Elmo’s crayons and pet goldfish were incorporated, as well as Abby’s wings.
4. Get a book or journal to organize and input all your ideas and lists
I have my green mini notebook that I take EVERYWHERE!!! She tries to scribble in it when I’m not paying attention 😩🙅🏽. In my book I have…my must have list; my party favors list; Activities list; Party schedule; diagram of party layout; Already purchased or owned list; food/desserts list; gifts list; invite list; decor list; items to make list and finally a detailed items to purchase checklist with a projected price for every item.
Yes I know it’s a lot but this helps me keep track of EVERYTHING. I love my green mini notebook. It’s so satisfying to see your progress by checking off everything and keeping track of the budget in the process 😁😁😁. Plus it eliminates all the guess work and keeps you focus. Organization is key!
5. Get crafty and creative
You save a lot of money by getting creative and doing it yourself. You can print party signs and food labels at home. You can cut, color and create your own party decorations. Use your child’s art for decor. Print pictures of your child and use those. There are tons of ways to save money by just doing it yourself.
6. Become a chef
No need to pay for catered meals if you know how to cook yourself. Even if you don’t, choose inexpensive easy to prepare meals. The food is more so for the adults anyway, because the kids will be worried about playing and the desserts. So keep it simple and save some money by cooking it yourself.
7. Become a baker
I personally don’t use this one because I love my cake lady. She’s talented, dependable and her cakes are delicious. That doesn’t mean you should follow in my footsteps though. I do bake my own cupcakes for events and in a pinch will write my own message on a store bought cake. I’m sure you have an aunt, uncle or neighbor that can bake and decorate a yummy cake and other tasty treats for your party,
8. Keep an eye out for sales
Now that you have a thorough list of all the things you need, watch the sales papers and ads to see if anything on your list is on sale. Never doubt the large supply of products from the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar. Michael’s craft store always has 40 and 50% coupons off one item so it’s a good option for favors and decor items. Try and pick colors associated with holidays near your child’s birthday. Amazon and EBay usually have items much cheaper than in store. Walmart has great reasonably priced (some even .97 each) party decor and it’s usually very well organized. Shop discount stores like Burlington, Ross, Big Lots and Marshall’s for great deals on toys as gifts for your child. I usually find them up to 30% cheaper than Walmart, Target and Amazon.
9. Get a day of or day before team
This is important because no amount of planning and prep can prepare you for the last minute day of bloopers. You’re child might be anxious and refuse to nap. The weather may be a hot mess and put a damper on your day. The baker may have spelled your child’s name wrong on the cake. You just never know, so your team will help you stay focused and keep you calm.
10. Have fun and enjoy your hard work
The party won’t be perfect! No event ever is. As long as your child and your guests enjoy themselves, you’ve succeeded. Make sure you take the time to enjoy the moment that you worked so hard to create. In a couple of hours it’ll all be over and all you’ll have is your pictures and the memories.
Look forward to pictures from the party next week!!!!!