How to Throw a Birthday Party on a Budget

Looking for ways to throw a birthday party on a budget? You’re in the right place. I’ve been planning birthday parties for over 13 years now!

Well, that is not true, I’ve been planning birthday parties since I was a kid.

My mom wasn’t into the planning process of a party like I was, but she gave me free reign.

I was never given a budget…meaning I went high on FUN and never had a lot of money to spare. Now as a mom I’ve been putting these things to practice year after year.

This post was written in partnership with Qube Money, all opinions are my own.

In this post, I will share with you some of my best kept secrets for making a party special without breaking the bank.

Honestly, kids are really just want to be celebrated in a way that makes them feel special.

That does not mean you need to spend a lot of money.

Let’s consider options to keep a party epic while still saving big on cash!

I’m gonna share with you five ways to stay in budget and if you’ve been following along here for a while you know that I am a big fan of Qube Money which helps you to stay on track with your money goals in life. Qube Money is a cash envelope system made digital with the convenience of a debit card that you can use any where you shop in person or online.

Setting a budget is a HUGE part of how we are able to have parties for all of our kids and go on vacation. It is truly the little things that add up to big things!

Let’s start from the top and get down to the basics of what a budget looks like here.

As with any budget you want to think of this approach as a game. Think of working with less and budgeting as a challenge in a fun way. 

Need help setting up for success before?

First, you will want to start a QUBE with Qube Money specifically made for celebrations. Each week you could set up an auto-withdrawall from your paycheck. You can read more about Qubes and how they work HERE.

Start with the end in mind

Before starting your party planning think about what you hope to achieve with the party itself what is the age of the quick the kid? What are the activities that they might find fun? What are some activities that you could do that would be free? I have a ton of posts with free or very inexpensive game ideas that are really fun way to fill the time but don’t break the bank. Weather permitting enjoy the party outdoors.

Let’s start by saying, there are so many fun possibilities. 

First, you want to start with the end in mind.

Starting with the end in mind also means that you set a budget for your party if you were thinking about staying within a certain budget Qube Money will help you to achieve that by activating the cube that you want to keep all of the budget within. You can have a set amount for decorations, food, gifts, party favors, and more.

Come up with a guest list  (keep it small)

The size of guest list it makes all the difference in sticking to your budget. If you are thinking about keeping it small it’s OK to go a little bit above and beyond with the guest treats and take-home favors when the party is over.

I have found the smaller parties for birthday parties usually go better, too! 🙂

Plan your party in between meals:

A big way to save on your budget is to schedule your party in between meals.

This way you only having to cover a treat, maybe cake and ice cream and leave the big meal for another day.

Another added bonus to this technique is not having to worry too much about food allergies or accommodating different tastes especially when it comes to kids. If you have to do a meal time make a cheese pizza everyone seems to be happy with that and inexpensive pizza is always a good way to go.

Find simple ways to cut costs 

• Party at home
• Use decorations from your home that you already have on hand. I have used this many times!
• Party at the park
• Do a donut cake! This is one of our favorite traditions and we prefer donuts to cake anyway
• Shop holiday candy sales (after the holiday) to fill up your pinata
• Make a homemade piñata!
• Go to a free museum or local event
• Go for easy games that are a lot of fun!
• Use free printables to bring it all together

Here are some fun birthdays I have shared over the years:

My Little Pony. Star Wars. LEGO. Pokemon. Harry Potter

Focus on the birthday boy/girl

It can be really easy to come up with grandiose plans when we see ideas on Pinterest and Instagram. But truly one of the best places to start is to ask your child what they think would be fun. You might be surprised, kids really are satisfied with the most simple of activities. 

One year all my son wanted was to go to the park and play soldier. I invited my uncle who it a Vet and he ran them through some drills, played pretend,  and marched around the park. 

He was thrilled.

You don’t need a fancy cake, even a local grocery store can have beautiful designs that you can ask for for a fraction of the cost like this one we used for a Harry Potter themed birthday party.

Extras? Are they worth it?

Is it necessary to send guests home with a goodie bag?

No. There are simple ways to do a goodie bag, if you do decide to do them I would suggest buying them in bulk from Amazon or even from the dollar store.

Simplifying Your Budget Mindset today! You do NOT need to do all the things to have a fantastic party. If you are looking to make a big impact on your budgeting today it starts with the small steps and decisions made day to day.

Looking for some help with your budget and mindset? Get started today for FREE with Qube Money!

SIGN ME UP! How do I get started? 

Signing up with Qube Money is easy!

1.     Download the app HERE.

IOS DOWNLOAD  ANDROID

2.     Transfer money directly (the first time is a quick, free transfer!)

3.     Buy your product with a tap and see how it works.

Test it out for yourself and see how easy it is to reach those goals!

Looking for more budget friendly ideas? Check out this post: