I remember the year our son turned six. We had a joint birthday party for him and his cousin who was turning three. Since it was twice the birthday, for some reason, I thought we needed to hire entertainment. Why on earth – I have no idea – but I hired a woman who was quite entertaining for the children and adults. She juggled, did magic and balloon figures. We could have gotten by with the typical cake and balloons – but somehow I justified the expense.
Fast forward eighteen years – with all the birthday parties a distant memory. Thank goodness for pictures. I LOVE taking pictures and I have some great ones from that day. But, it wasn’t the hired entertainment that made it worthwhile; it was the close up shots of our son with grandparents, aunts and uncles, that’s what made it special.
Seriously – a birthday party doesn’t need to melt your debit card.
Happy Birthdays on a Budget
by Miriam Reed
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There are certain times of year when living on a budget is harder than usual, and my children’s birthdays used to rank right at the top of the list. Birthdays are supposed to be special, and for much of my life, special has meant expensive. When my oldest daughter had her first birthday, my husband and I spared no expense to make her birthday party special, right down to the matching cups, plates, and birthday hats! Of course, she was sleepy, irritable, and more than a little overwhelmed by it all. When my second daughter’s first birthday rolled around, we were a one-income family struggling to feed ourselves everyday, let alone everyone we knew. But this was our baby’s first birthday, so we pulled out the credit cards and had our usual blast!
Well a lot has changed since those first birthday parties. Our financial IQ has gone up and the size of the birthday bashes has gone down. Surprisingly, scaling back our birthday celebrations has made them more enjoyable by putting the focus back where it was supposed to be all along and that is on our children. Now my husband and I can actually enjoy our kids’ birthdays instead of frantically running around trying to buy food and decorations for fifty of our “closest” friends and family members. (And we also enjoy not getting those dreaded “party charges” on the following month’s credit card statement!) Here are some ideas to make your child’s birthday more special, not just more expensive.
1. Have a cake cutting. Our family first tried this on my oldest daughter’s second birthday. It was a big hit! Invite everyone over for cake and ice cream, and have only cake and ice cream. If your guests know what you are serving, they can eat before they come. The party goes by much quicker (no waiting forever to cut the cake), and the cake and ice cream are all most kids want anyway.
2. Have a private party. Private as in only the people who live in your house. This has become our personal favorite. We buy a small, decorated one layer cake from the grocery store for less than $10. We buy party hats and blowers. We sing happy birthday, blow out the candles, and open the presents! Of course, you could make it even more affordable and fun by baking your own cake.
3. Have a slumber party. Another variation on the private party idea is a slumber party. How often does your entire family get together in one room, and stay up all night eating, laughing, and talking? Kids love to stay up late, so pop in a movie, pop up some popcorn, and party into the wee hours of the morning!
4. Plan a family field trip. If your child has a favorite place like the zoo or skating rink, plan a trip for their birthday. If you really want to go all out, plan a trip to a nearby theme park. You could even invite one of your child’s friends to tag along.
5. Send birthday announcements. Many friends and relatives don’t remember your child’s birthday until they get a party invitation in the mail. Make cute cards announcing your child’s birthday and include a recent photo of them. Keep one for yourself as a special memento of your child’s birthday. This is also a great way to distribute those school day pictures that you keep forgetting to give out!
6. Give the gift of time. Nothing will make your child feel more special than your undivided attention. From sunrise to sundown, spend an entire day with your child doing the things they like to do. Eat their favorite breakfast, play with their favorite toys, watch their favorite video, and even take a nap with them!
7. There’s no place like – hotel! Now this is certainly not the most affordable option, but for older kids, this can be a blast! Go to a nice, local hotel (preferably with a pool) and spend a mini-vacation enjoying your child’s birthday. Depending on the day of the week and time of year, you may find a pretty good rate. And lots of places include breakfast in their room rate.And if all else fails…
8. Have a birthday party! Sometimes there is nothing like a good old-fashioned birthday party. But the truth is, it doesn’t have to be so expensive. If you are smart, you can cut back on the decorations (no matching cups and plates), shrink the menu (hot dogs and chips anyone?), and have a great time! Check out Boardman’s Birthday Party Ideas at boardmanweb.com/party/ for lots of great (and inexpensive) party themes, decoration ideas, and games.
Birthdays are special because they are a celebration of the greatest gift you will ever receive, which is your child. Remember, birthdays are supposed to be fun, not stressful. If your child is old enough, ask them what they would like to do for their birthday. The answer may pleasantly surprise you! Whatever you do to celebrate, you can’t go wrong if you keep the focus on spending time with your child instead of spending money on decorations. So relax and put the “happy” back in your child’s birthday. You’ll be glad you did!
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Copyright 1996 – 2009 “The Dollar Stretcher, Inc.”.
Agreed. Your list is sensible, applicable to any child’s interests, budget-friendly and most important, fun. Something’s changed since about 1974 where the focus on the child’s birthday party has disappeared. These parents aren’t throwing these parties for their kids; they’re throwing them for themselves and the other parents! Unless something has changed in young childrens tastes, wine & cheese or sordid sushi wasn’t as appetizing as a Duncan Hines cake or ice cream or fun that just happens in the moment – unforced! Parents worry too much about keeping up with reality tv and celebrities who have more money per year than our whole town’s population will earn in forty years.
Electronic cards are the ultimate free birthday cards. The selections are endless and run the gambit from the tongue in cheek funny, to the preposterous and oblique. You may choose to add a variety of sounds to your graphic selections, as well as the opportunity to add as much or as little personalization as you choose. For those with a talent for words, this is the perfect vehicle for a birthday poem to send to the happy celebrant. Of course, an added feature is the fact that you not only save money because you are not purchasing cards themselves, but you also save because you do not have to pay for postage! In addition to the foregoing, if you are truly in a pinch for time, these cards can be sent before midnight and still arrive on time for someone’s birthday! Truly a procrastinator’s dreams come true.*
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A very special present you can think of giving is a magazine that honors the birthday boy or girl. Gather photos of the birthday celebrant in their forty years and scan these into a computer. Include photographs of notable happenings in their life like their wedding, honeymoon, family gatherings and others. Come up with magazine content on how the celebrant made your life more meaningful and ask his or her other friends and family to give their own touch such as a short letter or well wishes. You could craft the magazine yourself or have it printed at a local print shop.^
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