How to save money on a kids birthday party!
Birthdays can be so expensive! Between the venue, food, cake and party bags costs can spiral. But honestly? Kids don’t notice whether you’ve spent £20 or £200, they just want fun, friends and cake!
This year for my son’s birthday party I challenged myself to save as much as I could without losing any of the magic. Here’s exactly what I did:
Party bags with a twist - instead of the usual party bags full of plastic tat that ends up broken or in the bin, I headed to the charity shop and picked up a bundle of teddies for less than £1 each! I gave them all a wash and blow dry and turned them into adoptable cuddly friends for each child. It worked out cheaper, it was much cuter and best of all the kids actually kept them!
DIY chocolate - I picked up silicone moulds off Amazon that fitted with our Lego theme and made chocolate Lego bricks! Honestly this was such a quick and easy thing to do and they looked so effective. Once they were put into clear cellophane bags they looked like something you’d buy in a fancy sweet shop but cost next to nothing!
Sunflower seeds instead of throwaway toys - Instead of stuffing bags with little plastic toys that would be forgotten instantly, I bought a packet of sunflower seeds and divided them into small brown paper bags. It gave the kids an activity to take home – planting their seeds – and cost literal pennies. Plus, parents loved it too!
Personalised outfit - I personalised a plain t'-shirt using my Cricut. But if you don’t have a Cricut you could do the same with cheap iron-on vinyl or even fabric markers! It made him feel so special, and looked adorable in the photos. Plus it cost way less than buying a branded birthday top.
DIY cake - skip the expensive character cake and buy a supermarket sponge or bake one yourself and just decorate it with toys or figures you already own! My auntie made my son’s cake this year as a present and honestly the kids scoff it so quick you barely have time to look at it properly!
Reuseable decor - my top tip would be to buy neutral balloons, banners and table wear so you can reuse it year after year. Reusable cake toppers also work brilliantly! B&M, pound shops or Home Bargains are my top recommendations for this as you definitely don’t need themed decor every year that you’ll never touch again!
Don’t over cater - kids never eat as much as you think! Stick to easy crowd-pleasers like sandwiches, crisps, fruit and squash. I’d say bulk buy this from Aldi or Lidl!
Second-hand gifts - I think we need to normalise getting second-hand gifts and bargains off Vinted or Facebook Marketplace! There’s some cracking bits on there that are a fraction of the price!
Overall, kids parties really dont need to cost the earth. With a bit of creativity and some clever swaps you can throw a party that feels just as special without breaking your budget!
Let me know in the comments how you save money on kids birthday parties!
