How to Throw a Birthday Party on a Budget

Celebrating a birthday party should not put a hole in your wallet. With the help of friends, family, and some cool games or electronic devices, any party can become a day or night to remember. Here are some great tips and ideas for having birthday parties without spending a lot of money.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garage
• Backyard games
• Catering services
• Friends and family willing to bring side dishes
• Favorite movie snacks
• Rental DVDs or VHS
• Karaoke machine
• Boom box

1. Have a backyard barbeque. Ask friends/family to bring a side dish and you can cook the meat. Have the party at home along with some fun backyard games to play such as volleyball, croquet, badmitton, Frisbee, or other fun yard games. Blast your boombox or stereo for some fun dancing, too.

2. Cater food for the birthday party or buy a long sub sandwich and cut into mini sandwiches to feed everybody. Have sandwiches and chips for an affordable meal. Try restaurants such as Subway, or purchase long sub-sandwiches at Wal-mart's deli and add any of your favorite cheeses or vegetables.

3. Throw a mini sleepover complete with rented VHS or DVD movies. Make it a theme night, such as romance, comedy, scary or drama night. Have some of the guests bring their favorite movie snacks and set up a "snack buffet" for everybody to munch on. Make room in the television area for everybody to lay out sleeping bags and get ready to either laugh, cry, or hold on for dear life during all of the scary moments.

4. Keep the party low key and at home. If you would like everybody to eat or to have a dinner party, suggest that everybody bring their own covered dish. Put together a dinner buffet party so that you won't have to pay for all of the food. Decorate the party and eating area with your own decorations or affordable decorations from retails stores such as Wal-mart. Keep them simple, yet fun. Use your DVD player to play music throughout the house, and have everyone gather in the yard or outside if the weather is nice. It is more affordable to have the party at home instead of at a restaurant or renting space.

5. Organize the party in your garage or a family or friend's. Borrow some long tables for seating and gifts. Use a karaoke machine for fun and free entertainment . Decorate fun yet simple by using streamers, banners, and posters. Have snacks such as sandwiches, chips and salsa, and soda. Let everybody sing their heart out for a fun karaoke birthday party to remember.

Resources

• Low cost birthday decorating ideas
• Birthday bash on a budget

[momoftwingirls]

on 7/1/2008 That is exactly what I did for my twins first amd second birthday party. I just had it at home, in our family room, living room and backyard patio; in November. Thanks for the article! 5 stars!!