Celebrate Your 18th Birthday on a Budget

If your "baby" is turning 18, it can be a huge event. The thought of having a big party with lots of guests can be a bit scary, but you can have a great celebration on a tight budget.

One fun idea is to have a Luau themed party. There is no need to rent a hall to have the party in, just head to the local beach to find the perfect spot. You can head to the dollar store to pick up party supplies such as faux grass skirts and lei's for the guests. Invitations can be sent via email to avoid the expense of paper invitations and postage. The menu can be simple cookout style, burgers, hot dogs, chips and sodas. Don't forget the Limbo stick.

If you have a pool you could have a simple pool party. You could follow the guidelines for the Luau party, but just have it at home. Also, instead of providing all of the food, you could tell guests it is a potluck-style party and everyone can bring a dish to share. Set up the volleyball net and fill some water balloons for a little bit of extra fun.

Another great idea is to have the party at the local park. This can be fun if you have a sports fanatic who is turning 18. Tell guest to come ready to play and get dirty. Divide into teams to play different games like baseball, football, soccer and basketball. You can purchase inexpensive trophies at the dollar store and have an awards ceremony for the winning teams at the end of the day.

Even though your "child" is now an adult they may still enjoy playing video games. Why not head to the local arcade? Give everyone a handful of tokens and let them play for an hour. Most arcades have a variety of games and everyone can find something to do, and most of them will let you bring in a homemade cake if you tell them it is for a birthday celebration.

If your child insists on having a formal party, you can still do this on a budget. Tell all the guest to wear their Sunday Best. Transform your home into a ballroom with decorations from, you guessed it, the dollar store. Use streamers, candles and balloons. Make finger sandwiches by simply cutting diagonally and removing the crust, make a friut punch mix using soda and sherbet and serve non-alcoholic drinks in plastic champagne flutes. Play elegant music in the background so guests can dance if they want.

Any way you choose to celebrate will be a wonderful experience for your child as long as you remember to take their interests into consideration.