How to Plan Baby's First Birthday on a Budget

Are you the parent of an infant who will soon be celebrating their 1st birthday? At first glance, you may want to plan a small party with close family and friends. After all, your child will not remember their 1st birthday party when older. On the other hand, the first year is a big milestone, one you want to celebrate. The good news is that you can celebrate this milestone with a big bash, even when on a budget! How? Continue reading on for a few moneysaving first birthday party ideas.

Think Cheap Venues

The cheapest place to host a 1st birthday party is in your own home. If limited on space and hosting a party in a summer, opt for a backyard party. If that is out of the question, think cheap. Princess parties are nice for 4-year-old girls, but unnecessary with first birthdays. Local parks have cheap pavilions for rent. In the cold winter months, fire station rentals are recommended. Most fire stations have rooms available for rent by the hour and the rates are the cheapest you will find around town.

Opt For Snacks Instead

If you plan a birthday party at noon, guests might expect you to provide lunch. If you plan a birthday party around two in the afternoon, you can easily get away with snacks. Luckily, they are much cheaper. Plan your baby's 1st birthday party two or three weeks in advance. Doing so enables you to monitor grocery stores sales. Combine these sales with moneysaving coupons. With careful planning and wise shopping, you could easily feed more than 20 people just for the cost of two pizzas!

Buy One Store Bought Birthday Cake

By the time you invite friends and family, your guest list could easily include 20 people or more. This could translate into two or three cakes. Save your money and only buy one store bought cake. This cake will mostly be used for appearance purposes and pictures. To feed the rest of the guests, make your own cakes at home. If you don't want to start from scratch, you can easily purchase a box of cake mix and frosting for less than $3. In fact, Betty Crocker usually has moneysaving coupons listed on their website. Before ordering your store bought birthday cake, check with local grocery stores. Many have birthday clubs where you can get a free or deeply discounted sheet cake for a 1st birthday party.

Avoid Themed Birthday Party Decorations

Parents often purchase themed birthday party supplies and decorations for their children. You might like Sesame Street themed napkins and paper plates. Yes, they are cute, but remember the age of your child. They won't personally remember the party and most guests will either be other infants or adults. Honestly, the adults could care less whether they eat from expensive Sesame Street plates or not. A good approach is to visit your local dollar store and opt for solid colors instead. If your child is a girl, opt for pink plates, utensils, cups, napkins, and streamers. If your child is a boy, opt for blue instead. You will save a lot of money on birthday party decorations.

The above mentioned steps are just a few of the many that you can take when planning your child's 1st birthday party on a budget. The best way to save money is to create a budget. Know exactly how much you have available to spend. Keep that budget in mind and you are more likely to limit your purchases and keep your birthday party costs low.