Low Budget Kid-Friendly Birthday Party Hacks

If I was a millionaire, I would spend LOADS of money on my kids birthday parties. Seeing a smile on their little face lights me up from the inside out, but I just don’t have the funds to supply a moon bounce and 10-layer cake for a 4-year-old (at least not yet!). Even though I don’t have the money to throw an insane birthday party, that doesn’t mean that we can’t have an awesome party! Here are my 6 tips to throw an epic bash without breaking the bank:

1)Use What You Have Around the House

Figure out a theme based on what you already own. One year we did a "Halloween" theme and put all the costumes and decorations out in big bins for the kids to pick from. This was so fun because it transformed a bunch of old costumes laying around the house into a whole creative activity for the kids! Summer birthdays are easy! We’ve done lots of pool parties in the past, which are always super fun for everyone. If you don’t have a pool, you could use a sprinkler and inflatable pool with a bathing suit theme, you could do water balloons, play a big soccer game, and the list goes on. Anything outdoors is always a win win because it gets the kids active+doesn’t cost any money!

2) Don’t Schedule the Party During Meal Times

To save on money, we made the party 2-4 PM, so nobody expected lunch or dinner. We provided light snacks for everyone to nosh on. If you must schedule the party during meal times, pizzas are a pretty inexpensive meal to provide for kids. In LA we have a pizza company called Fresh Brothers that has a gluten free crust with a “special sauce” that has hidden veggies in it. This is a pretty healthy version of pizza!! In most places people don’t have access to “pizza” like we do in LA. If that’s the case, regular pizza every once in awhile isn’t going to kill you!

3) Make Everything An Activity

Instead of having a big expensive cake, we set up a healthy sundae bar that was also an activity and entertainment for the guests. We bought 5 flavors of dairy-free ice cream, gluten-free cones+healthy toppings for the kids to experiment with. The kids loved being able to decorate their creations with Philosophie Honey, bee pollen “sprinkles,” cacao nibs, goji berries, and more!

4) Splurge On One Thing That’s Important to You

The only thing we spent money on for this party was a piñata with healthier options for candy inside. Leo REALLY wanted a piñata, so that’s what we chose to splurge on. Choosing one thing to spend money on makes you feel like you’re celebrating and having a fiesta, without the added guilt of knowing that the whole party is costing you an arm and a leg! Instead of carelessly spending a ton of money on the whole party, choose one highlight that you want to spend it on.

5) Order Party Favors and Decorations Online

As a general rule, planning ahead can save you loads of money. Especially when it comes to parties. Buying party supplies and party favors at stores like Party City is convenient, but I find that they are way pricier. Between being a busy momma of two+running my own company, it’s safe to say that I don’t always have the time to plan ahead. That’s when Amazon Prime comes in!! Two-day free shipping saves lives!! And $$!

6) Buy A Bunch of Snack Foods from Costco and Set Them Out

This makes you feel like you are still taking care of your guests, even though you aren’t necessarily feeding them an entire meal. I like to buy a bunch of different snack foods and make a few variety plates. For example, I’ll do a cheese+cracker platter, a veggie+hummus platter, and some bowls of nuts and fruit.

What are some of your hacks for throwing an epic bash without breaking the bank? Share with us on Twitter!