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Five ways to save money on birthday parties
The next birthday party I need to plan is months away, but I'm already starting to think about the theme and I was gravitating toward something grand like a morning at the movies, or a spa day at Le Petite Youth Spa or a tea party at The Breakers. (I jest, sort of.) 
Then comes a story about how to reduce the cost of hosting a birthday party. And another about parents hosting parties during the week instead of on weekends because the rates at places like Chuck E. Cheese are cheaper.
I'm all for making sure the birthday party is about the KID and not pleasing the adults so the tips make sense:
1. Limit the number of guests.
2. Skip the goodie bags. (Whoa, pump the brakes! No goodie bags, really?)
3. Have a plan. (A good resource is PBS.)
4. Have age-appropriate games.
5. Don't go overboard. No limos or red-carpets.
What do you think? Are this tips on-point, or is the writer off her rocker saying parents should ditch the goodie bags?
Gretchen Day-Bryant has a son in high school and a daughter in middle school. She’s lived to tell about the struggles of juggling little kids and work...
Joy Oglesby has an infant daughter and a sister 13 years her junior, whom she babies to the now-adult...
Cindy Kent Fort Lauderdale mother of three. Her kids span in ages from teenager to 20s...
Rafael Olmeda and his wife welcomed their first son in Feb. 2009, and he's helping raise two teenage stepdaughters...
Lois Solomon lives in Boca Raton with her husband and three daughters...
Anne Vasquez is the Online Editor in charge of overseeing SunSentinel.com. She is the mother of a 5-year-old boy and a newborn daughter.
Georgia East is the parent of a five-year-old girl, who came into the world weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces...
Brittany Wallman is the mother of Creed, 13, and Lily, 6, and is married...
Chris Tiedje is the Social Media Coordinator, and father of two boys and a girl all under the age of seven.
Comments
That's crazy not to have a goodie bag; In fact, there should be no "party" if one can't provide a goodie bag, come on. The trick is to NOT go overboard on what's inside the goodie bag. Heck, you can hit the $1 store and purchase packs of items instead of buying expensive larger items. Packs of candies, erasers, pencils, note pads, stickers, etc. come to mind as ways to keep the goodie bag fun and inexpensive. Lastly, the pedi spa kits are a bit hit with pre-teen girls, found in most $1 stores.
Posted by: C Henry | May 29, 2009 1:19 PM
I'm in agreement, C. Henry that goodie bags can contain useful stuff and it's a nice way of saying thank you for attending the party.
Posted by: Joy | May 29, 2009 5:18 PM
No party if you can't provide a goodie bag? Really? Wow. I say have some cake and have some fun. Goodie bags are totally optional!
Posted by: Rafael | May 29, 2009 6:32 PM
Not bad. Although I don't like the no goodie bag. I agree with the other comment about using things from the $1 store. I like the idea of a party at C.Cheese, etc. during the week. We attended one for my granddaughter, it was great!(On a Tuesday, 2 hrs. after school and not nearly as crowded.)The kids had more fun and more room to play and we had a relaxing evenig out without having to cook dinner. Just take the kids home, bath and bed them. I totally like it!
Posted by: M.D. | June 1, 2009 2:20 AM
M.D. : It's great to hear from someone who attended a mid-week party and had a good experience.
Posted by: Joy | June 1, 2009 9:07 AM
My son has been trying to save for an iPod Touch to no avial, so I offered him a choice: birthday party, or forego the party and get an iTouch for your birthday instead. He picked the iTouch without a moment's hesitation, and now he's the envy of all his friends. The iTouch cost me half of what a party would have, so I'd say it was a win-win!
Posted by: Yael | June 1, 2009 11:14 AM
Forgot to comment that I think it's incredibly tacky to have a birtday party and not give guests a goody bag or party favor. Tacky! I've gone as simple as a huge Hershey bar with a bow on it and a sticker with my son's photo saying, "Thanks for coming to my birthday party!". Get creative.
Posted by: Yael | June 1, 2009 11:19 AM
Depends what's in the goodie bag, I guess. I don't think I'd find it tacky if someone didn't provide one. I mean, do I really need my host to spend an extra $50 making goodie bags just to give me junk like dollar store pencils? Not really. If it's a big event like a wedding, that's different. But a kid's birthday party? Nah.
Posted by: Elita | June 1, 2009 4:38 PM
I'm with you, Elita. I grew up in a religion where we didn't celebrate birthdays, so I didn't know goodie bags were such a big deal. For weddings, sure, but for children's birthday parties? I figured the cake, food, chips and drinks would do the trick (plus a thank you note when all was said and done).
Learning a lot from our readers and posters.
Posted by: Rafael | June 1, 2009 4:54 PM
When I was growing up, my family just got by, we weren't poor but we weren't exactly middle class either. My mom would always throw me a birthday party, and to save money, she & some family/friends would do the cooking instead of hiring a caterer.
Posted by: Imee | June 2, 2009 5:10 AM
Yael: As a kid, I loved having the choice of a big-ticket gift vs. a party. And when it comes to goodie bags, I'm with you: Get creative without spending a lot. Goodie bags serve as a token of appreciation for the guests' attendance.
Posted by: Joy | June 2, 2009 12:41 PM
My colleague Rafael has brought up a good point in this discussion -- the parting gift could be a thank you card. I'm a big fan of kids -- even those who can't write, yet, like my 2 year old -- writing/signing thank you cards.
Posted by: Joy | June 2, 2009 12:44 PM