I'm a mum and here's how you can throw an epic kid's birthday party for pennies – and they won't know the difference
THROWING a birthday party for your kids can get expensive – with goodie bags and cake to pay out for.
Luckily one mum and financial expert has revealed how she throws her daughter and son birthday parties without breaking the bank.
Free events and venues
You don't have to splurge on restaurants or activities for your kids to have an enjoyable day they won't forget.
Instead the mum-of-two, Elizabeth Buko recommends getting imaginative with using public spaces or finding free events in your local area.
Fire stations and police stations often do free tours and safety talks, so when her son turned two she signed up for 50 guests to go there, and it didn't cost the mum a single penny.
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She also took her daughter to the local park for her fifth birthday, where the kids had a scooter and bike race.
She said: "I chose to start the tradition of giving more thoughtful gifts and experiences and create physical photo album books which they have on their bookshelf to seal the memories."
Make the party food
The mum has revealed how she has saved a ton of money by baking her children's birthday cakes instead of buying them.
Elizabeth revealed to Pound Toy, a budget toy retailer, how making your own food can also cut back on costs.
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She said: "For my son's 1st birthday we visited a fire station for free, then went back to our home to eat rather than going out to a restaurant."
In total the mum spent £60 feeding over 50 guests at the party, a lot cheaper than going out to eat.
Don't splurge on presents
Elizabeth recommends shopping around when it comes to birthday presents and not to spend too much – remember they'll get plenty from family and friends.
"My children hardly receive birthday presents from myself and their father because they get so much from our families.
"When we do, I set a budget of £20 to £30 – not because I can't afford more, but because they don't appreciate the value of money enough to appreciate an expensive gift."
Elizabeth also says she uses birthday presents for the party, for instance, when her daughter had a fancy dress party as doctors, her costume for the day was also her present to keep costs down.
Make use of friends
Elizabeth often has a helping hand when it comes to her children's parties to help keep things under budget.
“I tend to have a subconscious party budget of £100 for food, decorations, and party favours," Elizabeth explained.
For her son's 2nd birthday, she found an amateur photograph who was willing to take photographs for free to gain experience.
"We had a house party with a photoshoot and in total spent around £50.
"When my daughter turned four, she wanted a fancy dress party.
"We didn't have to spend anything on the costumes for her friends as a neighbour had lot's already and let us borrow them for the day."
Buy in advance
The mum often spends time shopping around for birthday presents to find the best deals.
As a financial coach, Elizabeth is always looking for ways to save money and helps other women do the same on her website.
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She recommended doing the same when it comes to party favours to find bargains the kids will love.
Not only can you get some great deals by buying bits in advance when you spot them on sale – but it also means you won't have a huge amount of cash going out in one month.
PARTIES UNDER £100
A house party & photoshoot
- Photoshoot – amateur photographer free
- Dessert table, themed decor, balloons- £10
- Cake ingredients- £25
- Food – £15
- Drinks – £20
- Party favours – £10
Total – £80
Fancy dress & arts & crafts
- Paint your own piggy bank(s) – £20
- Fancy dresses for guests – free (gifted by a neighbour).
- Dr McStuffins outfit – £15 (was her birthday present).
- Party favours- £10
- Food and drinks – £50
Total – £95
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