Money Saving Mondays! Saving money when throwing a kid's party!

Continuing series of Money Saving Mondays! I love to save money, post deals, and just in general make my dollar stretch a little further so keep up with me on Mondays for some easy ways to save money! How do you save money when throwing a kids party?

Birthday parties can have huge price tags, and they come annually. No, you don't have to order catering, have a limo, or hire a clown to give your child a special and memorable birthday party. Here are my top tips on fun and frugal children's birthday parties:

1) Keep the guest count low- Be selective about how many people will be attending, as many places charge by guest. This also cuts down on clean-up and stress.

2) Location, location, location- A lot of venues that host children's parties are very pricey, for the small amount of time you get to stay there. Avoid these places and keep fast-food playgrounds, public parks, and your own home in mind. The only disadvantage is cleaning up.

3) Keep the time in mind- By hosting the party in between mealtimes, you will not be obligated to feed the crowd. Go frugal with just the cake, and some punch or soda. If you prefer to throw a party during mealtime, lunch will save you money over dinner!

4) Buy simple party supplies- The colored supplies are generally cheaper than ones with designs and licensed characters. Sites like Oriental Trading Company carry supplies at cheap prices and you can normally find money off coupons to save even more! Same goes for stores like Party City. Right now you can sign up online for money saving coupons! Always price shop...sometimes the dollar store is actually more expensive than places like Party City! And don't forget that Target and Wal-mart carry paper and plastic plates - you might just have to lean to a blue or red-themed party! You could also buy a few themed-supplies and supplement with solid colors!

5) Don't blow it away on party favors- The dollar store has plenty of cheap toys and candy that will fill up the loot bags on a dime. You could also use a pinata or have carnival like games, and have children fill up their own party bags. Besides, most favors get thrown away shortly after the party, so don't spend your budget here!

6) Saving money on the cake- Bake it at home or it from a discount store like Sam's club or Costco. You could also make, making the cake, the main party activity. Bake up lots of cupcakes from cake mix and have lots of decorations available. Each kid can make their own cupcakes to help celebrate the birthday child! You could always send additional cupcakes home with each child as a party favor too!

7) Minimize decorations- Children don't mind, or pay attention to any extravagant decorations. There is nothing wrong with keeping it simple. A few streamers should be fine and you can find balloons at many dollar stores. You can also make your own decorations using your computer’s word processing program, clip art, and a little creativity paired with a color printer!

8) Frugal & Fun party activities- Keep 'em busy and entertained, no limo service or pony rides needed (unless you already own the pony)!
* Arts and crafts time (make sure its age appropriate)
* Head outside for a game of soccer or football or throw the party at the park and rent a pavilion near the playground! At home, request all the kids bring their bathing suits and set up some sprinklers!
* If you have friends that are willing to help out, then you can set up game stations with small prizes like candy or stickers! Some easy and cheap games: Bean bag toss, pin the tail on the donkey, meteor hunt (aluminum balls filled with candy scattered throughout the yard or house), and there are many more just use your creativity or search the web!

9) What’s your favorite way to save money when throwing a kid’s party?

Want to join in on Money Saving Mondays? Copy my button, post it on your blog, and leave me a comment with a link to your post (I will figure out the Mr. Linky thing soon)!