7 ideas (cheap!) to make a birthday special | busy budget (2023)

Whether it's your child's birthday or your spouse's, when you're looking for ideas to make a birthday special, you're going to run out on a budget.

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Of course you want to plan a great party, give great gifts and enjoy great and unforgettable moments.

Kids, spouses and everyone can enjoy an amazing birthday without breaking the bank.Use these 7 cheap ideas to make a birthday special!

I firmly believe in giving experiences instead of gifts. Of course, it's hard not to overdo it when planning a birthday party. We all want our kids to have a birthday to remember... but before you plan an (expensive) birthday extravaganza, take a moment to think about your own childhood...

How do you remember your birthdays when you were young? Probably a special cake your mom made, some friends visiting, or playing a game you really enjoyed. I think these memories are much more appreciated than tons of gifts or decorations.

We spend money on birthdays because we want our children to have a great childhood. But spending hundreds of dollars on a party isn't going to make a difference. Children will remember an amazing childhood because of the experiences they had, the connections they made and the time you spent with them.

Your man will love a big date, a nice dinner, or a special activity with you much more than more “stuff” that neither of you even need or want. My husband and Itried an online massage date nightwith a company calledmeltedand it was a lot more fun than shoving another "gift" into a corner.

It's about changing your intentionsthe experience about spending the money. You don't have to spend a lot of money to show someone you care. There is no shortage of ideas for making a special birthday without spending too much.

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Here are seven ideas to make a birthday special and memorable, and on a budget!

1. Keep it simple

It seems kind of obvious, but often we start planning a birthday party and fall down the "themed" rabbit hole. Suddenly we bought napkins, cups, plates, a cake, balloons, wall hangings and much more. I know themes are cute and fun party ideas. I know when you see all those cute Pinterest items in the party store, it's hard not to spend big.

Rather than going overboard with your theme, I want you to choose to accentuate the theme with an item or two and keep the rest of your decor festive and fun (but simple).If you want to use a unicorn theme, baseball theme, or whatever the focus of the party is, decorate with a festive tablecloth or wrapping paper. Keep the rest of the items colorful and fun, but don't run out and buy all the matching items.

Coordinate item already available. For example, if you have black or white plates and cups, use them and complement them with a tablecloth or fun napkins. Use streamers and simple but festive decorations.

Use your child's existing toys to decorate or choose a birthday party theme in your area of ​​interest. You may already have tons of items featuring your favorite superhero, sports team or character from the latest movie so it's easy to incorporate them into your party. Find printable clipart to spice up your invitations, banners and more without breaking the bank.

Your local "dollar store" is also a great source for birthday decorations. Find balloons, wrapping paper, plates, napkins and fun accessories to decorate for next to nothing. You can also find small toys, containers and other items for your party.

2. Go Potluck!

If you invite a lot of people to your party, organize a potluck. Many friends and family love the opportunity to bring a dish to share and it's a real cost saver if you're looking to host a lunch or dinner party. If you're looking for ideas to make a birthday special, playing a potluck is great!

Encourage guests to bring their favorite dish. Encourage your children's friends to bring a favorite game or entertainment item. Host a sprinkler party where each child brings their favorite water toy. I've literally watched kids spend hours having fun with something as simple as a $10 slip 'n' slide. Guests will feel special because they can add and share their personal touch.

Another great "BYO" idea is to ask kids to bring their own stuffed animal to a picnic, zoo, or jungle party. Host a sports party and have each child bring or wear an item with their favorite team's logo on it, or a hero (or princess) party where everyone dresses up as their favorite character.

It's easy to make a birthday party special when every guest has an opportunity to contribute and be a part of the celebration. You may feel like you should be the hostess with more and do everything yourself, but really?Your guests will have even more fun if they participate.

3. Keep it action-packed!

The funniest and cheapest party ideas are the ones where there is a lot of action and activity. I'm not saying go out and rent a bouncy castle, clown or pony! Instead, just keep the party lively and add more activities while keeping the party short.A two-hour party where the kids play, eat cake, make art, and go home is far more memorable than a long afternoon when everyone is bored or irritable.

game music. Plan a few more activities than you think you will have time for. Don't plan a long, sprawling part of the party to unwrap presents (especially for kids). It turns out that kids get pretty restless when they sit back and watch a friend unwrap gift after gift. (You know that.) This is another reason to include more birthday promotions.

The same concept works for adult birthday parties too. So many parties revolve around food and gifts. Instead of,Host a game night or family night…two great ideas to make a birthday special.We love poker nights with our friends and the kids love to run around and play together too. It's a fun party idea and a great source of entertainment (that doesn't cost much).

4. Start a birthday tradition

Establish a “birthday routine” or birthday tradition for each year. Remember how meaningful it is when you receive a single red rose or other special "gift of the year" for Valentine's Day.Create a tradition consisting of a simple gesture to mark the special day.

You can start a family tradition where the birthday person chooses their favorite breakfast, a family-friendly movie, or even an activity that they really enjoy doing. Perhaps your child's idea of ​​a perfect day is watching dump trucks at a construction site and playing in the park. Maybe your husband would like to spend an afternoon playing video games and watching golf.

Carry on a birthday tradition to repeat year after year. It's fun cooking a meal they love, baking cookies as a family, or working on a cool art project. Traditions really make a birthday special without breaking the bank. The tradition itself is a unique and fun token of the importance of the special day.

5. Offer experiences instead of gifts

Offering an experience makes a lot more sense than giving kids or adults a bunch of things they don't really need.. If you are stumped for ideas to make a special birthday a cool one,look in the groupon. You can save big on great activities from your local theme park to a water park to a trip to the race track. Groupon offers great deals. Find extra space in your budget by forgoing gifts and even selling items around the house when you need to generate income (like trading those old video games and DVDs)!

For a child's birthday, instead of asking for gifts, plan a special activity. An afternoon at the children's museum, a fun time at the local pool, a trip to a local nature reserve or zoo... all great birthday ideas that don't need to break the bank. (Look for free or discounted days and plan the party!) Your parents will appreciate the ability NOT to spend more money on another toy.

An unforgettable birthday experience is one of the best ideas to make a birthday special and unique. A fun and memorable activity will create memories for life and is so much better than a party and a bunch of presents that will be forgotten in a few months.

6. Give small but meaningful birthday gifts

If you really want to give a birthday gift, opt for small meaningful gifts over big "things" and more toys.Find really great items at a thrift store - a nice antique pot, a cool vintage bag, new books or games for the owner. Be on the lookout for jewelry and fun items at flea markets and other places where the prices are low but the items are quirky and unique.

For children, look at articles that appeal to their interests. Children love small objects and activities that require creativity and give them the opportunity to explore their artistic side. When we give gifts (which is rare these days), we like to give birthday gifts with educational, creative, or learning themes.

Baskets are another great gifting option - handy items grouped together and wrapped in a fun basket or container (which is part of the gift). My family has a big oneChristmas $10 basket traditionwhich you can also easily use for birthdays. Collect creative and cool gifts made especially for the recipient.

Edible and homemade gifts are another great option with a lot of meaning. Have your kids draw a card or picture for Grandma, or create a game to play with their friends. Even if you're not smart, bake cookies, bread or other food gifts, or even pick a bouquet of flowers as a birthday present.

7. Take photos

If you want to celebrate an unforgettable birthday, remember to document the day with lots of photos.Whether you're planning a special experience, a fun activity, or a date everyone is dying to attend, you'll want to capture and photograph the day. Of course, as a hostess, you might not have much time to play photographer either, so hiring a friend is a great job.

After the party, email photos and a thank you for coming. You can even go old-school: print out the photos and put them in a card to share the memories with family and friends who enjoyed the day. No need to worry about party favors or treats to take home because photos make great keepsakes.

Photos make wonderful gifts and putting together a photo album or even framing a favorite photo is a meaningful and special gift idea and doesn't cost much. Dollar stores have many frame options, as do thrift stores. Print out one or more photos and place them in a frame.

Birthdays don't mean you have to spend big bucks to create a memorable, fun, or truly special moment. There are tons of fun and inexpensive party ideas out there. Throw a great party and give inexpensive but meaningful gifts (or even better, experiences) and help your loved ones feel like a total rock star on their special day without breaking the bank.

Make birthdays cheap. The day should really focus on the guest of honor and help them feel important and cared for. You don't need money, gifts or lavish parties to be successful!How can you save on birthdays? Do you know any original ideas for a special birthday?

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