Let The Parties Begin

Back to school means birthday parties are starting again. Samantha had her first sleepover last night. Of course I’m thrilled that she’s invited and wants to go, but the birthday gifts can start to get overwhelming financially. Here are some ways to recession proof birthday parties:

Buying Before The Invites

One of my ideas is to buy gifts when they are on sale and store them for birthday parties later on. I try to find gifts that have a general subject manner, like board games, dolls, Webkinz, hardcover books, etc. I also purchase seasonal toys that are on sale. Just this week, I picked up some pool toys that are perfect for pool parties.

Save On Wrapping Gifts

Wrapping paper and gift bags can really add up. I recession proof this area by re-using gift bags that we get. I even save the tissue paper. If it’s ripped up, I tear it up more and use it to line the bags. I either don’t buy birthday cards because most children don’t care about them or I buy them from our 39 Cent Store. There’s even a small section sometimes in Walmart that has 44 cent cards. When I see those, I stock up on a few generic ones.

Just Say No

Sometimes my daughter gets invites to parties that she’s not that interested in. Unless her reasons are unfriendly, she is allowed to RSVP with a “Thanks for inviting me, but I can’t make it.” With tweens birthday parties, there are no rules about giving gifts unless you attend the party.

The Balance

This is my solution to finding a balance between spending too much money on gifts and not allowing my daughter to attend birthday parties. I’m sure that you have other suggestions on saving money. What do you do to recession proof your child’s birthday party attendance?