average amount you spend on kids birthday parties?

amberdl28

How much on average do you spend to throw your kids birthday parties? I dont think we have spend more then 150 but im really cheap. We have the parties at my sisters house because its bigger then our place.

I dont know how to make a poll but whats average for you? I was reading $500 was average and I dont think we could afford that but I bet its a fun party.

ktshoff

Around $200

ETA this doesn't include gift

TheBub

I am planning DD's party now.  I figure we spend about $250 on a home party.  This is food and decor only...no bouncy or entertainment.  I am having it outside of the house this year and expect it to be no more than $300.

lildevil968

This year we are budgeting around $150 for DS, and $325 for DD. We do DS's at our house, and probably will till he goes to School. DD's price includes the venue, cake, food, drinks, and her gift.

ridesbuttons

I've never really kept track but I feel pretty certain it is less than $200.

andyyougoonie

Too damn much.

But usually between $200 - $300, so far.  Higher end of that for her first birthday, lower end of that for her second.  Hopefully even less for her third.

schnappycat

I've never really kept track very well, but I'd say between $300-$350 each year for each kid. All parties except for one have been at our house, but I tend to go overboard with decorations, favors, and food/cake. 

This year (last weekend at a museum) we had DS's party at a venue and it was $200 for the place and I spent around $150 for the cake, food, and favors. 

I don't really count gifts in the party budget/total.  

RayRay007

We had a small party at our house last year with 10 adults and a few kids. So maybe $100 on food, cake and decorations (I bought like a $60 decoration pacakge that included balloons, table cloth, plates, utensils, etc. I could've saved $60 using what we already had around the house).

I won't be spending $$ on venues or entertainment until they're much older.

ETA: I made all the food myself and that does not include the gift.

Smootchy

Hum. I don't know... For DS 1st bday is was the cost of food and whatever decorations from the dollar store. 2nd bday we had at a center [kids could swim and play in playhouse area] that was 120 dollars plus maybe 100 or so bucks for food [pizza and cake].

michaelaskedlauren

DS's 1st bday party is on Sunday and Im embarrassed to say itll end up costing about $1000. The rental of the space + the entertainment (puppet show) alone is $500. The rest of the cost is the food, cake, decorations, etc. It is what it is.

Mrs.V

Probably 100 on the home party we had for DS last month.

Sonadora

I have only thrown one party for LO and it was last week, so let's see.

Playground rental: $50

Party room rental: $40

Sheet cake: $30

Munchies: $50

Papergoods: $10

Favor bags: $30

Invites and stamps: $20

So $230 not including our present to her.

kwitt22

For DD?s first bday we had it at our church?s function room, and it was free. We probably spent about 100-150 on food and supplies. FIL made food, and my mom made some food too. I would probably say when everything was said and done we spent $200.  We didn?t really get her a gift, the party was her gift.

mom2pottamus

For DS' parties the last two years, between $300-$400 not including gifts.  Its tough because my house isn't big enough for all the kids and their parents because they come at this age, and being in December there is nothing outdoors that I am able to do.  I think it is obnoxious to be spending this much but I still do it so he can go to an inside play area or bounce house place.

DD had a small family party for her 1st (she was also baptized that day) and will have the same for her 2nd.  We will be taking her and DS to a music show for kids since she loves to dance but that will be less than $50.  Next year when she is older and really has friends we will probably do a bigger party.  However when DS turns 5 next year we might nix the party and take him, his cousin and a friend of choice to an amusement park to keep it special.

Thankfully DD is young enough that we can spend the money on a party for DS and do something small to celebrate for her and there is no inequality.

PunkyBooster

I think I spent about $200 this past year. 

His 1st bday, I spent more because 1. I was working. 2. I had A LOT of food and beer.  

ReeseFox

This is a topic that's been on my mind as I'm currently planning two parties a week apart. DD1 has only had a few parties her 1st her grandparents hosted so all I paid for was cake and gifts. Her 5th I threw at a local kids handson museum place. I spent at least 5 or 600 dollars including rental, decorations, tableware, food and gifts. Her 9th was a sleepover with 3 girls so that was pretty cheap, maybe 150 including gifts.

This year I have so many great ideas and I want to give my girls the world, but I have 2 parties to pay for back to back so I'm trying to keep it to about 200 apiece.

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha

I think $150 sounds about right

We keep things fairly low key - We host it at home, or at the park, or at the orchard... In other words, anywhere that's free. I think the biggest expense at DD's 3rd b-day party was the balloons. We provide food and beverages for all of our guests, but we also keep that pretty basic (think cold buffet type of thing). I don't do goodie bags, but I always come up with some sort of favour for the guests to take home (we've done DIY party hats, home-made candied apple kits, etc.)

This may change as the kids get older (my oldest is 3) but that's how we do it for now. 

I can see how things could add up to $500, though. You buy a cake, you rent a bouncy house or you host the party at the Little Gym... 

DreadLoc

too much.

hmp1

Not including gift.

We spent $300 on his first birthday party and $200 on his second. Both were outside the home. 1st at a party place, 2nd at his gymnastic studio. 

shortstuff15

For the birthday we had just last week we spent maybe $100, including the gift.  But we do family parties until age 4 or 5 so it's like 10 to 15 people here for supper and cake and decorations consist soley of balloons.  I also make the cake myself so there is no cost to that.  So we actually probably spent less then $100.

For the birthday we are having next month (3rd for our oldest) it will probably be around $80 including the gift because we still have party favors left over from last weekend!

RayRay007

PunkyBooster:

I think I spent about $200 this past year. 

His 1st bday, I spent more because 1. I was working. 2. I had A LOT of food and beer.  

Oh yeah, the amount I quoted above did not include alcohol. There was a lot of that, but I don't count it as part of the party

sadsadie

michaelaskedlauren:

DS's 1st bday party is on Sunday and Im embarrassed to say itll end up costing about $1000. The rental of the space + the entertainment (puppet show) alone is $500. The rest of the cost is the food, cake, decorations, etc. It is what it is.

Whoa.

*rubs eyes, does double take* 

chardonnay24

Way too much. I always start out saying I'm going to do a simple party and then I go overboard. Last year, I did a lot of the crafting myself so I only had to buy supplies. I still spent about $200. This year, I'm having everything designed for me on Etsy, getting party supplies from Shop Sweet Lulu, and buying food from the bakery and Whole Foods. I'll probably end up spending closer to $350 when all is said and done. And that doesn't include the venue.

MommyKayla11

We do our parties at home, it's much cheaper and DS is too little to know the difference. He's only had one birthday, but I'm sure his upcoming party won't be more than $100.

Wufroggy79

Not including a gift, I would say about $200.  I'm planning DD's 2nd right now, and I've spent about $100 on decorations, plates, cups, etc.  Probably another $100 on food.  Whoops...forgot her outfit I got from Etsy...make that $230.