Birthday parties can be expensive
KL777
member
I was just thinking over the years how much I've spent for DS's birthday parties and how much is too much. For example:
1 year old party = $220 Chuck E. Cheese---30 people (Booked the party)
2 year old party = $30 at Grandma's (very intimate invitation list)
3 year old party = $80 Chuck E. Cheese (did not book it, first come first serve table and very intimate invitation list)
Upcoming 4 year old party = $282 Bounce House (will be booking a party room), 10 children---first come first serve RSVP (inviting his preschool class, two close friends of mine with kids DS's age, and my two sisters with infants), 20 adults, cake frome Wal-Mart, pizza, beverages, and also getting some great "VeggieTales" character party items.
I know people spend more than what I'm planning to spend for DS's 4th birthday but sometimes I wonder when is it "too much" ? DH ofcourse would prefer a more scaled down birthday party :-)
Re: Birthday parties can be expensive
The smallest parties we've had were the 1st birthdays.
DS1 had his at the family lake house. There were only 12 of us there. His second was at our house and there was about 15 close family and friends. his third was also at the house with the same people. All for around $120/ech. His third was at Chuck E. Cheese it was around $130 for about 15 ppl. His fifth birthday coming up in Sept., we are doing it at an indoor play place. The charge $150 for up to 15 kids (8 are coming) and we bring everything. But they clean up. Add on food and party supplies for another $100.
DS2 had his first at the house with about 15 ppl. Around $120. Second, was at Wisconsin Dells with some friends (8 of us), so around $250. His third we had it on our vacation to Atlanta, Ga. at the Chuck E. Cheese there. It was $130. We had my family and us, so 8 of us. : )
We figure it's their special day and they should get what they want for that day.
Personally I think that as long as you can afford, that you are doing things your child will enjoy ( and please adults at the party but not in a "keeping up" kind of way, if that makes any sense
) and you teach your child to be appreciative then who cares.
Now for us personally, DS #1 will be 4 in November and will be having his first birthday party. We did only us for his other bdays and for his 2nd and 3rd let people know they were welcome but we were not having a "thing", the birthday boy would have cake and presents and that was it.
I simply couldn't bring myself to spend a lot of people, time and energy on something that my kid would be clueless about. Now that he's turning 4 he's sooo exciting helping to plan everything and feeling special that he's old enough for a party now. I know it's not for everyone and I in no way have any opinion of others who do it differently (unless you spend over 5 figures on your kids birthday and then, I'll admit it, I judge).
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
This is how we are approaching it as well. We will have his first party when he turns four in May.
This.
We spend $400-$600 per birthday, per kid. Just how it's worked out for us. We don't have parties at home. Just too much work for me, and it would cost me the same as going somewhere for a party..........
Same here. I spend about $500 per party. Our families are huge and I refuse to have all of those people at my house. DD was grandchild number 30 on DH's side and 4 on my side. I have a ton of friends, Sorority sisters, and DH's fraternity brothers, so we always have about 40-50 kids at every party.
I really wish I could say we have 40-50 kids at our parties. Your parties sound WAY CHEAP for that many kids.
I'm only talking 20 kids total! LOL! It's pricey around here.
I honestly don't remember costs, but...we had her first birthday at our house since we knew she would have no memory of it. Second birthday was going to be at our house, but we ended up doing it at a neighborhood park, and we had juice and cake.
Her third birthday this past February we did at Chuck E. Cheese. She LOVES CEC and requested to have her party there, so we did her "friend" birthday party there, and then a smaller family one at our house. I wouldn't do two again, but I did her CEC one in the middle of the week for our SAHM friends.
This next year for her fourth, I have no idea what we're going to do. Maybe at an indoor bounce house place called Monkey Joe's...as the kids get older, it makes me more anxious to have that many at our house, so I'd much rather pay someone else to host us and clean up
Natural Miscarriage 2006
BFP March 19th! - Due Date11/25/14
LOL! Her 1st (hired a sesame puppet show) and 3rd (hired a pony to give free rides) party was at the park, which saved us a ton. Her 2nd party was at an inflatable place (Pump It Up) and I only allowed 35 kids to come to that one.
LOL! Her 1st (hired a sesame puppet show) and 3rd (hired a pony to give free rides) party was at the park, which saved us a ton. Her 2nd party was at an inflatable place (Pump It Up) and I only allowed 35 kids to come to that one.