When my son Uriah turned one year old this week, I wanted to throw a first birthday party for him that was simple, fun, and didn’t break the bank. Using Carrie’s first birthday freebies post as a starting point, I threw the little guy a first birthday party that (I believe) met all of these criteria.
We ordered the free first birthday cake from Byerly’s. I just had to go to the bakery and show them Uriah’s birth certificate, choose from the options they had available, and pick it up on the day of the party. The cake was a 7-inch round that probably would have fed at least 8 people.
I say “would have fed” because my husband insisted on letting Uriah demolish the cake all by himself…which he did. I’m sure it was delicious! (And no, he did NOT eat the whole thing.)
We also had DiGiorno Pizza & Breadsticks (bought with coupons on sale at Rainbow a few weeks ago for just $1 each), lemonade, fruit from Aldi, angel food cake with strawberries (courtesy of my mother), and ice cream.
I kept the decorations simple: a “Happy Birthday” balloon from The Dollar Tree, a birthday hat for the birthday boy (which stayed on his head for, oh, about three seconds), and some “Happy Birthday” napkins, along with plain paper plates and plastic cups.
I’m not a crafty person by nature, so instead of planning an elaborate first birthday party that my son would never remember and that would totally overwhelm me, I figured that keeping it low-key was the best answer.
I’ve also received several birthday freebie coupons for Uriah via email that we’ll be able to use over the next few weeks, including a Sonic Wacky Pack kids’ meal, a kids’ meal from Red Robin, and a Culver’s one-scoop sundae. Yum!
If you’re looking to have a low-key first birthday party for your little one, consider asking your local grocery store if they make free first birthday cakes, too. It doesn’t hurt to ask!
Your turn: How do you cut down on birthday party costs?
About Laura Wales
