Singapore is probably one of the more expensive countries to live in the world. Children’s education is not cheap, with the pressure from housing and other expenses, celebrations is probably the last thing on your mind.
Birthday parties are probably not a necessity to spend so this is an area which we will usually cut back on when you have to tighten your belt. You may some budget to work with for your children’s parties and may not want to spend a lot of money on decorations, entertainment, activities and goodie bags.
On the other hand, we would like a memorable party for our children since they are 1, 2, 3, 4, etc only once in a lifetime. They are not going to celebrate with you when they turn 17 or 18!
I heard that some parents will look for the cheapest option available they can find online to get through the party. Parents who are not savvy may be in for a shocked and scar their children for life. It is a fact that having a lousy entertainer or party planner is worse than not having one at all. Some parents may think they are saving say a hundred dollars by engaging a cheaper one, but in fact, they are losing that money which they are paying the entertainer because the children don’t enjoy it at all! Not to mention the forgettable memories for the children and guests.
You may be interested in this: How to choose the right entertainer for your birthday parties.
So here are some tips on how to save money organising amazing parties.
Tip #1: Share the party with a close friend.
Although I regularly attend parties in which siblings share the celebration, sharing with your kid’s BBF or classmate is probably not as common. I don’t see why parents cannot do this. Instead of inviting the same group of children twice, why don’t you combine the budget and do something more amazing? Parents can split up the job scope required; one prepare the food and another book the entertainment; less stress!
As a parent, I appreciate this because I don’t have to juggle my schedule to attend so many parties for my children (oops).
What ever you are booking like Magic Show, facepainting and balloon sculpting, decorations immediately becomes 50% cheaper! In other words, you can consider entertainment and decorations without compromising on quality. The celebration will be one which you are proud of sharing.
What about presents?
Maybe you feel bad asking the guests to bring presents for both children? If I were a guest, I don’t mind actually. But there are a few solutions to it:
- Ask the guests to give present to 1 of the birthday child.
Use Gift-it-Forward – Gift-It-Forward lets kids (big and small!) share their birthdays with a charity they care about and reduce waste from excessive gifts – while saving for their own dream gift! Send your party invitations through Gift-It-Forward, and instead of guests bringing gifts to your party, they will donate through the site and their contributions go directly into your gift fund. Spread mindfulness. Reduce waste. Get dream gifts. Support a great cause.- Do a fiver party – It’s getting popular these days; guests give a token of $5 for the child to buy whatever they like. This is win-win since guests don’t need to crack their head over what to buy, and the birthday child gets to receive whatever they want.
- Of course, you can ask the children to make their own donation box and donate to the charity directly too!
Tip #2: Use your house or condo function room.
Venue costs can put a big dent in your overall budget. Most venues charging about $500-800 for a basic function room. If you live in a condo with function room facility, make use of it as most charges only a nominal cleaning fees for the use of it. That means, you have minimum to clean up after the event too!
Not living in a condo? Ask a friend to help book one.
Tip #3: Do the Decorations yourself.
There are many themed decorations which you can order online and send to your doorstep. All you need is to put it up!
Of course, if you want it more customised with your child’s name and age, you can book our DIY decor packages for as low as $250! How do we give you such a good price? Our designing by Mr Bottle’s Kids Party (Taiwan) and printing are done in Taiwan so reducing the costs by as much as one third!
Tip #4: Organise a pool party
With Singapore’s hot weather, pool party is great for children to play among themselves. If you have a membership at clubs or live in a condo, this option is probably free!
If you have extra budget, rent big floats for about $100.
But always be prepared for wet weather programme in Singapore eg. magic show or even art and craft because you don’t want the stress of having 20 children stuck in your function room with running around or worse still, nothing to do throughout the party!
Tip #5: Get a Bouncy castle / playground / balls pools
Bouncy Castle are super value-for-money entertainment which can be there throughout the party. Young children don’t get bored of them. Highly recommended for children under 6 years old.
But consider the space availability before booking.
Tip #6: Order Delivery
If you were to order catering, due to the set up costs with equipment and 2-way delivery, there will be a minimum price. If you are not expecting a big crowd, just order delivery using your favourite delivery app. Try to do so in advance so you don’t have to worry about it during your party.
Do you have other tips on saving money? Let us know and we will feature you on our next blog!