Birthday party gifts can be outrageously expensive. Especially when you don’t know the child well, and you want to purchase something “popular” because you are sure it will be a hit.
But when your children are invited to so many birthday parties a year, buying a gift, paper to wrap it in, ribbon and a bow, plus a card every time can get expensive. We have five children in our household and can you imagine the number of parties we have to look forward to this school year! Yikes!
The other problem can be short notice. We’ve gotten numerous invitations that were only 2-3 days before the party!
First, I’d like to take a moment to lecture those parents, and remind them that giving one a little more than a 3 day notice is the kindest thing you can do, and can also make YOUR party run smoother.
However, what do you do when you are the recipient of that last minute invitation. And your child of course, wants to go. Last minute shopping trip, what to get? Stressful, isn’t it?
Well, I took my own “Christmas shopping” advice, and reserved a shelf in our hall closet to start stocking up on gifts. The thing I found, was when I needed a last minute gift, I always had one. I waited until after Christmas and purchased several things at 50-75% off. I got Barbie dolls for less than $5. Art Sets for $2 a piece. Hot Wheels Sets for $6 a piece and the list goes on and on.
The other thing I did, was watch for Wal-greens and other discount places to have specials on certain toys. Our local Wal-greens runs specials several times a year where you can buy 3 toys for $10. They are pretty cool toys and perfect for birthday party gifts. I would stock up each time.
So watch for sales, coupons, discounts, BOGO (Buy one, get one) sales, etc. These can wind up saving you TONS of money in the long run and you’ll always have something for someone on your list.
Also, watch garage sales, and flea markets. Often brand new items are still sealed and would make perfect gifts! Sometimes even baby clothes with the tags still on (because the little one outgrew it too fast, etc). So make sure to keep your mind open to the endless possibilities to be frugal!