Senior living is all about having fun, doing those things you never had time to do while you were working, and just living life to its fullest. While it would be great to think you could do all of this without a care in the world when it comes to money, the reality is that most seniors live on a fixed budget and a pretty tight one at that.
What this means is that those added expenses really need to be kept on a tight leash, allowing your dollar to stretch as far as possible. A birthday party is an excellent example of these “added expenses” that can pop up during the year that you need to find the money to fund. Of course, you want the party to be a big success, so budget party planning tips are usually welcomed. Here are five tips you can use for the next birthday party you host.
Save Money on the Cake
One of the most important items to have for any birthday party is a birthday cake. Is it really even a birthday party without a cake? Now, unless you are willing to bake and decorate the cake yourself, which is rather time-consuming and can still be quite costly, then you’re going to need to shop around to find a baker.
While there is nothing wrong with using a baker who offers customized cakes, you’re going to find that it’s far from budget-friendly. Instead, you can check out such options as the Costco bakery sheet cakes. You can still have them decorated and add a birthday greeting to it, and it’s a sheet cake so you know it’s going to feed a lot of people. At the same time, you will be getting those affordable prices that Costco is known for.
Make Your Own Evites
Another tip is to scrap the traditional invitations you send in the mail and opt for evites instead. With traditional invitations, you will need to buy the cards and then stamps. With electronic invitations, you can design something really fun and unique and send it for free.
As well, there are a number of websites and apps that will let you design these invitations for free and then manage the responses.
Keep the Guest List Under Control
It would be great to invite everyone the birthday person knows and loves, but unfortunately, the more people you invite, the more expensive the party will be. Instead, keep the list small and under control.
Hold the Party at Your Home
Renting out party space and venues is another added expense that you may be able to get rid of. If you can host it at your home or someone else’s, then you will find you are able to save a ton of money.
Don’t Make it a Meal
The final tip is to hold the birthday party during set hours that fall between a mealtime or after dinner. You can then serve snacks and beverages instead of a full meal, which is rather expensive.
A Successful Party without Sacrifices
These tips will help to ensure the party is a big success without having to make any sacrifices, all while remaining on budget.