Birthdays. They seem to come around, like clockwork, once a year. Along with cake, ice cream, balloons,and piñatas, kids’ birthday parties generally include the ever-present goody bag. And every year, we parents try to come up with increasingly cute, clever, cool, and inexpensive goody bag options. In some cases, it’s almost a competition between parents to see whose goody bags will become the talk of the town. But competitiveness can quickly lead down the ugly road to Poorville if you’re not careful. No worries, though, because you can still put together some great party favors without going overboard. Just follow these tips on keeping your goodies fun without busting your budget.
Bet your bottom dollar
Let your kids run loose in the dollar store or the $1 dollar section of a local store like Target! They’ll love being in charge of picking out a ton of fun toys, stickers and trinkets. And with all the goodies they find, they’ll feel like millionaires, even if you end up spending under twenty bucks. Plus, you can easily set a price limit per goody bag, and still stock that bag with loads of goodies.
Shop before you find a theme
You could spend time and money trying to find the perfect items for a predetermined theme or… hit the stores and get inspired by whatever you find on sale. Legos on sale? Perfect. Closeout on stuffed animals? I’m thinking safari theme. By following the current sales, you’ll also save on party decorations, treats and more.
Brownbag it
Yes, fancy bags or decorative buckets are nice, but honestly, most kids just care about what’s inside the goody bag, not the bag itself. So use inexpensive brown lunch bags to hold your goodies. For even more fun, let your little guests decorate them with stickers and crayons. You’ll save money, and give little ones a fun craft before cake time. Wanna talk savings? You can get a pack of 40 lunchbags for just a buck at the dollar store.
Pre-fab is fab
If you’re stuck on what to include in the bag, out of time, or just can’t find items for your obscurely themed birthday party (because sometimes kids get really into Benjamin Franklin), let someone else make the bags for you. For about two or three dollars a pop, you can find pre-filled goody bags for your guests.
Bag the bag
Rather than a bag of goodies, go for a single small toy that matches the theme of your party. You could give out Frisbees, plastic dinosaurs or baseballs. Your guests will surely be excited to get a little gift, and they won’t miss the bag at all.
A literary choice
Children’s books are a parent-pleasing pick. Have the birthday girl or boy help make bookmarks personalized with each guest’s name, and you’ve got a thoughtful goody everyone will love. Then check out the Little Golden Books (who brought us classics like The Poky Little Puppy) for a selection of books under $4 each.
Rolling in the dough
Homemade play dough is a fun and inexpensive party favor guaranteed to make little party goers happy. There are a bazillion ways to make playdough. And for older guests, you can make batches of gooey slime with just Cornflour, water and food coloring.
Get double-duty out of your decorations
Stretch your party budget by using your party décor as a take-home goody. If you decorate your child’s party with Mylar or traditional helium balloons, weigh them down with an inexpensive favor, like a box of crayons or a pack of playing cards. When the party’s over, give each child a balloon — and the favor — to take home.
Make your own labels for candy bars
Use your printer, or enlist your child to help create this goody. You can re-label a candy bar with something from the theme of the party, spell out your child’s name, or hand write a little thank-you note. Now that’s a sweet idea!
Oriental Trading Company
If your kids like candy and toys in bulk (and what kid doesn’t?), OrientalTrading.com is the online company for you. They offer inexpensive items in pretty much any theme your little birthday girl or boy can dream up, from pirates to Pinkalicious. Their online product comment section is pretty extensive, so you can be sure you’re picking out just the right party favor for your little guests. You can save by buying in bulk, so you may want to partner up with a neighbor or two when you place your order to save on costs (including shipping).
Andrew Kardon is the president and co-founder of JoeShopping.com, a social shopping site dedicated to saving money through coupons, hot deals, price comparisons, product reviews, shopping blogs and more.
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