How much do you spend...

On your child's birthday, all in for party, gift and whatever else you buy? I read some stats and swear that they just don't apply to Long Island or I'm just crazy..,

Re: How much do you spend...

I'm probably a little bit of a cheapie,but I don't spend more than $40 for a gift. DD and DS get SO MUCH from their aunts, uncles, and grandparents, I don't want to add much more to the madness. And I only do a party with immediate family, so maybe $200 for food, drinks, and decorations.

Re: How much do you spend...

We just had a party for her this weekend. First kiddie party ever. Usually we just have family over for something small.
We did it at a place that was pretty no frills and reasonable and she only had about 12-13 kids.
We paid $440 with tips - the cake and pizza were included.
I bought her a few gifts as well. Probably spent under $100. I didn't go overboard on gifts this year as we had a party.
Also she got so many gifts from her party we are overflowing with toys and things!

Re: How much do you spend...

Ugh, the cheapest we could pull this year was like $500 for a 12 person kids party.

How much do you spend...

We've only done home parties so far (DS will be 3 in Oct) and between food, gift, decorations and other stuff I'd say maybe $500-600? I don't really care what anyone else spends or stats because everyone is different and throws different parties.

Re: How much do you spend...

Message edited 6/22/2016 8:08:12 AM.

How much do you spend...

Just had dd1s this past weekend. Party was about $600. Plus another $75 or so for balloons and plates and napkins. (Plates and napkins were included but plain ones and I wanted princess ones).

16 kids (included 15 kids and paid extra for 1)
Included pizza for kids and cake
Paid extra for pizzas for adults
Tips for 4 girls

I got her something small and sentimental for her gift. She gets more than enough from her friends and family.

Re: How much do you spend...

$600 on average but I always invite the whole class plus cousins so like 20ish. Hoping to go toward smaller parties now that they're older.

Re: How much do you spend...

Stopped doing parties a while ago. I spent $240 on a cake cash gift, pizza party for sleepover. DD is 13.

Re: How much do you spend...

I always try to spend as cheap as possible last year was her most expensive party but we had 27 kids plus adults. the party portion cost me around $700 and that included food for the adults. cupcake cake with 60 cupcakes was about $75. as far as a gift I think I spend about $50-$60 her bday is right by xmas so she gets tons of gifts already so we don't go over board.

other years I have been able to keep the party under $400 (2nd bday was only $200) we always have over 15 kids at the parties.

Re: How much do you spend...

A few hundred dollars...........maybe like $500-600 and that's NOT kiddie parties. That's family parties in our home and gifts from us.

We've actually decided to stop with big parties and instead use that money for a little weekend getaway to celebrate their birthdays, they can pick (within reason) where they would like to go. I figured it's a better use of money then a party that's over in the blink of an eye. Plus, my kids just don't need more "stuff", they have more than enough. On their actual birthday we'll have the grandparents over for a small dinner and cake.

Message edited 6/22/2016 8:48:38 AM.

How much do you spend...

300 for the party, food for adults, and tip.

Add a few decorations, favors, her outfit, and gifts it was probably another 150 easily. I'd guess total was $450-$500.

Re: How much do you spend...

My DD's party is Saturday, I was under the impression id save money throwing a pool party at home, didn't work lol. I'd say it's $500-$600 is what we usually spend, a little more bc each kid gets the birthday kid a gift and I have 4 kids, so it adds up fast lol.

Re: How much do you spend...

This year was the first party we had where we invited the entire class. It was almost $800 & we bought him a $50 lego gift. Never again. $800 for a 2 hour party at bouncers & slydos- I felt like an idiot spending that but DH wanted to spoil him this year since he has been great with some challenges going on in our family. *edited because I confirmed the cost with dh.

From now on, he can invite a few friends to the movies, bounce, bowling, etc & cake after.

Message edited 6/22/2016 9:41:39 AM.

Re: How much do you spend...

Posted by Hofstra26

We've actually decided to stop with big parties and instead use that money for a little weekend getaway to celebrate their birthdays, they can pick (within reason) where they would like to go. I figured it's a better use of money then a party that's over in the blink of an eye. Plus, my kids just don't need more "stuff", they have more than enough. On their actual birthday we'll have the grandparents over for a small dinner and cake.

Re: How much do you spend...

This year we did a party at the American Girl Store, and that was $$$. $60 a kid, and we had 9, plus 2 adults we had to pay for. But, I bought discounted GC's at Costco and paid for it with those, which saved a bit. Usually we have a party at home...pretty over the top and themed to the max. I never add those up though since I just buy stuff as I go! My son doesn't have parties, and I just buy whatever I think he will like as a present, so a hundred bucks maybe. Just depends.

How much do you spend...

2 years ago we did an at home party. Had about 75 guests. All in for food, decor and a waitress, I spent $500 but I busted my butt that week. Last year we did a party place party, about 20 kids and bagels for adults. It cost us about $800 all in with tips and cake. I'll do parties at home for now on and hire a waitress. We have an enormous swingset and 2 bounce houses, so at this point it is more economical to do at home.

I don't get a gift for his birthday, his party is his gift.

Message edited 6/22/2016 9:37:52 AM.

Re: How much do you spend...

This year his party is costing around $400 all in. That's for around 15 kids, cake, pizza, favors, etc. We only get him a little something as a gift because honestly, after spending money like that, his party IS his gift IMO.

How much do you spend...

Too much, we have a lot of kids to invite to the parties and when you have 25+ kids the parties are a fortune. That said we do not buy either kids "bday presents" the party is the gift and they get a ton of presents from guests. We do make a a birthday contribution to their 529.

Re: How much do you spend...

For DD's 1st birthday we spent close to $2000
It was at a restaurant with about 60 people. We also did the whole custom cake and cake pops nonsense.

This year we will doing a backyard party (because we will actually have a backyard

)
and we will probably be close to $1000 because I want to have some come and bbq.

How much do you spend...

We spend on average about $500 for DD's kid party. Then we also have a family party which with food and stuff for the party is about $300 an then her gifts, some years its cheaper, this year it was an american girl doll and accessories. So I would say on average about $1000 all in. Now with that being said. I told DD this year there is no more kid parties (she is going to be 10) and she can invite a few girls over for a sleepover or whatever so that will cut that $500 party fee down considerably.

Re: How much do you spend...

DS 1st bday party was close to 2k because we had it at a restaurant, and invited extended family and friends.

For DD 1 I decided just to have her party in our backyard with close family only which cut the amount of guests down a lot, with catering and entertainment and everything came out to around $800 I want to say...

I haven't had any kiddie parties yet. DS is 3 almost 4 but after his 1st bday we just did BBQ's in the backyard with immediate family.

How much do you spend...

Hmm dds 2nd bday is in a few weeks. The invites/thank you cards were around $50, and I spent maybe $60 on decor so far. I'm thinking about $200 for food/drinks, and $50 for a cake. So about $350? We're having 35 people at our house

Re: How much do you spend...

I'm excluding the 1st birthday party from my response because that's a whole different ballgame.

Normally I have a kiddie birthday party and a family birthday party. All in for both is about $1,200. As for gifts, in the past we did "investment" gifts for my son. For example, we bought a full size bounce house for him last year. I did that because I knew I would be having large parties at my house for years to come and to rent one is at least $250 a shot so I figured I would just invest in one. It's already paid for itself. This year we will be getting him a regular type of gift and will probably spend between $100-$200.

How much do you spend...

About average $500..although some years we have spend more..one year we spent $700
For gifts just something small like $25 or so. The party is the gift plus she gets soo much from friends and family.