3 Mommies
Party Planning tips

There was a time in my life when hard liquor, a boombox, and a deck of cards was enough for a great party. After a few rounds of Blackjack and tequila shots, who cares about who let the dogs out. Nowadays, that old standard isn’t going to pass for party planning. Jake is turning three in a few weeks and after weeks of research and online bargain-hunting, here are a few tips that can save you time and money when planning a birthday party for your little ones:

1) Go online. This may seem like a no-brainer, but there are still many of us out there that just run around town to shop around for good deals. Let me cut to the chase on a few useful sites: http://www.orientaltrading.com (great for goodie bag fillers and party games), http://www.partycity.com ( if you have a theme, this is a good place to shop), http://www.evite.com (excellent for emailing party invites, plus it’s free!).

2) Local Dollar stores. There’s a stigma that the dollar store is just for po’ folks. So, you might not go there for clothing or food, but there are great deals on decorations and servingware. You can pick up a bag of 52 plastic utensils, in a variety of popular colors for $1. Plus, you can get matching paper plates, tablecloths, streamers, cups, and bowls as well. For less than $20, you can take care of all your serving ware needs here.

3) Warehouse store. Don’t bother slaving over the kitchen to prepare a full-course meal for your guests. Go to a Costco or Sam’s Club. They have a great party platters for appetizers, snacks, drinks, and even delicious cakes. Just be sure to check on the lead-time, as they may require 48-hour advance notice for special requests.

Have fun party planning!

-Mel

Filed under Daily Musings, Dollars and Sense, Mommy Melinda — Subscribe, Trackback,

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