7 Ways to Throw a Teenage Party on a Budget ...

Most young children’s parties happen at home, purely because it’s the cheapest place to hold a party. For teenagers, that can feel impossible – who wants endless kids everywhere?! Don’t feel that you have to cough up hundreds to hire huge venues, though. Try looking at lesser-used venues that could be used, or even inquiring about renting a field for a night and putting up gazebos – it’s much cheaper than you’d think, and less than a third of the price of some venues, letting you throw a proper teenage party on a budget.

In the race for popularity, it can feel essential to invite absolutely everyone you know to a party – and then their friends and partners, too. Better parties tend to have much smaller numbers, though, and they cost a lot less too. Sit down with your teen and discuss numbers. Oh, and make sure they don’t create an open invitation using social media sites – Facebook is notorious for its house-wrecking parties!

While invites were a necessity for younger children, teens don’t need them. Fancy invitations can cost a fortune, and they are only likely to be thrown away. Text invites are much cheaper, and more acceptable anyway! If you want something a little more flashy, try using an email template.

Save money on helium balloons and streamers, too. If your teen is opting for a themed party (the friend who hired a gazebo opted for an East Indian theme) invest the money into cheap decorations instead. If there is no theme, don’t worry about not throwing balloons up. The money is much better spent elsewhere, and it’s much easier to clean after!

Decide on a budget for food, and work out what you could do for that budget. For example, work out how much it would cost to host a barbecue for the number of guests you’ve got, and then phone around local takeaways or restaurants to get their costs too. This gives you some bartering power, and allows you to make sure you are getting the best value for money.

Teens birthday near a festival? Grab a big tent (or borrow one from friends and family) and use the festival as a party. There’s a Greek festival that takes place on my birthday every year, and I love going! Summer festivals are also great fun. As there will already be food and entertainment, so you’ll be able to cut costs while still having a great time.

You might find that your teenager would prefer a more sophisticated birthday celebration – like a meal out with two or three close friends. There are some great deals available, and local restaurants are likely to encourage you to go with low prices, hoping you’ll create a yearly tradition. Phone in advance and negotiate on best deals – Pizza Hut offer pizzas for $5 for more than three people right now, so the whole party could cost you less than $40.

Finally, remember to set some ground rules! Even the best teenage party on a budget will quickly become expensive if you have to pay for damage, or if it goes on too long. Have you thrown a great party on a budget? I’d love to hear your tips!