Reaching the golden year is one of the greatest milestones one can achieve in life. After all, that’s half a century, not too young yet not too old. At this stage, you probably have the time and resources to tick off items in your bucket list. What better way to usher in the big 5 0 than with a birthday party.
There are plenty of ways to have a fun party without breaking the bank. You want to start it right and have a bit more budget for other fun things for your 50th, say, a trip to somewhere special. Here are some tips to consider.
Use alternative ways to invite guests
Invite your guests via e-mail or a phone call; these are more cost-effective. You can also invite them personally if you happen to see the person you wish to invite on a regular basis. Make sure to do this ahead of time so you can call back or send a follow-up email for RSVP purposes later.
Opt for an intimate gathering
You don’t have to have a hundred people to call it a fun party. Sometimes, it’s even better when you have only the closest friends and family around to celebrate big milestones such as these. Consider a more intimate gathering and, unless it’s a surprise party, ask the celebrant who they want to celebrate his/her 50th birthday with.
Do it at home
If your home can accommodate all the people you wish to invite for the party, do a house party. It will help give the party a more laid back atmosphere and it will also help you save up on venue rental costs. Host a casual party like a barbeque or a pica-pica/tapas party where you don’t all need to be formally sitting down at a dinner table if you don’t have enough chairs to seat everyone.
Schedule the party during tea or snack time
If you think hosting a lunch or dinner party for a large group of people is going to be way expensive and out of the budget for you, you can always schedule the party to coincide with snack time so instead of serving a full spread, you can serve snack foods, salads, chip and dip and light finger foods.
Cook and bake the food yourself
Cooking and baking the food yourself adds a special touch and makes the whole celebration a whole lot better. Nothing beats good home cooking, after all. If you’re really good at baking, why not bake the birthday cake yourself as well?
DIY the décor
Why not DIY the décor for the party? It will not only save you lots of money on decoration, but it will also add a nice, personal touch. Use pictures of the celebrant and a few personal belongings that might tie up with the theme, if you ever picked one. You can also DIY a number of other things like invitations, props, favours, and other frivolities.
Buy supplies from wholesale stores
Stores like Costco and Campbells are perfect if you’re shopping for a party on a budget. These stores offer wholesale goods which means you can also get them at cheaper prices. Stock up on party needs like disposable plates, cups and utensils and buy food and drinks by the bulk.
Consider potluck
If you’re inviting mostly close friends and family, ask them if they could ‘bring a plate” (bring something) to the party. It could be food, drinks or even prizes for the games. Potluck has always been an acceptable party option and most people don’t mind being asked to bring something to the celebration. If you have a theme, make sure to inform them so they can bring something that matches it.
Interactive entertainment
Grown-ups can pretty much enjoy themselves just by chatting and catching up with friends while having good food. However, it would still be nice to provide other means of entertainment. Karaoke and parlor games are extremely popular especially in Asian parties so bring out the sing-along gadget on the gaming paraphernalia for endless hours of laughter and fun!
Forget about the novelties
They’re quirky, they’re cute and they’re funny but they’re practically useless so skip novelties like party hats and balloons if you can. Other things that you can skimp on are party favours (grown-ups don’t really care much for these), streamers and banners (you can DIY personalised buntings if you like), party poppers and confetti guns and that overly decorated and highly detailed cake that costs an arm and a leg.
Remember that the party doesn’t have to be expensive for it to be fun. What matters is that the celebrant gets to celebrate this big milestone with people who matter most to him/her.
Did you find this article useful? Do you have some ideas of your own that you can share with our readers? Share your own experience by leaving a comment below.
