Can we talk party costs?

[Deleted]

I just paid the bill for DS1 gymnastics party, all together including all food, cake, and coffee run for the adults it was $600. Lucky DS2 has not had an official party yet because these big-kid parties are nuts!

It was a per-kid pricing so I limited it to 15 kids including my 2. And granted, I didn't have to lift a finger as there were 4 staff to organise the kids for 2 hours. Thank God it's just once a year though.

MOOKs can you make me feel better? Have you handed over this much for a party not in your home?

[jg183]

Not a MOOK but I'm sure if I added everything up our parties were pricey. The rental alone was $250 and that doesn't include any food, favors, etc.
I've been renting places that hold 50 people because the per kid costs seem to add up too fast and I'd rather the flexibility of inviting more people. We've rented 2 playplaces so far.

[thedahliharpa]

The last gymnastics party we did was $19 per child and included the staff, table cloths, cups, and utensils. Then there is pizza, allergen friendly cake, drinks, favors,..it adds up.

[carawestt]

Not a MOOK but we paid about $350, including rental for Calvin, for the boys parties. Lincoln's was at home. As they get older and have more friends, I can easily seeing it getting up to that amount.

[steph196]

We have always hosted parties at our house, but that is normal for what we have spent.

[The Foozzler]

We did T's party at his gym. I had a newborn and hosting a party was not something I was willing to do. It was a flat rate of $300 for up to 20 kids. I saved $50 by booking on Cyber Monday, but I spent $50 to upgrade to a theme package where they took care of decorations.

So the party cost:
$250 for party
$50 for decorations
$50 for tips for the people running the party
$50 at Party City for goodie bag supplies and other misc things
$50 for drinks/snacks

So overall we spent about $450 (not including $50 for cute matching birthday shirts from etsy). We got off a bit cheaper because we didn't do a lot of food because the party was not at a meal time. I just did chips, fruit, juice, and I made cupcakes from a box. Totally worth the money to just be able to show up and enjoy the party and not have to do any work. Plus T and his little friends had a blast.

[dojo]

I feel like even the small home parties we do wind up costing a fortune between food, decorations and booze. At least you don't need to buy beer and wine for a party in a gymnasium.

[pinkpeony6210]

This year is a little out of the norm for us. Usually we do family parties at home (both sides, one party). This year, Ella requested a kid party, and I had to separate our family party because we're in the process of moving, so 3 parties it is.

Her kid party will probably cost a little over $300 dollars. She's having it at gymnastics center...$180 for 1.5 hours, 10 kids. Each additional kid is $10 (we have 3). They provide decorations, so all I have to do is buy pizza (not sure of cost yet) and cupcakes ($60).

[browndog]

our parties have been this much too. It's crazy. We are not going to do big parties every year, it just feels like too much for us.

[teamhayes]

Not a mook but I just try not to look at the cost and remind myself it's just once a year

[katfco]

This is one reason I make the kids' cakes and we severely limit how many people Abby can invite.

[laurack]

This is why we skipped a "proper" party for her 3rd and just had a small party at home. Everywhere, gym, trampoline place, zoo, museum was $20-30 per kid not including food or cake. If we invited all the kids we know and a couple from preschool we'd be looking at $500-600 and I just couldn't do it

[formerlyllizzyb]

I'm putting off the friend parties as long as possible. We've done all of G's at our house with family only. Still, it adds up!! Food, drinks, decor, cake, etc. always total more than I expect.

[TrudyCampbell]

I've paid way more.

[bigapple]

You're super busy, yet you still managed to give him a perfect, memorable party. That's awesome and what you should focus on, not the cost.

I sucked it up and hired caterers for C's party this year, and it was glorious to not have to lift a finger while they delivered and set up. Worth every penny!

[devonpow]

I feel like we pay around $500 for each kids party each year - sometimes a little above, sometimes a little below. Henry's birthday party this year was around $600 ( laser tag). Doesn't help that I have to get cakes from this one pricey place - but OMG it's so delicious that I can't NOT get that cake, lol

I told Henry that we are now officially done with the big, every kid in the class parties. From now on he can pick a few friends and we go out and do something special. In exhausted from parties, lol

[skwcm80]

Lolol!! I could make you feel way better.

Let's just say bday parties are one of the few areas where is I choose to ignore the costs.

[fusion]

The most expensive one was $400 and that was at home. I just cannot justify $1200+ for 3 parties a year, so it is going to be cupcakes at playgroup for Anna and Declan this year and Jameson will probably get a bigger themed party for his 5th. I'm probably going to restrict bigger parties now to the big numbers - 5th -10th -18th, which would give us one of those roughly once a year.

[laurack]

yes I mean an at home party for all the people we know would have cost us $500 in food and drinks as well. Groceries are so expensive! By inviting only family and a couple of her close local friends we kept the cost down but I assume I still spent $200 just on the groceries and beer/wine.

[fusion]

May 26, 2015 10:29:38 GMT -5 laurack said:

yes I mean an at home party for all the people we know would have cost us $500 in food and drinks as well. Groceries are so expensive! By inviting only family and a couple of her close local friends we kept the cost down but I assume I still spent $200 just on the groceries and beer/wine.

I'm thankful that serving alcohol at a party isn't a thing here. I mean I'd drink the hell out of some alcohol if it was offered, but nice not to have the pressure to cough it up, lol. 

[laurack]

May 26, 2015 10:35:29 GMT -5 fusion said:

May 26, 2015 10:29:38 GMT -5 laurack said:

yes I mean an at home party for all the people we know would have cost us $500 in food and drinks as well. Groceries are so expensive! By inviting only family and a couple of her close local friends we kept the cost down but I assume I still spent $200 just on the groceries and beer/wine.

I'm thankful that serving alcohol at a party isn't a thing here. I mean I'd drink the hell out of some alcohol if it was offered, but nice not to have the pressure to cough it up, lol. 

yes I can see both sides.. it would be nice to not pay for alcohol. However, I don't like going to parties where there isn't any lol

[teamhayes]

i am starting to kind of feel sick and stupid thinking about how much I spent or wasted on a kids birthday party for this weekend

I keep telling myself it is one party and not 2 but I sure would like some of that $ back.

overboard

[kkfeb04]

There was a reason that the zoo party was a joint party. It was far easier justifying the cost of it between two kids.

[bigapple]

I justified it because I enjoy having friends over, and we don't have nearly as many parties now that we have kids. Before I would've bought ten handles of bottom shelf vodka for deadly punch and Jell-O shots; now it's two handles of good tequila for margaritas.

[onehitwonder]

W's party at a gymnastics place was $450 for 15 kids for 3 hours. It didn't include food or decorations and I am afraid to add up those bills! I justified it because he only had a very small family party and cupcakes at school for his 2nd birthday.