Thrifty Kids Birthday Gift Idea

Since March, we’ve been on the birthday party circa. I love the birthday party circa, because it combines my two favorite loves, community of friends and awesome free food that someone else made! (As a side note to my friends reading this post, if you have ever felt unappreciated after hard work from serving food at a party, let me be the one to say, I Greatly appreciate the hard work, and I’m thankful for the meal.)

In the past two weeks we’ve had six invitations and we’ve gone to four. Initially when we started, I would take the kids down to the toy shop, and let them pick out something. But then the trip resulted in them crying as they wanted to buy something for themselves, or I get talked into an additional $15 purchase. So my $10 birthday gift has now turned into $25 or $10 with tears, and having to hear about it at the dinner table as they rat on me to Dad, that I didn’t buy them the ‘special car’ or ‘special doll’.

I had to find a solution, and I did from my sister, Tanya:

One Dollar Bill

Gift Solution: We give $1 per year of the child. We give it in actual $1 bills. Ex. 4-$1 bills for a 4 year old! Its also a great idea if you don’t have time to always go shopping for a gift, or you are invited at the last minute.

The Money Savvy Pig from http://www.msgen.com

My kids decorate a blank card, put the money in the card/envelope, and then we wrap the card with ribbon or put it in a recycled gift bag. That way they feel they are giving a special gift.

If I am going to a 1 year old birthday party, I’ll buy a piggy bank and give $1. My favorite piggy bank is from http://www.msgen.com.

Card Stock with Envelope

For Birthday Cards: I buy:

-50ct. pack of stock cards w/ envelopes for around $7 at the craft or office supply store.

-Bulk pack of stickers (for boy and girl) $3 or I shop garage sales for cheap stickers.

-Crayons $30 cents. I keep these crayons in my craft box, so they are kept in good condition.

Directions: Simply have your child write ‘Happy Birthday’ or if they can’t write, write it for them. Then let them color and decorate with stickers. Remember: this is from them, so let them decorate it. Anything goes. For instance, my daughter covers the whole “Happy Birthday” part with stickers…. but its her card to give.

Wrapping Paper and ribbon: I buy one roll of Apple Green Solid Wrapping paper and white ribbon.  Apple green is perfect as slime green for boys or fairy princess green for girls. If I don’t have wrapping paper, I substitute paper bags, tin foil or newspaper.

We were at a party recently where the little girl and her friends were tearing through the big gifts and wrapping paper and she was going through the motion. My son handed her the wrapped card, she opened it and yelled,  “DOLLARS, MOMMY, I GOT DOLLARS.” My son got the reaction he wanted, and my wallet also got the reaction it wanted.

Cheers to your thriftliving, and I wish you great free food at your next event!

Tash