A thrifty mum has revealed how children's parties don't have to break the bank - after throwing her son a birthday bash for just £34. Maddy Alexander-Grout, 38, has spoken out against eye-wateringly expensive birthday parties after a thread on Mumsnet revealed parents spending around £500 to celebrate.
Maddy has two children - Harriet, four, and Ben, seven - and revealed how to keep to a strict budget when it comes to birthday celebrations. She admitted her son is an August baby - making cheap outdoors celebrations easier due to better weather - yet is still nifty for her daughter's birthday in February. The mum highlighted the importance of planning - making your own invites, preparing your own food and party bags.
Maddy, the founder of Mad About Money, said: "It's so out of my nature to spend any money on a party. Ben's party last year was our most successful.
"We went to our local splash pool at 10am, bought picnic rugs, water guns and buckets and spades. I made up lunch boxes with sandwiches, sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, mini rolls, cookies and crisps.
"I'd usually make the cake, but he wanted a specific kind of chocolate traybake. I made party bags with bubbles and bought books from The Works. The whole thing cost £34 and everyone absolutely loved it."
The mum spent £8 on a Sainsbury's cake, £5 on party bags and £21 on food. Maddy explained in 2021 they had a party on the local park - in the rain.
She said: "The kids ran around in the rain and the adults sat under the canopy on picnic mats. I bought recyclable boxes and made each kid a lunch box. I recommend pre-packaging and pre-portioning food because people tend to go crazy on party food."
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The mum-of-two reached out to parents of the guests beforehand to see what sandwich filling they wanted. When Ben turned six, the mum hosted a games party in the park which included orienteering, foraging and rounders.
She said: "We did orienteering and foraging for different objects - I designed all the sheets, for example, to find a red leaf. It sounds stupidly simple, but it was honestly really great."
Maddy admits doing a winter party on a budget is a more difficult task and this year due to illness she opted for an all-inclusive soft-play party for 15 children.
She said: "We have a really small house and to hire a hall for a two-hour party, with an extra two hours for cleaning and setting up, would have cost £120. We opted for a soft play option which cost £205 for food, an hour soft play and pass the parcel. In hindsight, I could've done the pass the parcel myself and the party bags."
Maddy, from Southampton, Hampshire, usually creates her own party bags for £2 each with bubbles, stickers, temporary tattoos and a little sweet treat.
She added: "For Ben's last birthday we got each child a 50p book from the Works with a refreshers bar as a bookmark."
Maddy's tips to save money on kids' birthday parties
1. Pre-plan what you're going to buy and budget
2. Check your drawers - you probably have candles leftover from last year and you might have some paper plates
3. Buy reusable plastic plates
4. Make your own invites using a free Canva template or send out an e-invite
5. Pre-portion food for each partygoer so you don't waste money overbuying food
