Cheap party tips

Throw a memorable party without breaking the bank
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Have the event at your house. Holding a party at an outside venue can bump up the cost significantly and limit what you can and can't do. Some parks, for instance, prohibit piñatas and music.

Set up areas for arts and crafts. Kids love the sense of accomplishment that comes with creating things, Newman said. Have the kids make clay dinosaurs or paint their own favor bags or placemats. Set up a make-your-own ice-cream sundae bar or have kids decorate their own cookies or cupcakes.

Keep favors and decorations simple. You don't have to have Curious George on every plate cup and balloon. Make some decorations out of construction paper and have someone dress in head-to-toe yellow to pose as the man in the yellow hat. Get creative. Load goody bags with candy and cheap rubber balls. Even at huge parties like Ryder's, those items are a big winner.

Bake that cake! (Or decorate one yourself.) This is where parents can create a lasting memory for a child, Newman said. Use different sized pans to create a cake in the shape of something the child is fascinated with. Sometimes, she said, the goofier it looks, the more memorable it is. If you don't have the time, or if you are all thumbs in the kitchen, check out the cakes at your local warehouse club. You can often get a larger cake for half the price of most supermarket or bakery cakes. Customize it yourself with plastic figures, ready-made frosting and other decorations.

Keep the party moving. A good party has enough entertainment to keep little ones busy. That doesn't mean hiring jugglers or a six-foot-tall Elmo for the kids. Old-fashioned games like tug-of-war, limbo or an egg race or beanbag toss work well and don't cost a lot. Ryder suggests having a couple of activities going at once, so if kids don't like one or can't do one thing, they can still have fun. Instead of paying for expensive entertainers, she suggests hiring local teenagers to run the games and paint faces.