My son keeps getting invited to birthday parties . . . . HELP!?

Question

My 7 year old son just came home tonight with yet another birthday party invitation. Don't get me wrong, its great, but gee its proving expensive! I don't like buying his birthday friends crappy presents, so usually end up spending around $15 - $20 on each gift. But the amount of parties he has been invited to, by the end of the year I'll be broke!

How do all you mother's out there handle this? Any good ideas for inexpensive yet good gifts for primary school aged kids?

I need help ( well, my bank balance will soon!)

Thanks!!

Answer 1

I agree with most other posters.. maybe ask your child and get a feel for how good of a friend that is ... most kids that age do send invites to every kid in class.. and yes also look for clearence items and keep a birthday stash..

last year i got a slip n slide and pair of swim trunks on clearence at target for like 7 bux total.. but i counted that as a $20 gift!  :D  (I also use the 15-$20 price range)

Answer 2

No kidding.  With my four kids, at $20/ present, I've calculated on average I spend about $800/yr on their friends' birthday presents.  

Of course you can decline parties of kids your child isn't particularly good friends with.  Another option is cheaper presents.  You can get some pretty cool board games and/or outdoor type toys in the $10-15 range.  You can also check out something like discountschoolsupply.com -- you can buy 12-packs of cool crafts (paint-your-own yo-yo; paint your own teddy bear, paint-your-own birdhouse, etc.) that are fun and still come out to about $1 a kid ($2 if you throw in some cool glow-in-the-dark paints or something).  

Ultimately, for me, with shy kids for whom I think it's important to be building up the connections they get a birthday parties, I've just decided it's worth it and one of those inevitable expenses like diapers and milk.....

Personally, I don't really care if people even bring a present to my kids' parties ... and honestly my kids' don't either.  What really matters for them is having their friends around to celebrate.  So if it's between a $5 or $10 present and not going to the party, I can say for sure that my kids would much rather have someone come and bring a smaller present (or no present at all).

Answer 3

I suggest making an agreement with your son about how many of the parties he can go to.  I don't know exactly how many, so I don't want to say like 1 a month.  I would figure something out though.  It's ok for him not to go to every single one.  Are these parties for kids in his class?  I figure they are.  I would have him pick several kids that he's closest to and let him go to their parties, and the rest maybe no more than 1 a month?

Answer 4

a good thing to do is when you find something on sale buy it and put it up.  have a birthday shelf and stock it with nice things that u find on clearance

Answer 5

I maintain back up gifts - I watch for decent toys on clearance for the appropriate ages of my kids (6 yr old boy, 8 yr old girl) and then hold them until the next invitation arrives.  

Right now I have a Bratz doll (ick, I know, but they're popular) that was regular $39  that I picked up for $8, and two karate kits that were regular $14.00 that I picked up for $2 each!  These were both from clearance shelves at WalMart.

Answer 6

Well, we don't go to all the parties we are invited to. If the child invites the whole class and my child does not play with that child, or we do not know the family, we do not go. Personally I think it is ridiculous to invite the entire class to a birthday party. Just invite the kids friends. My kids both have summer birthdays so we don't have to worry about the whole class. I also have back up toys. Over Christmas the Disney Outlet had a sale on princess sleeping bags usually $35.00 and they were on sale for $10. I bought 5 and just gave out the last one. They were a hit at all the parties.

Answer 7

I don't think it's good to let kids think they have to go to parties just because they have been invited.  Kids at that age usually invite their whole class so yea that is a whole lot of presents to buy.  Tell your son to be more selective about which parties he wants to go to and the ones he chooses not to attend make up excuses like family events etc.  I know he's only 7yo but it'll help him to learn how to make decisions, question why he really wants to go and if there's something else (cheaper) that he'd like to do.

If that fails buy cheaper stuff!

Answer 8

Try having two kids that are always getting invites to parties!!!!!  The first thing I do is determine whether or not it is a good friend of the kids or if it is just a classmate.  For the good friends I go out and buy the nicer toy but still a limit of $15.  For all of the others I go to the goody shelf in the basement.  every year right after Christmas when the stores have all the great sales I buy some of the toys for both boys and girls and throw them in a tote and put it up then as the parties roll around the kids get to grab a toy from the box.  We save on the wrapping paper because every sunday I save the funny pages out of the newspaper and then when it comes time to wrap a gift that is what we use and then take ribbon to make our bows.  if you catch the big sales at stores you can buy more and save it for later.  Another thing I have discovered over the years is the kids are just as happy with a bag full of goodies from Everythings a Dollar as they are the big stuff.  You can go there and find hot wheels, barbie clothes, play makeup, toy guns etc and it is all $1 so you can buy 5 things throw it in a box.

Answer 9

omg, ive got 2 in school, i know what u mean,, i spend the same amount as you!!!, i usually give $20 to save me running around searching

but what i do sometimes if i see bargains when im out i buy them,  ive got a heap of stuff in the cupboard waiting,,, but thing is they havent had many invites this year so far,,,lol xxxxxxxxxx

Answer 10

i know this lady that sets an amount for her little girl to spend on the birthdays she goes to. So like say the amount is $150.

if she is down to $25 and she gets invited to a birthday party then she can either choose to go and spend the $25 or not go and save the money maybe for another one she really really wants to go to.

I thought this was a good idea.

Answer 11

I would say to buy books, arts and crafts kits, or something like that ...there are some not too expensive....You have to be creative here, for the sake of Charlie and your bank account!!! lol♥♥♥

Answer 12

Maybe buy some cheaper, yet okay things, but also have him MAKE things too. Then put it together almost like a goodie bag.

Answer 13

When you see something good for kids his age, don't just buy one, buy two or three.  Good does not have to mean expensive! When my daughter was about 9, the presents she gave out were all the rage - they were little kits of "make your own friendship bracelets" with pretty ribbons and beads in. I'd bought several for 99p each (that's about $2).

Keep an eye open for "buy one get one free" sales and the like.

Don't buy wrapping paper by the sheet and single cards. Buy a big roll and a box of generic cards (or, even better, get your kid to make a card).

And January sales are good!