A SUPERSAVER mum has revealed how she’s managed to throw a birthday party for her son 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.
She has two children - Harriet, four, and Ben, seven - and revealed how to keep to a strict budget when it comes to birthday celebrations.
Maddy admitted her son is an August baby - making cheap outdoor celebrations easier due to better weather - yet is still nifty for her daughter's birthday in February.
The mum, according to SWSM, highlighted the importance of planning - making your own invites, preparing your own food and party bags.
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Maddy, the founder of Mad About Money, from Southampton, Hampshire, 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 tray bake.”
She went on to explain that she created party bags with bubbles and “bought books from the Works”.
"The whole thing cost £34, and everyone absolutely loved it,” Maddy continued before explaining that she spent £8 on a Sainsbury’s cake, £5 on party bags and £21 on food.
Maddy said in 2021 they had a party in the local park - in the rain.
"The kids ran around in the rain and the adults sat under the canopy on picnic mats,” she shared. "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."
The mum-of-two reached out to the 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.
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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 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