Transporting Helium BalloonsI buy lots of helium balloons. All of the birthday parties in my family are hosted by me, and I handle all of the decorations, party planning and food. Who doesn't love grandma's cooking!
Hanging Party Decorations at Dollar TreeIf you need affordable party hanging decorations, I would highly recommend Dollar Tree. especially if you're looking for the trendy tissue pom poms. You get 2 count and a generous size, 12" for only $1, that is just 50 cents each. There's a good amount of colors to choose from: magenta, blue, yellow, red, black and white. These decorations would be perfect for bridal parties, bachelorette parties, weddings, engagement parties, birthday, Valentine's Day, Christmas, essentially any party!
Mylar Balloons at Dollar TreeDon't spend your money on overpriced balloons when you can get the same quality at Dollar Tree for a buck each!
Balloon Bubbles as Party DecorationsMy son recently had a 'shark' goldfish themed third birthday party. One of the decorations we did was balloon bubbles. We used clear balloons in numerous sizes, blew them up, and scattered them all over the room. Not only were they great decorations, they were also a lot of fun to kick and throw around for the kids.
Hen Party BuntingHaving a hen/bachelorette party? Here's a fun idea to decorate your venue. Try stringing up pretty colourful underwear around the walls instead of bunting.
Double Sided Holiday TablerunnerA few years back I purchased this table runner for .50 at a thrift store. It has Thanksgiving fabric on one side and Christmas on the other. While I lived in Salem, OR, I had it magnetized to the front of my door for the months of November and December.
Use Napkins as PlacematsSave money by overlapping two square napkins to form a rectangular placemat. Napkins were 25 cents a pack.
Party Idea For PenniesIf you're having a party, buy cupcake liners to match the theme of your party. Put your condiments in a jar. Instead of using a lid, put a cup cake liner over the top of the jar. Use twine or ribbon to tie it onto the jar.
Use Magnets For Floating BalloonsHelium balloons looks fabulous at any party BUT they are very expensive. I thought of an idea that could allow you to cheat and that is to inflate your balloon and then pop inside a small magnet.
"Helium" Balloons on the CheapHelium balloons to decorate a party are expensive, and you have to get or fill them on the day of the party. Instead, fill the balloons ahead of time and make a circle of Scotch tape to stick them on the ceiling.
Entertaining "Table Covers"The tables are covered in paper instead of table clothes, with cute buckets of crayons so everyone can write. I kept mine for years. After I had my son, I used this idea over and over at banquets; always with someone asking about how I came up with that great idea.
Nebulizer To Inflate BalloonsWhen you have to inflate a bunch of balloons for a party, use a nebulizer with the tubing attached. Just remove the mask and viola, you have your own balloon inflater. Quick, easy and saves a whole lot of breath.
Put Pictures Under Plastic on Table at PartiesHaving a casual party with old friends? Put a solid color tablecloth on the table you will be serving the drinks, buffet, or dinner on. Arrange photos of your friends and yourself on the tablecloth.
Use Seasonal Napkins in CD Cases for CoastersHere's a cute tip for the frugal and festive folks: Use CD jewel cases as coasters for special occasions. Purchase seasonal/holiday cocktail napkins at a discount from the dollar store after the season has passed, insert them into empty jewel cases, and change with the occasions.
Decoration for an Outside TableA frugal way to decorate an outdoor table is to put a few pieces of colored tissue paper on the tabletop, and then cover with a sheer cloth (a sheer curtain will do).
Recycle Event FlowersRemember that flowers can be recycled, too! After an event, many a flower arrangement will end up in the trash! So rescue it, re-cut the flower stems and re-arrange the flowers at home.
Making Your Own PiñataFor a children's party, make your own pinata and have your child help. Kids love busting open a pinata. When you make one at home, it won't look like all the others, you customize it to your theme, your child gets involved and learns a new craft, and you save a lot of money.
Decorate Paper Lunch Bags With Paper...Use decorative paper punches to make regular paper lunch bags into one of a kind favor/treat bags. If they are for a child's party have him or her decorate the bags with markers, etc., to make them even more special!
Use Stickers To Decorate Party PlatesRather than buying expensive themed party supplies, decorate plain or colored plates and cups with stickers that follow the party's theme. We used metallic star stickers for our fairy and wizard themed birthday party and we found them at the dollar store in packs of 500!
Pinata From A Paper BagFor my three year old's birthday party, we wanted to have a pinata. Rather than buy one, we went to our local H.G. Hills supermarket and picked up a brown paper grocery bag with handles, for free, of course.
Homemade WindsocksI like to use homemade "windsocks" to decorate for a party. They last longer than balloons, and can be used over and over. For a July 4th party: Take any container that is a cylinder, like a coffee can, Pringle can, or a Kool-aid container.
Decorating a Room Nautical ThemeJust did my own anniversary party. If you are in a room with a strong decor, don't fight it! Ours was a yacht club room with a definite nautical decor.
How to Make a Balloon ArchAll you need is fishing line, paper clips, balloons (1 or 2 colors), helium, weights for each end. This is easiest done with about 2-3 people. Take the fishing line and stretch it between 2 folding chairs tying to the backs of the chairs...
Helium BalloonsA pal, who has several parties a year, told me it's cheaper in the long run to buy a tank of helium and your own balloons, than to have the store blow up the balloons for you or to rent a helium tank.
By Terri H.
Use Wine Glasses to Hold BalloonsFor my husbands 40th birthday, we were on a tight budget. Instead of purchasing weights for the dozen balloons that I bought, we tied them to water glasses with a stem, and put a bit of foil confetti in the bottom of each glass, and then sprinkled some on the table as well. The effect was elegant, yet cost very little. The party was huge success! By Katharine Barrett
Glitter Paint on BalloonsFor a party take blown up balloons and using a sponge or foam stamp (circles, triangles, spirals, hearts) dipped in glitter paint, dot the outside of the balloon to give it a more detailed look.
