KIDS’ parties burning a hole in your pocket?
When it comes to handing out treat bags to little guests, parents often spend as much as £5 per bag. With children inviting an average of 21 friends, this adds up to a hefty spend of £105 per party.
But I have a few savvy tips to keep those party bags a hit at a bargain price — around 74p a bag, making a total of £15.54 for 21 kids.
Paper it: Opt for paper bags over plastic, they are more environmentally friendly, too. Head to Amazon for bargain prices on bulk coloured paper bags.
I found ten bags for £2.60, far cheaper than near-identical bags sold at partypieces.co.uk for £4.99 for 12.
Sweet stuff: Add sweet treats (as well as a slice of that birthday cake) for some extra delight with hardly any extra cost. Sweets are relatively cheap, especially when you buy big tubs. If your party has a theme, try to go for goodies that match this by colour or context.
You can buy an impressively large tub of 120 chewy pigs from swizzels.com for just £6 (plus you can get up to 18.5 per cent cashback, when buying via topcashback.co.uk). That’s enough for around five sweets per child going on the average of 21. Plus, they look just like Percy Pigs, sold at M&S for £2.10 a bag, but cost a fraction of the price.
Personal touches: You can save money on personalised party gifts by checking out smaller sellers on eBay, Esty and Facebook Marketplace. There are plenty of handmade items to choose from, so there is sure to be something to fit your theme.
I found some great pieces, such as keyrings with initials on, for around 45p a piece on Facebook Marketplace and around 20p a piece on Etsy — a massive saving.
Colour me happy: Crayons or small pencils are a great addition. They can even be used to colour in the paper bags as an extra activity. I found packs of four crayons, similar to big brand Crayola, for just 14p a set on kidspartycraftforless.com, down from 50p per pack.
- Prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
COSY up in the garden around the La Hacienda barbecue firepit tripod, now £59.99, down from £99.99 at jtf.com.
SAVE: £40
Cheap treat
TREAT yourself to a tub of Carte D’or Classics vanilla ice cream – it’s half price at Iceland at just £1.75, down from £3.50.
SAVE: £1.75