The cost of your baby’s first birthday party can range depending on who you ask. Some parents will bring out all the bells and whistles and spend well over $500 for the big celebration while others prefer to keep it a more intimate affair with inviting a few close family members to lavish baby with love and presents on their big day. No matter how you want to slice it, there are some ways to cut back on costs for the momentous occasion.

Considering skipping the party store

Yes, it’s a party and you may think where else should one go to buy all the paper plates, plastic utensils, table clothes, piñata, and everything else you see at a baby’s birthday party? But chances are you will find most of that stuff at your local discount store, or big box store for much cheaper. Trying checking out your dollar store, Wal-Mart or Target before heading straight to the Party Store. You’ll likely save a few bucks.

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Find an inexpensive (or free) venue

Check with your local parks, church or community center before splurging on a pricey venue for baby’s party. You can usually reserve a spot at a popular local park for a small fee. If it’s the dead of winter and you have to keep things indoors check with a community center or church to see if they have space available. It’ll be cheaper than renting out space at the aquarium or zoo (although, those are not bad options either!) Remember, you can always decorate your space to fit whatever theme you choose to go with for the party.

Have a house party

If you don’t want the headache of trying to find a venue, just invite the guests over to your place and have the birthday party at your house. No rental required and that’ll really save you hundreds of dollars.

Make your own food

Maybe you are a great baker. Now is the time to put those skills to use and feed the crowd! Baking a cake is fairly simple and decorating can be a lot of fun. You’ll be baking from the heart and making many memories along the way. And chances are you already have most of the ingredients in your pantry already.

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Opt for an experience instead of throwing a party

If you don’t want to splurge on a party but still want to do something big skip the goody bags and pack up your own bags along with the baby's. You can take a trip somewhere fun, have a family outing, or plan for a memorable family vacation. Take the money you would have spent on a party and spend it making memories.

Whatever kind of party you choose to throw remember your baby and other children at the party will not care about how much you spent on decorations and party favors, they’ll be too busy running (or crawling) around having fun.