This week we are in the middle of trying to finalize plans for an upcoming birthday party for our two sons. Two boys with birthdays only a month apart means one party to save the relatives from traveling, but two separate cakes with different themes. All of that cake can add up in expense. Here are four different ways to save money on birthday cake. With these various options, you should be able to find your own great way to shave off some of the cost of the birthday cake.
Buy a regular birthday cake but skip the special decorating. A lot of those character kits can add significantly to the cost of your birthday cake. Instead, decorate the cake yourself to fit your theme. I did this for a pirate birthday party. I simply made a beach scene using crushed vanilla cookies for sand, coconut trees from tube shaped cookies (with coco cereal for the coconuts and piped green melting chocolate for the palm foliage), etc. I added a few of my son’s small pirate figures to the scene.
If you want an even cheaper and more sophisticated birthday cake, purchase some plan pound cake, slice it, add the slices to a platter or jelly roll sheet, add some filling and top it with more cake,. Then frost the cake, or sprinkle it with powdered sugar or a glaze.
If your child is turning one, then you can get as much free cake as you like. Most grocery stores and bakeries will give you a free cake for your child’s first birthday, when you show the birth certificate. You can go to multiple stores if you need more cake to go around. This is also a great way to taste test the cake for the next party.
Make cupcakes instead of having cake and have the kids decorate them. This not only saves you on the price of a cake, but it also builds in a craft activity for the same cost. Have plenty of sprinkles and toppings to make it really fun for the kids.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.
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