Birthdays can easily get expensive, especially if you want all your friends and family to have a great time, too. But creating a memorable day with your loved ones doesn’t have to cost a fortune; we’ve provided 17 affordable ways adults can celebrate their birthdays.
Plan a Potluck Party
Instead of fretting over the expense of feeding many hungry bellies, a cheap way to have a birthday meal can be to throw a potluck party. This way, everyone gets to contribute with their own favorite meals, meaning everyone is happily fed with only a small cost contribution from each person!
Enjoy a Picnic in the Park
If a sit-down meal is too expensive for you, then a simple picnic in the park can also be a great money-saving way to celebrate your birthday. Choose your favorite scenic spot and invite loved ones to bring homemade picnic food and drinks, and top it all off with some park games.
Host a Barbecue in Your Backyard
Make a simple home meal more exciting by moving out to the barbecue grill instead. This is the perfect cheap way to spend your birthday on a hot day. For a successful barbecue, you’ll need grill tools, fuel, a thermometer, and a fire extinguisher (just in case), advises Real Simple.
Have a Movie Marathon at Home
Avoid expensive movie ticket fees and create a cozy home cinema instead, another creative way to cheaply celebrate your birthday. Choose your favorite movie – or boxset – and gather friends and family together with homemade snacks, cozy blankets, and the perfect viewing spot!
Create a DIY Spa Day
What better way to celebrate your birthday than to indulge in a little pampering – and for cheap! Avoid high public spa costs by creating your own experience at home through candles, essential oils, homemade face masks, and simply turning off all those devices!
Throw a Game’s Night
Return to the classic board or card games with friends and family as another great way to celebrate your birthday on the cheap. Ask everyone to bring their favorites so you have plenty to choose from, and all you’ll need to buy is easy snacks and drinks!
Host a Pottery or Craft Party
If you’d rather do an entertaining craft activity for your birthday but still want to keep it affordable, then a craft party such as pottery or painting can be the ideal solution. Set up a craft station and load up some helpful online tutorials to create some fun items with friends.
Enjoy a Themed Costume Party
Who says you have to wait until Halloween to throw a costume party? Choose a fun theme, such as superheroes or retro, for your cheap birthday bash, and ask your guests to dress up. It also won’t break the bank to buy some simple decorations for your home.
Attend a Free Museum or Gallery
If you want to get out of the house for your birthday but don’t want to spend money, there are plenty of free museums and galleries for a fun day out. According to USA Today, the best free museums in the U.S. include the Blue Ridge Music Center and the National Infantry Museum.
Enjoy a Karaoke Night
A cheap musical option for your birthday celebrations is to create your own favorite playlist, set up a karaoke machine, or even use an app through your TV. Make it more exciting with affordable and simple props, like wigs and hats.
Get Outdoors for Free
There are many scenic places to explore that won’t cost you a penny, so for your birthday, why not plan a beautiful outdoor hike, explore a nearby reserve, or even take your bike on the trail? Pack your own food to save money on the day’s supplies (and take the perfect birthday selfie).
Host a Friendly Cooking Competition
If you and your loved ones are foodies and you want some affordable food options for your birthday, why not host a friendly cooking challenge? Ask your friends to judge the completed dishes and have a tasting session with everyone involved to explore new flavors.
Attend a Community Event
Most local community events have cheap ticket prices or are even free, so it’s worth checking local listings for any fairs or festivals. Make a day of it by inviting birthday guests to attend and explore all the nearby attractions!
Throw a Book Club Meet
Incorporating a book club into your birthday is a fantastic way to celebrate for cheap; all you need is a copy of the book and some tasty snacks and drinks. The best book club reads right now include Lillian Fishman’s ‘Acts of Service’ and Laline Paull’s ‘The Bees,’ says Vogue.
Organize a Volunteer Activity
Another cheap way to celebrate your birthday whilst also giving back to the community is organizing a voluntary activity with your friends. You can get together for a beach cleanup or help out the needy at a local event to feel rewarded on your birthday for being selfless!
Host a Virtual Party
If your main cost concern for your birthday is travel expenses and accommodation to get all your loved ones together, why not try hosting a digital party instead? Get everyone together on a video call and plan some virtual games or activities for everyone to enjoy without the price tag.
Relax with a Pool Party
And our final cheap way to celebrate your birthday can be a refreshing pool party if you have access to one. Martha Stewart reminds us not to forget about safety precautions, though. Pool parties are an easy way to host some games or just play good music – and guests can bring their own supplies, too.
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