Check out these show-stopping Valentine’s Day partyideas on the CHEAP!Use our frugal tips to stay on budget. Trust us, you won’t be missing out on anything!
Have you been dedicated “room mom” for your kid’s school Valentine’s Day Party? Maybe you are just feeling the love and want to host a couple’s party or a “Galentine’s” party for your friends. Wherever the party winds take you, we’ve got you covered with loads of Valentine's Day party ideas to will save you money!
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From food, entertaining, decorations, and even party favors, we will show you how to get it done and make memories that last! Let's chat Valentine’s Day party ideas your friends and family won’t forget, while spendingalmost nothing, without feeling like you’re skimping!Check out that time we threw a Valentine's Day Party, in like 5 minutes.
No matter what kind of party you're planning, use these tips to make the most of a tight budget!
KID'S VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY IDEAS
We all know the dreaded… uh,exciting phone call, right? The one where your school calls and asks you to plan the class Valentine’s Day party!? No sweat… Plan and throw an adorable kid-friendly party without breaking the bank!
KID-FRIENDLY VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY FOOD
Kids seem to have this amazing gift of seeing everything as magical, so when it comes to your Valentine’s Day party foods, keep it simple!
ASK OTHER PARENTS TO HELP
The best way to keep a party budget down is to delegate small responsibilities to more people. If everyone spends around $5, nobody has to bust their budget trying to provide everything!
Create a Facebook group or a group text thread and ask specific people to bring what you need. Sally brings plates and napkins, Jane brings something salty, Mary brings cupcakes… you get the idea! Send a reminder the day before and the day of the party so nobody forgets to bring the goods!
Pro Tip: In some cases, teachers prefer to throw their own parties. They'll send a sign-up list for parents. Then parents will drop their items off at the office or the front door.
SERVE SMALL PORTIONS WITH LOTS OF VARIETY
The more variety the kids see on their plate, the more they think they have. Keep the portions small—mini cupcakes, bite sized cookies, etc. Food will stretch further and tummies will be full!They can’t tell they only have a few bites of each goodie, they just see lots of treats!
SKIP THE PRE-MADE TRAYS
If it’s up to you to bring a fruit, veggie, or cheese tray, skip the expensive pre-made ones and make it yourself. This will save you a TON of money and the food will go much further. Slice your cheese, veggies, and fruit and arrange them on a platter! If you don’t have a tray, check out the Dollar Tree for a cheap one. They even have one with a place for dip in the middle!
MAKE YOUR OWN TREATS
Skip the bakery all together and make treats yourself to get the most out of your dollar!
- Chocolate Covered Pretzels – These dipped pretzels are so fun and inexpensive to make! All you need is a bag of pretzels, white baker’s chocolate, and some Valentine’s Day sprinkles. Melt the chocolate according to directions, dip half of your pretzel, lay on the sprinkles, then place on wax paper to dry. Simple as that! Once they’ve dried, layer those babies on one of those Dollar Tree trays and you’re golden!
- Bake Pink Cookies – You don’t have to be a master baker to get thesecake-mix cookies done. They are SO. EASY. Use strawberry cake mix with white chocolate chips and Ta-Dah, beautiful cookies ready for a party! Best part, they only cost a few bucks!
PARTY FAVORS YOUR KIDS AND YOUR WALLET WILL LOVE
Party favors can easily become one of the most expensive aspects of a Valentine’s Day Party. If your kid’s class is anything like ours, you’ll be buying for nearly twenty kids! We’ll show you how to get creative and save BIG on party favors that are sure to be a hit.
- Love Bug Craft Kits– The idea here is to put together a “DIY” love bug kit for each kid. All you need is a bag of large and small poms, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and clear party favor bags. In each bag, pack one large pom, six small poms, two pipe cleaners (cut in fourths) and two googly eyes. Use whatever free word program you have available to you and print paper labels to staple to the top of your bags. Voila! Cheap, easy, and sure to be a hit!
- Butterfly Suckers – This party favor is evencheaper andeasier than the last! Literally, all you need is a bag of suckers (enough for the class), construction paper, and a marker. Fold your paper in half and cut out butterfly wings (to match the size of your suckers), one set of wings for each sucker. Make two little snips at the folded line of your butterfly wings, open, and slide the sucker stick inside. Done! If you feel like getting even more creative, decorate your wings with markers, glue, and glitter!
- Stuff a Bag of Goodies– So, you're not the crafty type? That’s okay… trust us, we get it! Not only does the Dollar Tree have decorations and snack trays—they have loads of party favors! Grab some Valentine’s Day pencils, erasers, stickers, and whatever else you can find and stuff those clear cellophane treat bags. Wrap the top with a pink or red curling ribbon and you’ve got bags of goodies for everyone!
To help you stay on budget, make sure you go into the store with a set amount you are willing to spend and don’t go over it. Those little heart shaped bubbles may be cute, but they aren’t worth busting your budget for!
QUICK, EASY AND CHEAP VALENTINE'S DECORATIONS
Anyone remember their elementary school Valentine’s Day party?? They seemed magical and extravagant, right!? Howdid our parents pull that off? Guess what… they didn’t! Remember that crazy special gift we talked about earlier—the one where everything is amazing and wonderful through the eyes of a kid? Yeah, we used to have that gift too!
Trust us when we tell you there is no need to go crazy when decorating for a classroom party. Follow these tips to get the most bang for your buck and your time. We promise your kids will think you’re amazing!
SHOP THE DOLLAR TREE
Yes, back to the Dollar Tree! It’s the best place to find cheap decorations for your party! We’ve found packs of white, pink, and red doilies, heart shaped confetti, and lots of other cute table decorations! This is also a great place to grab red table cloths, plates, and napkins!
DECORATE WITH FAVORS
Knock out two birds with one stone here and use those adorable party favors we mentioned above as desk decorations!WIN-WIN!
MAKE CUTE FOOD LABELS
Print labels for each food item planned for the party. Keep it simple or mix it up by coming up with clever names! Instead of cupcakes, call them “Cupid Cakes!” Cut and fold to make them stand up like a tent in front of each food item. This is a super cheap way to add a lot of pop to the food table!
GROWN-UP VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY IDEAS
Instead of a kid's party, maybe you're planning to host a fun Valentine’s Day party for your grown-up friends—Galentine's party, anyone? Or maybe a couple's party? Or maybe even a family Valentine's party. Surprisingly, lots of the same tips apply here too!
KEEP YOUR VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY SIMPLE
No matter what kind of party you’re throwing—keep it simple! Remember, your friends and family are there for YOU, not your excellent party-throwing skills! It can be tons of fun throwing a Valentine’s Day party for the people you love, but it can also be stressful when your budget feels tight. Follow these tips and we are certain you’ll be able to throw the party of the century without going a penny over budget!
THE PERFECT “EASY” VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY IDEAS
Here are a few easy and fun party theme ideas to get you started!
- Fondue Night – Who doesn't love chocolate?
- Favorite Things Party – This is perfect for all the ladies in your life.
- Valentine's Minute to Win It Games – So easy, so fun!
- Newlywed Game – Great party idea for couples!
- Formal Night – If your friends love to get dressed up, this would be a special night!
- Cupid's Cafe – Set up a fun and memorable dinner for the family!
Now let's talk about how to save BIG!!
SHARE RESPONSIBILITIES
Before you go all out and spend your entire budget on food, choose a theme and ask your guests to bring a dish that goes with it. This can help take some of the financial burden off of you as the host and also allows your guests to be more involved!
USE WHAT YOU HAVE
Do you have a hodge-podge of leftover Valentine’s Day napkins and plates from past parties? Use them up! They don’t all have to match. Place one style on the drink bar, another with the sides, and another with the main dishes. Or maybe you’re feeling really crazy and want to mix them all together… why not go for it!
This rule applies to planning your menu, too. Start withwhat you already have in your pantry, fridge, and freezer and go from there!
Another great way to use what you have! Instead of running to the store to buy table decorations, go through your cabinets instead. Pull out any pretty dishes, bowls, or vases and get creative! Leftover paper doilies from your kid’s class party? Stick them under a vase with fresh cut flowers for an eye-catching centerpiece!
First, make use of what you have andthen head to the store to supplement what you don’t. You will saveTONS doing this! Share your favorite Valentine's Day party ideas and your best money saving party hacks in the comments below!
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Happy love day!
