Are you planning a baby shower & hoping to leave your piggy bank intact?
If so, we have some tips to help!

First things first, have you decided on a theme?
That is pretty much the top priority after choosing the venue (of course).

If you haven’t, here is my top trick: If the baby shower theme matches the nursery, the mother to be can use all of the décor in the nursery once it’s over! No waste, no box of items that will never be used again, & you just filled the nursery at no extra cost. 

Once you decide on a theme, pick a few items that will directly fit that theme. (Yes, only a few!!) Themed party décor is cute, but can be pretty expensive & it adds up quickly once you start tossing things in the cart.

Here is where the frugal fun begins!

Tip #1: Focal Areas

Pick a couple focal points. Make specific plans to decorate those areas both with themed & non-themed items. This will help tie the entire space together.
(My personal favorite areas are the cake table & the wall behind or around where the expectant mom will be opening gifts.) 

Tip #2: Mix & Match

If you love the decorative plates that perfectly match your theme, purchase one or two packs (depending on the size of your guest list). Then, run to Walmart, Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, or your local party store & purchase the rest of the plates you need in colors that coordinate with the themed ones. (I would suggest taking a plate with you or at least taking a photo of it, so you aren’t standing there playing the color guessing game.) When setting up, open up the plates & mix them up. They will all go together perfectly, no one else will even notice a difference & you just saved yourself a ton of money!
(This also works great for napkins!)

Tip #3: Digital Invites (AKA EVites)

 Hear me out! Paper invites can be soooo cute, but let’s be honest… we print a ton, hand out a few, put one up for the baby book, then the rest go in File 13 (that is the trash bin for those of you that haven’t heard that). Once you purchase or create the super cute invite, order a few prints (to keep & hand out to the ones that will appreciate them or aren’t so tech savvy) & send the digital invites to the other guests. No sense in spending all of that money for them to end up riding around in the trunk of your car… (which is where I still have at least 15 Christmas cards.) If you do decided printed invites are a must, try a local printing store, like FedEx or Office Depot.

Tip #4: Centerpiece Guest Book(s)! 

Use nursery books as table centerpieces. Put down some pens & instructions for your guests to pick a page & leave a sweet note for your little one (& you) to enjoy for years to come. This is a sweet way to really make your guests feel special & included, not only in the shower, but in the baby’s life.

Tip #5: Printables! 

There are so many things out there that you can download for FREE & print at home.  Grab some cheap frames from Walmart, frame the prints & viola! Cute & theme based décor. I found an awesome website with tons of printables for FREE!! Click here to go there.

Tip #6: Balloon Garland

Balloons can be inexpensive if you are up to inflate them yourself. 
Balloon garlands are quickly becoming my favorite, because I don’t have to pay the crazy price for helium fill up! You can purchase a kit here. 

Basically, you inflate the balloons, stick the tied part through the hole provided on the decorating strip (not too close together at first, you can always fill in holes). Most kits also come with balloon glue dots, but double sided tape also works well to help fill in gaps. (If you don’t want to inflate by mouth, you can also purchase a pump. I will include that link here.)

Tip #7: Cake vs Cupcakes: The Great Debate

If you are looking to save, opt for cupcakes or other types of mixed desserts. If a decorative cake is a must have, be sure to ask the bakery what size you need to feed your guest list. (Keep in mind not everyone will eat cake.) I see so many showers where the host is begging people to take cake home, because they ordered one to feed 50 when their guest list is under 25. 

Tip #8: Favors

I for one do not expect a favor when I go to a party or shower. If this is important to you, go for it! Keep in mind that most people do not take them or forget to take them & you end up with an entire bucket of “extras”, so I suggest making it something useful. Something that you could actually use in the future rather than throwing them away or putting them in the garage to collect dust.

Tip #9: Food for Thought

Have you ever attended a shower expecting a full meal? (I haven’t.)
Plan the shower in between normal meal times & no one will come expecting a full meal. Keep it simple! Snacks & finger foods are great for showers, enough but not too much. Remember that you will be eating leftovers forever if you plan to feed an army & only invite one platoon. 

Tip #10: To DIY or not to DIY

Some people are great at saving money by “Doing It Yourself”, I like to think I am one of those people, but I normally spend 5 times as much “Doing It Myself” rather than just buying the thing I’m attempting to dupe. If you plan to DIY, make sure you compare the prices before you commit. Please learn from my mistakes! If you can do it cheaper, DO IT!! Then, call me & tell me how!

I hope these frugal tips help you plan the most amazing shower & I can’t wait to hear from you!  

X-Leslie