How to Plan a Baby Shower on a Small Budget

Planning a baby shower can be very stressful, especially when you start thinking about how much it’s all going to cost. Well, today I’m here to bring your stress level down. We’re going to talk about how to plan a baby shower on a small budget.

There’s a lot that goes into the planning of a baby shower. You have to worry about the invitations, venue, decorations, food and drinks, and favors and prizes. The cost of all of those things can quickly add up.

But today we’re going to discuss all of the different ways that you can save money. You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a great shower. It just takes a little ingenuity and planning. So let’s get started!

How Much Money Does It Cost to Throw a Baby Shower?

You can throw a baby shower on just about any budget. Some people spend well over $1,000. But you certainly don’t have to spend that much. Believe it or not, you can throw a killer baby shower for $100 or even less! Today we’re going to show you several ways that you can cut costs without sacrificing any of the best parts.

What Are the Easiest Ways to Cut Cost?

It’s not hard to plan a baby shower on a small budget. It just takes some imagination and planning. Here are several things that you can do to keep the cost down.

Keep the Shower Intimate

Unless the mom-to-be specifically asks for a large shower, it’s a good idea to keep it somewhat intimate. You don’t have to invite every person that mom has ever met in her life. Consider just asking her closest friends and family.

Co-ed showers are very trendy, but you can save about half of your budget on food and favors if you invite the ladies only.

Another thing to consider is that there will probably be more than one baby shower. If the mother’s office at work is throwing her a shower, then you don’t need to include co-workers to yours. You can save a lot of money by keeping the party small. And on top of that, many mothers-to-be can get overwhelmed with a huge crowd. So ask the mom and her friends to see if there are people you can pass on inviting.

Send the Invitations Digitally

Typically people spend about 10 percent of their shower budget on the invitations. But you can save $50 to $100 right off the bat by sending the invitations digitally. If all of your guests have Facebook, consider delivering the invites that way.

You can find websites that offer invitations for a small fee if you’re looking for something super personalized. There are even sites that provide free invitations.

One of the places you can use is Evite. They offer several really cute baby shower invitations. And many of them are free!

Choose the Right Time of Day for Your Shower

While we’re talking about how to plan a baby shower on a small budget, we must talk about what time your shower will be. If you choose a time like mid-morning, late afternoon, or evening your guests won’t expect a full meal. If you select the right time, you can get away with just serving light appetizers or snacks.

Consider doing a small bagel bar for a morning shower that goes from 9:30 to 11:30 am. Or you could go for a lovely afternoon tea from 2:00 to 4:30 pm. You could also throw an after-dinner shower starting at 7:30 pm or later where you just serve desserts.

Baby Shower Brunch Ideas

Have a fruit bar. Simply cut up several different types of fruit and put them in decorative bowls. Your guests will serve themselves.
Make a bagel buffet. Buy several different types of bagels and two or three kinds of cream cheese. Put the bagels and cream cheese out on a table with a little toaster oven. You can also serve juice and coffee with the bagels.
Let your guests build their own sandwiches. You can put out different types of bread or croissants along with meats and cheeses and let everyone make their own.

Think About the Location

You can really go crazy with location fees. If you choose to rent a venue and hire caterers, your cost can quickly go up by hundreds or even thousands of dollars if you want to really get fancy.

Choosing the right location is one of the easiest ways to save money on your shower.

Most people spend about five percent of their shower budget on securing a location. Depending on where you go, you can save a significant amount of money here. You may have to do some looking around, but you can find some exciting places to host your baby shower.

One idea is to hold it at a ceramic or art studio. They are affordable, and they give you a unique experience. Small cafes are another great idea. You should also check with local non-profits, community centers, and YMCAs. They often have space available for very affordable prices.

You Can Even Find Free Venues

Why not host your party at a free venue? There are many places to choose from. First of all, you could host your baby shower at someone’s home. Showers held in a home are not only cheaper; they’re also more intimate.

If you are a member of a church, you can probably use the facilities for free. Do you live in an apartment complex with a clubhouse? That’s another great place to host a shower. Often you can use your clubhouse for free.

Or why not try a beautiful park? Those are free too.

On top of that, you can check with family and friends to see if anyone lives in a neighborhood with a playground or a gazebo. These places are ideal if you are going to have children at your shower. This will give them someplace to run around and have fun during the event.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

There’s a lot to do when planning a baby shower, especially if you’re trying to do it on a small budget. So don’t be afraid to ask for help. You could invite a co-host or two and divvy up the responsibilities. If you have a co-host, you can also share the cost.

If friends and family offer to help, let them. Delegate some of your tasks. That might mean putting someone in charge of invitations or venue finding. Or maybe you could ask them to bring things like napkins or drinks to the party. A little help can relieve the stress off of you, and it can cut down the cost.

Check out Pinterest

One great place to find ideas for how to plan a baby shower on a small budget is Pinterest. Pinterest has tons of postings that will give you inspiration for an incredible shower without having to spend a fortune.

What Are Some Ways I Can Cut Down on the Baby Shower Decor?

Costs can quickly add up if you go crazy with decorations. The truth is you can create beautiful decor without breaking the bank. Here are some of the easiest ways to cut costs.

Consider the Theme

While you’re figuring out how to plan a baby shower on a small budget, it’s essential that you really think about the theme you want. If you already have some items that would work for a baby shower, you can plan your theme around that.

I threw a baby shower for my sister right after Easter. I had some decorations at home, and I found others on sale. So I decided to go with the theme of Peter Rabbit. I found all sorts of goodies that I used in the clearance bins right after the holiday. I used baby books, stuffed rabbits, and an Easter tablecloth with bunnies on it.

It ended up being an adorable theme, and it saved me a ton of cash.

Where Can I Find Cheap Flowers?

Typically people spend about five percent of their shower budget on flowers. But there are several ways that you can cut or eliminate this cost.

First of all, consider holding your shower in a beautiful park or garden. When the scenery is already gorgeous, you don’t need to add flowers.

Another thing you can do is to make a trip to your local farmers’ market. Farmers’ markets have very cheap flowers that you can arrange yourself.

To keep your flower arrangements from looking too amateurish, you should consider going with one signature flower. This will give you a polished look even if you do it yourself. Try putting the flowers in monochromatic vases in different heights. This will give a punch of personality to your overall look.

Another idea is to go with beautiful paper flowers. Here’s a great video by Martha Stewart showing you how to make paper flower arrangements. You can get all of the materials for this project for about $20.

Go the D.I.Y. Route

While we’re discussing how to plan a baby shower on a small budget, we can’t forget about all of the things that you can make yourself. You can save a ton of cash by making your own decorations, favors, and food.

It’s much cheaper to make tissue balls or banners that you can hang from the ceiling than it is to buy them. There are a lot of cool D.I.Y. things that you can make for your shower. On top of that, this is one of the easiest ways to save money.

Check out your local dollar store. You can likely find decorations, favors, and table cloths there. They also have many of the supplies that you will need to make your own decorations. As I mentioned earlier, Pinterest is an excellent place to get inspiration for all of the things that you can make yourself for free.

Here is a great video to show you how to make a diaper cake.

Recycle and Reuse

This is another simple way that you can save a lot of money. Did you save decorations from your own baby shower? Why not use them again? Or if you have friends or family that have decorations, borrow them.

One thing that we recommend is to get a vinyl cutter or Cricket. This way, you can customize the things that you borrow for the shower. Because the vinyl easily peels off, you can save and reuse the decorations again and again.

Use Things You’ve Got Around the House

Don’t feel like you have to go out and buy everything that you’ll need for your shower. There are many things that you can probably find in your own home. Use your decorative bowls, paintings, flowers, and vases. You can even use baby toys that you have as decorations.

And don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family if they have anything that you can borrow.

Use Coupons

Look for coupons. They can save you a bunch of cash too. One tool that I like to use is called Snip Snap. This is a free app that you can use on your smartphone to help you find coupons. Last weekend I found some great ones that I used at Michael’s craft store.

One of the coupons was for 50 percent off of ribbon, and the other coupon was for 25 percent off of my entire order. I didn’t even have to clip any paper. I just used my phone and saved $12.50.

What Are Some Ways I Can Cut the Cost of the Food?

Food and drinks are the most expensive part of throwing a baby shower. Most people spend about 40 percent of their overall budget on food. Here are some ways that you can significantly cut down the cost.

Skip the Alcohol

Alcohol can add a lot to the overall cost of the shower. So why not have a dry shower?

Not only are dry showers cheaper, but they’re also kinder to the mom to be. She won’t be able to drink alcohol, and it’s not much fun to sit on the sidelines while everyone else partakes. Even if you’re throwing a shower for a baby that’s already born, the mom may not be able to drink if she’s nursing.

Consider Having a Build-Your-Own Bar

People love the build your own bars at parties. Not only are they fun, but they’re also pretty inexpensive. And the possibilities are unlimited. Maybe try building your own tacos, or building your own ice cream sundaes. You could even make your own fruit skewers.

We love the build your own bars because they cut way down on your prep work and cost. And they are much cheaper than hiring a caterer.

Why Not Make It a Potluck?

One excellent idea to completely cut out the cost of the food is to make the shower a potluck. Remember what we said about delegating? Well, the food is one place that really comes in handy.

One fun thing you can do is to ask everyone to make the food that was their biggest craving when they were pregnant. What could be better for the mom to be then to have a cravings table? You could also play a fun game letting all of the guests guess who brought what.

Shop at Dollar Stores and Warehouse Stores

I briefly mentioned shopping at the dollar stores earlier. They offer many hidden treasures for cheap. My mom absolutely loves the dollar store. She swears by them. And she always finds cool stuff to use for crafts. You can find cool stuff for baby showers there too.

I also recommend shopping at warehouse stores like Sam’s Club, B.J.s, and Costco. Their prices on party food are way lower than the grocery stores.

Cater in Something Cheap

If you don’t want to make the food yourself or throw a potluck, another option is to cater in something cheap. Why not try throwing a shower with all of the fast-food favorites that the mom to be loves? You could serve chicken nuggets, tacos, and mini burger sliders. Not only will this save you money, but it’s also a whole lot of fun for everyone.

What Are Some Inexpensive Games We Can Play?

While we’re talking about how to plan a baby shower on a small budget, we can’t forget about games and activities. Most of the games we suggest cost nothing, or next to nothing.

Have All the Guests Write Notes and Poems for the Mom

For this fun activity, all you will need is a pretty notebook and a pen. You can likely find a decorative journal at the dollar store. During the shower, pass the book around and let everyone write special messages to the mom to be. You could write about parenting advice, funny stories about motherhood, poems, or even bible verses.

Name the Guest

This is a fun game that you can play for free. And it’s an excellent way for the guests to get to know each other. Create a list of unique or interesting things about each guest before the shower. If you’re not sure, you can ask each guest before the party to give you an interesting fact about them.

Then pass out a copy of the list to all of the guests at the shower. People will have to mingle to find out about each other, or they can just guess. The person who correctly finds the most people wins a prize.

Make a Headband or Drool Bib Station

This is a very trendy activity at many baby showers. You set up a station where guests can make a headband or drool bib for the baby. Of course, you will have to buy a bunch of plain headbands or bibs that people can decorate. You can find embellishments at the craft store. Don’t forget to look for coupons for the supplies that you’ll need.

Make a Baby Time Capsule

Another excellent activity that you can do is to create a time capsule for the baby. Ask all of the guests to bring something to put in the capsule that the child will open when they turn 18. Some of the items you could include are cards and letters, newspapers, books, photos, and even money.

Make Your Own Nursery Rhyme Quiz

This is another fun game that you can play for free. Create your own nursery rhyme quiz. Write out several nursery rhymes leaving blanks for the guests to fill in. Then make copies of the paper so that you can hand them out at the shower. The person who gets the most correct can win a prize. We’ll talk more about cheap prizes and favors in a minute.

Have a Pacifier Hunt

Everyone loves scavenger hunts. So why not try a pacifier scavenger hunt? You can get a bunch of inexpensive pacifiers at the dollar store. Hide them all over the house or party site. Then award a prize for the person who finds the most.

Play Baby Shower Gift Bingo

Or you can buy bingo cards that are already printed from companies like SwaddlesnBottles. They offer baby shower gift bingo cards in pink and blue, and they’re very affordable. You can get a pack of 30 bingo cards for just $5.

Other free games that you can play include:

Guess the birth weights of the mom and dad to be
Give a prize to the person with the closest birthday to the baby’s due date
Use a ribbon to guess the size of the mom’s belly

What About the Shower Favors and Prizes?

How much should I spend on party favors and prizes? Typically people spend about 15 percent of their shower budget on prizes and favors.

With that said, you shouldn’t feel pressured into buying favors. Not all showers have them. I would say that about half of the baby showers I’ve been to didn’t give favors. And that’s fine. But if you really want to give favors, there are ways to do it cheaply.

There are many ways to save on prizes and favors. For one thing, you can make them yourself. Are you good at baking or candy making? Those make excellent favors.

You should always check the bins at the check-out of whatever store you’re shopping at too. Often the clearance bins at places like Old Navy and Home Goods have cute inexpensive items that would make great prizes.

Let the Favors Do Double Duty

One way that you can cut costs is to let the favors and decoration do double duty. If you have some beautiful centerpieces, why not give them away at the end of the shower as party favors?

What Are Some Cheap Prizes that I Could Give?

Cute fuzzy socks
Travel size alcohol bottles
Nail polish
Soaps
Candles
Mugs
Hair ties
Cookies
Popcorn with a note “Ready to pop!”
Hershey’s Kisses
Chocolate
Hand sanitizer
Lip gloss or balm
Homemade sugar or salt scrubs

The most basic recipe for homemade scrubs includes 1 cup of salt or sugar, 1/2 cup of melted coconut or olive oil, and 5 to 7 drops of essential oils. You simply mix the ingredients and then put them in a glass jar with a pretty ribbon.

Bonus Tips

I have a couple of bonus tips while we’re talking about how to plan a baby shower on a small budget. First, you shouldn’t feel like you need to buy a gift if you’re throwing the shower. The baby shower is your gift. The mom-to-be knows that it takes a lot of time and money to throw a shower.

When I threw a baby shower for my sister a few years ago, she repeatedly told me that she felt a little bad that I spent more money on a gift on top of the shower. If you really feel the need to give an additional gift, I recommend giving something inexpensive or even homemade. Don’t feel like you need to go overboard.

If you split up the responsibilities and cost with other people, then it’s fine to give another gift.

Another tip I have is for the mom to be. If someone is throwing you a baby shower, it’s very polite to send them a thank you note or small gift as a thank you. It’s a small gesture to let them know how much you appreciated the shower.