A Mom Asked For Budget-Friendly Kid Birthday Gifts & Other Moms Totally Came Through
Now, more than ever, we need ideas like this for the mountain of birthday party invites our kids get throughout the year.
A mom on Reddit, admitting to being strapped for cash, reached out to other moms to ask for some decent, low-budget birthday gift ideas for other kids. Like we always do, moms totally came through with some great options and plus some more insightful opinions on birthday party gifts, in general.
The original poster (OP) wrote in the Mommit Reddit page, “My kids have 2 birthday parties to attend coming up, and I am low on funds until I get paid in 2 weeks, but I don’t want my kids to miss out for their friend’s birthday parties. The friends are turning 6 years old. Any ideas on budget friendly gifts/ideas?”
The top comment from one Reddit user suggested something totally easy and simple.
“$5 in a card. Seriously. Kids will go nuts over it at that age,” they wrote.
One user piggy-backed off that and said, “Even better: a $2 bill. Seemingly rare and super cool. But actually not hard to find, if you drop by your local bank”
This trend of something called “fiver parties” has been gaining popularity in recent years, and honestly, the concept is pretty brilliant. Why spend $20 on a plastic toy from a big box store that will be on the thrift shelves a. year from now, when you can add $5 to a kid’s birthday pot and have them pick out something they really want later on?
Other parents wanted to ease this mom’s mind about the pressures to show up with some sort of gift, noting that a kid’s presence can be the true present.
“Honestly? If I were the host parent, I’d just appreciate you coming! Mention it if you feel comfortable, ‘hey things are tight right now so we can only manage a card if that’s okay?’ I can’t imagine many parents saying ‘no’…even the jerk ones that would judge you for it. I would like to think that most of us that have parties for our kids do it so they can enjoy their friends,” they wrote.
This! 100%! Honestly, one of the more stressful parts of planning a kid’s birthday party is the gifts and hauling them out after the event is over. How nice it would be to just...not have to fret about that!
Another mom echoed, “I may not be the norm, but I wouldn't even notice if someone didn't bring a gift to a party. And I wouldn't care if they regifted a toy/book they outgrew, or made a gift for my child (e.g., painting on canvas, beaded jewelry, a painted sculpture made of store bought clay or homemade baked dough).
If none of those are options, maybe look at Goodwill or another consignment store, look on fb marketplace, or post on a buy nothing fb group for unopened toys people might be willing to give away?”
One mom added that she includes a little note on every birthday party invite she sends out, writing, “We always include a "your presence is present enough" note on invites because the kids have far too much already and I'd rather buy stuff they actually want than have someone pick something else that will end up in a pile untouched. Every family is different of course but I'm team skip the presents and I'm definitely not having my kid open presents during the party. It is so awkward for the other kids to watch.”
Read the entire Reddit thread here.
