Baby showers on a budget

Baby showers - most people either love them or hate them. No matter which side you fall on, most of us will find ourselves celebrating a new baby at some time or other. If you've ever been the hostess to a baby shower (or even a guest), you know it can run into some money. There's the issue of the cake, decorations, favors, food, venue and gifts for the mom-to-be and baby. After attending a baby shower today, I was reminded of some easy tips to save money while celebrating baby's anticipated arrival.

Decorating

I've seen decorations at baby showers range from simple to sensational. If you're on a budget, one of the cheapest (and most fun) ways to decorate is to use balloons. Hear me out. I know some of you may think balloons are tacky. They really can be tastefully done, though. You can weigh them down in vases to create balloon "flower" arrangements. You can arrange balloons in the shape of large flowers as well as many other objects. You can even create balloon archways for the entrance or to go over the cake or gift table. Ah, balloon arches. They take me back to my high school prom.

Food

Depending on the type of shower you're having, food can cost a little or a lot. Some moms want their showers to be sophisticated, catered events. Others prefer a casual get-together of family and friends. The latter is what I've usually seen with baby showers. In these cases, the family of the mom-to-be usually brings one or two dishes. That way, no one is paying a lot for food, yet there's plenty to go around.

Favors and gifts

One of the best ways to save on both favors and gifts is to get things that pull double-duty. At my sister-in-law's shower today, the centerpieces were candles wrapped with tissue paper and tied with balloons. After the shower ended, guests were able to take these home with them. Many of us who attended gave gifts that served as decorations for the shower, but will also be used to decorate the baby's nursery. I designed a banner with her name and ladybugs (the theme of the nursery). Another person designed a wreath, and yet another designed a wall hanging with the baby's initials. All were displayed at the shower.

Venue

Venues needn't be expensive. The cheapest route to go is to host the shower in the home of the hostess or the mom-to-be. If that's not an option - after all, who wants to clean up before and after a bunch of guests – churches are usually an affordable option. Many will allow their members to have a shower for free while charging non-members a nominal fee. Other affordable options include parks and lakes. Any club or organization that you're a member of will often rent spaces very affordably for parties.

Have you hosted a baby shower lately? What did you do to cut costs?

Photo courtesy Bob B. Brown via Flickr.