A thrifty mum has revealed how children's parties don't have to break the bank - after throwing her son a birthday bash for just £34.<br /><br />Maddy Alexander-Grout, 38, has spoken out against eye-wateringly expensive birthday parties after a thread on Mumsnet revealed parents spending around £500 to celebrate.<br /><br />Maddy has two children - Harriet, four, and Ben, seven - and revealed how to keep to a strict budget when it comes to birthday celebrations.<br /><br />She admitted her son is an August baby - making cheap outdoors celebrations easier due to better weather - yet is still nifty for her daughter's birthday in February.<br /><br />The mum highlighted the importance of planning - making your own invites, preparing your own food and party bags.<br /><br />Maddy, the founder of Mad About Money, from Southampton, Hampshire, said: "It's so out of my nature to spend any money on a party.<br /><br />"Ben's party last year was our most successful.<br /><br />"We went to our local splash pool at 10am, bought picnic rugs, water guns and buckets and spades.<br /><br />"I made up lunch boxes with sandwiches, sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, mini rolls, cookies and crisps.<br /><br />"I'd usually make the cake, but he wanted a specific kind of chocolate traybake.<br /><br />"I made party bags with bubbles and bought books from the Works.<br /><br />"The whole thing cost £34, and everyone absolutely loved it."<br /><br />The mum spent £8 on Sainsburys cake, £5 on party bags and £21 on food.<br /><br />Maddy explained in 2021 they had a party on the local park - in the rain.<br /><br />She said: "The kids ran around in the rain and the adults sat under the canopy on picnic mats.<br /><br />"I bought recyclable boxes and made each kid a lunch box.<br /><br />"I recommend pre-packaging and pre-portioning food because people tend to go crazy on party food."<br /><br />The mum-of-two reached out to parents of the guests beforehand to see what sandwich filling they wanted.<br /><br />When Ben turned six, the mum hosted a games party in the park which included orienteering, foraging and rounders.<br /><br />She said: "We did orienteering and foraging for different objects - I designed all the sheets, for example, to find a red leaf.<br /><br />"It sounds stupidly simple, but it was honestly really great."<br /><br />Maddy admits doing a winter party on a budget is a more difficult task and this year due to illness she opted for an all-inclusive soft-play party for 15 children.<br /><br />She said: "We have a really small house and to hire a hall for a two-hour party, with an extra two hours for cleaning and setting up, would have cost £120.<br /><br />"We opted for a soft play option which cost £205 for food, an hour soft play and pass the parcel.<br /><br />Maddy's tips to save money on kids' birthday parties -<br />1. Pre-plan what you're going to buy and budget<br />2. Check your drawers - you probably have candles leftover from last year and you might have some paper plates<br />3. Buy reusable plastic plates<br />4. Make your own invites using a free Canva template or send out an e-invite<br />5. Pre-portion food for each partygoer so you don't waste money overbuying food
