Here are some of our top tips for saving money on your child's birthday celebrations

• Make your own invitations or pick them up at the local pound shop. They can be purchased for as little as €1 or made with the bits and bobs from the arts and crafts bag.
• Make the cake yourself. It really does half the cost. Many of us spend €50-€70 on a cake and up to 50% of it might end up in the bin or going bad. It could be a lovely family memory too.
• Keep the decorations to a minimum. Sometimes a big balloon with your child's age is more than enough. The kids won't notice a thing. Less clean-up too.
• Keep the party bags minimal. Let's be honest, about 50% of the party bag contents are either eaten or removed by us parents ourselves. A large multi pack of crisps and a packet of own brand chocolate bars (from Lidl or Aldi) is more than enough. The party bags themselves can be bought for €1.50 in the local pound-shop too.
• Host the event in a free location. It is becoming more and more popular to have them at a park or green area if the weather allows. Somewhere for the kids to run wild is always a winning location.
• Have a mid morning or mid-afternoon party to avoid high costs involved when feeding a large group of people. Snacks and finger food is a lot more manageable than lunch or dinner.
• Suggest a joint-party? That kid in your child's class that has their birthday in the same week? Their parent might be overjoyed to know this is an option. It cuts the expense right down the middle.
• Decide on a budget and stick to it. Rather than a succession of random bills why not make a decision about how much you want to spend. You can then plan the party around that specific amount.