Frugal baby shower ideas?

[Peaceseeker]

I have thrown lots of baby showers but I always spend too much money, usually on food and decorations or game gifts. I need some frugal ways to save money on my niece's upcoming shower. I seriously wish I could skip the whole throwing her a shower and just give her a big ticket useful item since she has very little and she is very young, unmarried, etc... But I wanted to show her some support since she is not getting a lot of that right now.

 

So I need ideas to keep food and decorating costs down. I think I spent around $500 on the last shower I threw. If this was for a girl I would have tons of leftover stuff but it is a boy. Probably 20-30 attendees- maybe less. I do cakes as a hobby so that part is always easy. I think I way overdo it on the food because my mom did catering and she will offer to help but she goes overboard. I don't think I have a good gauge of what is expected or appropriate as mom always goes for the wow factor and likes to try new things.

 

The rooms we can rent out around here are so sterile and plain. Not much to work with.

Edited September 19, 2017 by CaliforniaDreaming

[Rachel]

Can you host it in your home as an open house?

 

Most baby showers I have been to are either at church or in a home. The food is simple, a cake, punch, coffee. Maybe a couple more finger foods. Decorations are usually just for the table and simple things that can be reused. Maybe a diaper cake or a name sign to later hang in babies room.

 

If this is a young single girl I do agree throwing a shower is important, but your resources would be better spent helping her get the items she needs.

[Rachel]

If you have to rent a sterile room, you can get a lot of latex balloons inexpensively to help liven up the room.

[Liz CA]

Keeping it to a dessert only shower?

[heartlikealion]

First of all, if I was trying to save money I would not rent anything. I would have it in a home. Can you offer your home? Another family member's home??

 

I would get packs of paper plates/napkins/cups from Dollar Tree. They come in packs of 18-20. Kroger and Dollar General and Walmart often have smaller packs (8 or 16).

 

I would make the cake as you mentioned and then make a big punch bowl. Offer some snacks. Depending on time of day I could maybe avoid a main dish. There's one punch bowl that looks like a duck bath and people toss rubber duckies in it. I might hesitate to do that (thinking PVC) but I liked the concept. It's blue so that might work especially well for the boy shower. Otherwise I would go with some other type of punch with sherbet probably. https://tidymom.net/2011/ducky-baby-shower-punch/

 

I have literally shopped for 3 babies recently. I hit up the sales. I found baby onesies on a 75% rack in ToysRUs/BabiesRUs. I saw discounted baby clothes at Family Dollar, Fred's, and Walmart, too. I thought about what some people said about getting clothes but not enough other items. So you could avoid clothes and go for something like baby bathtub, bottle drying rack, diapers or wipes if you feel confident in brand/type, umbrella stroller or something else.

 

For a game at one shower I attended they had a bingo game going on while the expecting mother opened gifts. You marked off a square if her gift matched the box Lol. But that might be a little tricky.

 

I don't believe games are mandatory but it might help to have something.

[Acorn]

My favorite game gifts are a small bag of Lindt truffles or other nice candy.

 

ETA: we have never decorated, but do use family homes. A light meal with a casserole and salad, fruit, assorted muffins and then cake.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Acorn

[FaithManor]

For center pieces, ask some moms of little boys to let you borrow toys. One can be trains, another trucks, then dinosaurs, etc. when scrapbook paper is on sale, buy some cute sheets and place toys on them or use as placemats on the tables. Balloon bouquet on the gift table, and out of colored printer paper and a couple of rolls of cheap ribbon, you can cut out pennants, put a letter of the alphabet on each one, hot glue to the ribbon, and string up above the food table.

 

Ask her mother to make up a memory board of the mother to be's baby photos or bring some in frames to scatter about.

[Elizabeth86]

I think if she. is in need your money will be most aporeciated going toward gifts for the baby. I agree about looking for a church, someones home...something free or cheap. I agree, dessert only or chips maybe. dollar tree plates. No games or free online printable games. You dont have to do pricy prizes. Please just spend your money on something your niece needs. If you do go with dessert only I would say so on the invite, it seems people I know have so much food at parties, I show up starved and ready to eat.

[Elizabeth86]

For center pieces, ask some moms of little boys to let you borrow toys. One can be trains, another trucks, then dinosaurs, etc. when scrapbook paper is on sale, buy some cute sheets and place toys on them or use as placemats on the tables. Balloon bouquet on the gift table, and out of colored printer paper and a couple of rolls of cheap ribbon, you can cut out pennants, put a letter of the alphabet on each one, hot glue to the ribbon, and string up above the food table.

 

Ask her mother to make up a memory board of the mother to be's baby photos or bring some in frames to scatter about.

Cute idea about the toys.

[Rebel Yell]

FOr decorations, STAY AWAY FROM PINTEREST! The "theme" can be as simple as the color blue. No need to go all out designing a farm animal wonderland or creating a barnyard with a petting zoo photo booth, or hire a three-ring circus, KWIM? Bluebtablecloths or paper placemats, everyday white napkins and paper plates, clear plastic silverware and cups. I've also found it saves sanity and breaks about even $wise to just get a case of bottled water and a case or two of canned sodas, or Hawaiian Punch or lemonade come in cans. No cups, and automatic portion control :D

 

I love the idea of borrowing boys toys for centerpieces. Puzzles and games work too- plus adults can have fun playing Connect Four, checkers, Candyland, or building simple puzzles or block towers while they gather and wait.

 

Food: very limited menu. Not every event has to have a candy buffet and popcorn bar ;) Chicken salad on mini croissants (we LOVE Sam's Club for those) veggie tray- just carrots and broccoli, maybe cucumber slices- keep it simple. A platter of grapes and cheese cubes... and cake. Coffee and tea. Easy, inexpensive, but still nice.

[ktgrok]

For prizes dollar tree is good.

[FaithManor]

I think if she. is in need your money will be most aporeciated going toward gifts for the baby. I agree about looking for a church, someones home...something free or cheap. I agree, dessert only or chips maybe. dollar tree plates. No games or free online printable games. You dont have to do pricy prizes. Please just spend your money on something your niece needs. If you do go with dessert only I would say so on the invite, it seems people I know have so much food at parties, I show up starved and ready to eat.

And some people really do not want to take home prizes. So you could bake treats for them to take home. I once used some baskets I had been given and didn't want. I filled them with chips, salsa, and bean dip and used some scrap kid fabric that I had left. I cut it into narrow strips and used it to make rag bows for the baskets. These were quite popular.

[FaithManor]

I am a firm believer in crackers, cheese celery and carrot sticks with dip, grapes and orange slices with water, lemonade, coffee and maybe hot tea at a mid afternoon event. Also been known to melt cream cheese and Hormel No Beans chili in a van, mix, place in crockpot and serve with corn chips instead of crackers with cheese. Also popular.

[catz]

Is there a few people you could do a simple potluck with? I would keep it super simple. I might not bother with game prizes. If you needed to do a game or 2, maybe a name game for the people. I hate trinket cheap prizes myself. Doing something perishable might be a good compromise. I think having it more like a social open house could work with cake, punch, maybe fruit, some nuts, maybe a savory tray where people are just milling and visiting and coming and going as they are able. I don't think decorating is even a necessity. Especially if you are.making a nice cake and have a pretty tablecloth. Just use what you have. Life really doesn't need to be Pinterest worthy to be worthwhile.

[ktgrok]

ok, back with both hand to type, lol.

 

Dollar store for decorations. Tablecloth, balloons, a few streamers. Maybe some pacifiers thrown around on the table as decor (cheap ones). 

 

For food - I've done catering from sweet tomatoes, but you could do similar at home for less cost if you want a meal. One big bowl of pasta salad (cold), one bowl of either chili or mac and cheese, one bowl of green salad, muffins. Then a cake. Throw in a bag of chips and dip if you want. 

 

But I think doing it at a not meal time is fine. One idea is a tea party, with some muffins, scones, and slices of banana bread. Display them nicely and have spreads like butter, jam, fake devonshire cream (sour cream mixed with sugar and whipped cream). And a fruit/veggie tray if you want. A few types of teas, including hot and iced. Can be very classy. Pick up some cute tea pots at a thrift store, etc. 

 

Or the dessert only idea is adorable. Cake, cupcakes, cookies, brownies. Tea, coffee, punch, water with lemon. I'd be tempted to do this myself. Maybe add a cheesecake, because I love cheesecake, and some fruit. 

Edited September 19, 2017 by ktgrok

[Zinnia]

I threw a shower years ago on a tight budget. I had several quiches, served with green salad, already lightly dressed right before we ate. In some ways, more of a meal versus lots of tiny bites, is cheaper. We had quiche, salad, bread, and dessert.

 

I always do tea, lemonade, and water to drink. Depending on the crowd, they will drink more of one thing or another, but at the end, everyone is drinking water, and they are fine with it.

[mumto2]

It's been awhile since I attended a baby shower but I would keep it simple and nice. I see nothing wrong with a nice basic setting with toys as the center piece....another center piece idea could be Lego or Duplo. A friend who loved to knit baby clothing used to hang her creations around the room for decorations. They always looked adorable, you could do the same with a few baby basics and give those and the hangers as part of your gift.

 

Food, another vote for keeping it simple. Something basic like the quiche with fruit salad on the side. A piece of cake and coffee\tea sounds great.

 

Maybe a quiz, I just googled, there are tons available.

[Guest]

shredding colored paper and putting in glassware (votive candle holders, glass jars, vases) is a cheap way to spread color if you don't have legos. Use some of the colored paper to make origami animals.  or maybe you have a balloon animal kit left  over from something else and can make a few

 

I am not a fan of meals at showers, as my family that isn't attending is going to need a meal and I would rather eat with them.  keep it simple, no need to have a banquet, but do have a protein dish for those that are making this their meal - quiche or chicken salad sandwich is good for that.

 

the game people will want something, but it doesn't have to involve a lot of cost.  If you do a lot of games, they could each win a card or ticket or monopoly dollar in blue or pink, and then high score or lucky draw or most dollars gets them something like a game for them to take home and play with their family members.  That can also be homemade depending on how good you are at found objects and crafts and how much time you have.

 

[Elizabeth86]

Is there a few people you could do a simple potluck with? I would keep it super simple. I might not bother with game prizes. If you needed to do a game or 2, maybe a name game for the people. I hate trinket cheap prizes myself. Doing something perishable might be a good compromise. I think having it more like a social open house could work with cake, punch, maybe fruit, some nuts, maybe a savory tray where people are just milling and visiting and coming and going as they are able. I don't think decorating is even a necessity. Especially if you are.making a nice cake and have a pretty tablecloth. Just use what you have. Life really doesn't need to be Pinterest worthy to be worthwhile.

A potluck would be great!

[displace]

Ask invitees to each bring one bead. During the shower, each person says a well wish about mom and/or baby and places bead on string for a necklace or bracelet. It's very sentimental and cheap.

 

Maybe a tea-themed party with tea, finger sandwiches, fruit, water. I wouldn't go all out on decorations, and would spend more on gifts or gift cards for mom-to-be.

[Baseball mom]

Dollar Tree for tablecloths, cup, plates etc. They have some cute decorations for baby shower too.

 

Other decorations can be actual baby items (bottle, rarttle, towels) that can be used for baby. Packs of diapers, wipes & shampoo can be used as table decorations. Hanging little outfits on a string can be a decoration.

 

Lime sherbet and 7up would make a light green punch.

 

Cake & chips or can of nuts is good.

 

I don't go to showers expecting food or elaborate decorations. I would much rather the money be spent on diapers and other baby items.

[FaithManor]

Also ask among the relatives for tablecloths. They don't all have to be one color. If someone has a blue rectangle and another yellow another some time of green...you can use cloth and wash which is prettier and more environmentally friendly than dollar store plastic ones. I know that just between my mom, sister in law, niece, and self we have four white, two ivory, one yellow, two sage greens, and two light blues. So a baby shower with eleven tables 108" in length or shorter (standard banquets come in 6 ft and 8 ft lengths) could be covered by our combined stashes.

[Zinnia]

Also ask among the relatives for tablecloths. They don't all have to be one color. If someone has a blue rectangle and another yellow another some time of green...you can use cloth and wash which is prettier and more environmentally friendly than dollar store plastic ones. I know that just between my mom, sister in law, niece, and self we have four white, two ivory, one yellow, two sage greens, and two light blues. So a baby shower with eleven tables 108" in length or shorter (standard banquets come in 6 ft and 8 ft lengths) could be covered by our combined stashes.

When I am thinking baby shower, I am imagining 8 women in my living room. LOL

[FaithManor]

When I am thinking baby shower, I am imagining 8 women in my living room. LOL

That would be my preference too! But dd was crazy popular the area so between family, college friends, and EMS coworkers the guest list was around 33.

[LinRTX]

For the last baby shower I threw, the theme was elephants. We do have a laser printer at our library to use for free, so I cut out several elephants from some scrapbooking paper we had here and hung it on yarn of the decorations. We also wrapped packages of diapers in paper and taped the letters BABY to them so they looked like blocks (one letter per package -- the small packages). I also folded baby washcloths into elephants and set on the table.

 

Food was cheese and crackers, a fruit plate, cake and punch. Most of the decorations were items that could be used later. And it wasn't that expensive. Plates, cups, napkins, and tablecloths were all from the dollar store.

 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

Food:  Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are fine.  Cut off the crusts and cut them in triangles and they look festive.  

Maybe have one other kind of sandwich as well, chicken salad or deli turkey and cheese.  

Use white bread.  This is the only time I will ever say that, but crustless white bread sandwiches scream 'Nice Luncheon'.

And of course you are already making a big cake.

 

For games--have everyone bring a baby picture of themselves, and match them up with the current looks.

 

Make a big centerpiece basket with necessities like disposable diapers, wipes, a rubber duckie, onesies, etc. all wrapped in cellophane.  At some point whisk it away and have everyone write down what was in it.  The person who gets the most things right wins.

 

Fill a (clean) blow up wading pool (surely someone you know has one of these) with stuffed toys (ditto) and do the same thing with that as with the centerpiece basket.

 

 

[Peaceseeker]

Thank you for all the ideas! I tend to go slightly overboard with theme/decorations (avoiding pinterest is thus very good advice). I think the bigger problem is usually food and involving my mom. Bless her for being so wonderful to help but she goes way over budget and no matter what I say she will. She will say, well I will just pay for this or that or whatever and it keeps getting bigger and bigger. I just need to handle the food myself this time and keep it simple. Thanks again!

Edited September 20, 2017 by CaliforniaDreaming