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Glamour Theme Party a Hit
How about a glamour make over and photo shoot at home? A theme could help like 1950's, 80's girl bands, rock chicks, horror. The girls could be left to their own devices doing each others make up and hair. Ask guests to bring along clothing to suit the theme, or provide some yourself from an op shop. Inexpensive makeup bought for the occasion, or girls own makeup (no sharing certain make up obviously for hygiene reasons). Hairdryer, crimping iron, curling wand, what ever you can find at home or borrow, hairspray, hair gel or wax etc Party snacks and soft drink can be inexpensive. Photos can be supplied as soon as you can get them printed or emailed (I think Kmart has 15c photos for next day pick up). Individual shots plus a group shot should make great mementoes of the party. Don't forget to take plenty of photos of the girls getting themselves ready too for your daughter. Loud music of the party girls choice will add to the party atmosphere, or otherwise a couple of teen girly movies playing in the background? Maybe a theme could tie in hair, make up, clothing, music/movie, food, birthday cake and invitations? I'm sure this could all be done Cheapskates style for far less than $100. I hope your daughter and her friends are into hair and make up!
- Contributed by Tina Burgess, 2nd February 2010
- Contributed by Tina Burgess, 2nd February 2010
Get the Girls into a Game
Forget sophistication and go for some old fashioned fun and games. Water balloon volley ball is a cheap activity if you have some lawn in the back yard. The kids might be reluctant at first but it's a really fun activity and they can wear their bathers and run around. Set up a volley ball net (borrow one or make your own out of some large onion bags sewn together - they do need to be able to see through the net) You will also need to fill up a packet of water balloons and put them into 2 buckets, position a bucket at each end of the court. Teams need to have even numbers as they will be required to work in pairs with one normal sized bath towel per pair (extra people can just get rotated in). How you play the game is that each person holds two corners of the towel. To serve, a full water balloon is placed in the centre of the towel and is gently lobbed over the net. The teams on the other side use their towels to try and catch the water balloon without breaking it. If they do so successfully they then then lob the balloon over the net. The team that breaks the balloon or fails to catch the balloon without breaking it looses the point. Rotation and scoring is along volleyball lines. It's a great game and can turn into a water fight at the end. Cost - about $4 for the water balloons. A watermelon bust, a piñata and a gourmet BBQ with ice-cream cake or a chocolate fountain and maybe a DVD afterwards should give you a great party and some money to spare.
- Contributed by Julie Ismail, 1st February 2010
- Contributed by Julie Ismail, 1st February 2010
Make Your Own Jewellery Party
I make my own beaded jewellery mainly for myself and to give away as gifts. I have many friends with teenage daughters and they have had great success with having a "make your own jewellery party". I made up kits for each girl in various assortments of colours, which they could then use to produce a simple necklace and earring set to wear and take home. Each kit costs less than $10.00 each. This involves purchasing a selection of cheap plastic beads which are often available from discount variety shops or craft shops such as Spotlight. I also have purchased larger quantities of various beading items online from Australian websites such as www.beadandcrystalheaven.com.au and from eBay stores. In addition to beads I have purchased bulk supplies of tiger tail (beading wire) and findings (metal pieces to secure beads). I then researched online various beading ideas so that I could choose a design for earrings/necklace that was age suitable. I have taught girls as young as six to make earrings and key rings. Many websites offer patterns and also guided videos on how to complete your beading project. I find to teach a group you need about 1 hour to 1.5 hours depending on the size of the group. If its a party add an extra half an hour for birthday cake and there is an easy 2 hours filled with girly fun, and all the guests have learnt a new skill and can take some new jewellery home! I have noticed that some local craft stores are offering similar ideas for beading classes or parties, which vary in cost from $20 - $35 per person with beads included. By making your own kits and teaching the girls yourself, I figure that's a saving of between $100 - $250. Have fun!
- Contributed by Karen Chapman, 31st January 2010
Website: www.beadandcrystalheaven.com.au
- Contributed by Karen Chapman, 31st January 2010
Website: www.beadandcrystalheaven.com.au
Chilling Out With a Sleepover
Girls love sleepovers, my daughter is 15 and every year she likes to get 6 or 7 friends over and has a movie marathon night. Get 3 or 4 hire movies that they like, should cost about $20.00 (less if you have a coupon), grab some snack food (buy Homebrand where possible) nachos, popcorn, chips and lollies are sure-fire winners and don't forget the drinks. Spiders are always welcome in my house, a scoop of Homebrand vanilla ice-cream and soft drink, job done. The girls will appreciate some comfy cushions to chill out on so grab some from friends and neighbours, don't worry about buying this stuff. Hope this helps.
- Contributed by Anne-Louise Bruschi, 31st January 2010
- Contributed by Anne-Louise Bruschi, 31st January 2010
Action Party in the Park
Action Party in the Park Take the girls on a picnic to a park where they can play Frisbee or where you can feed ducks or birds (day old bread is usually cheap from a bread shop 50c to $1.00). Make a variety of sandwiches or cook a couple of chickens (pull apart when cold) and serve with some salad stuff. Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, beetroot, pineapple etc always goes nicely plus some cold drinks. - Contributed by Wendy Duncan, 31st January 2010
Progressive Party
I have 4 girls, so coming up with new ideas for a birthday party, with minimal cost is not an easy thing..... For my daughters 13th Birthday I involved my mum and sister in law plus friend and had my daughter choose 7 friends and then did a progressive dinner between all the houses. We started off with drinks on the balcony at our place (mocktails), then Entree's at the sis in laws (plus she downloaded music and burnt it to CD's and put them in gift bags for all the girls, my mum did the main meal, with music, streamers etc and then we met at baskin and robbins for ice creams all round. It was a hit! All the girls still talk about it being the best party and that was over 3 years ago. Everyone gifted their meal as a present, so the only cost was the ice cream! Good Luck!
- Contributed by Kelly Waldeck, 30th January 2010
- Contributed by Kelly Waldeck, 30th January 2010
Host a Luau
We had a Hawaiian party for my daughter's 12th birthday last February. We asked each guest to come dressed in Hawaiian costume - most wore grass skirts or sarongs. We picked fresh frangipanis and hibiscus flowers from a neighbour's garden, and I cut leaves from giant bird of paradise to make table decorations. We bought coconuts which the girls had a lot of fun trying to open. We served fresh tropical fruit, fruit punch in disposable cocktail glasses with paper umbrellas and Hawaiian pizza. Homemade, of course. Fruit punch: half pineapple juice, quarter lemonade, quarter dry ginger ale. Can add small chopped fruit, I usually finely chop strawberries and freeze them in water then use as ice cubes to keep it cool. Better to use a plastic bowl as the bigger the ice the less water melting into the punch. Pizza: I bought frozen puff pastry, cut it into four squares, spread tomato sauce on it. Chopped bacon and tin pineapple, grated cheese and baked til brown. We played the limbo and another game, you have a block of chocolate on a plate, spin a dice until you get a 6 then you have to put on a sombrero, a lei, and mittens then cut the chocolate with a knife and fork until someone else rolls a 6. A great party.
- Contributed by Nicole Cross, 30th January 2010
- Contributed by Nicole Cross, 30th January 2010
Home Cinema Party
We did a pizza and DVD night for my son's birthday - it was simple and a great hit. We put out a selection of DVDs (we collect ex-rentals but you could borrow some) and the kids voted on them to decided which two to watch in the allotted party time. We then put out drinks in the kitchen and sent them off to watch the first movie with big bowls of homemade popcorn. At the end of the first one we had "interval" where we served homemade pizzas. Then second movie and cake afterwards. Quietest, simplest and one of the lowest cost parties we have ever done. The kids all loved it.
- Contributed by Julia Robertson, 30th January 2010
- Contributed by Julia Robertson, 30th January 2010
Sausage Sizzle and Movies are a Party Hit
I just had my daughters 13th birthday last week. We invited the girls over after lunch, so lunch was taken care of. I went to places like Rite Price and discount places that carry goods that are slightly imperfect or close to use by dates and purchased party nibbles from these places, always saving money there. For dinner I chose the easy way, buying sausages and Homebrand hamburgers and two loaves of bread. They put sausages and hamburgers on bread and added some tomato sauce, that was it. We found some DVD's, made up the lounge room like a halfway house and put out nibbles. I made my own popcorn then dusted it with icing sugar, that is always a great hit. I bought the cheapest box of canned drinks and had the girls mark their cans with a black felt marker pen. That way everybody knew whose was whose. A great night was had by all, best of all, it was all done on a budget.
- Contributed by Lorraine Blewitt, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Lorraine Blewitt, 29th January 2010
Sleepover Makeover
Sleepovers are great. Get out the make up and do makeovers, put on a few CDs or DVDs and keep the food simple. Lemonade spiders, popcorn, homemade pizzas. Or take them to the pool and pack a picnic lunch for 10.
- Contributed by Janine Benson, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Janine Benson, 29th January 2010
Cheap Party Fun
Let them make their own pizzas and cook for food, if you can have a fire outside, they could cook sausages on sticks instead!!,They can toast marshmallows for desert. Rent or borrow some movies and pop popcorn. Buy some cheap nail polishes and let them go to town! Check out the reject / $2 shops for some craft ideas, e.g. some scooby cords (find pattern ideas on the Internet) or some beads and they can make some jewellery, even some cheap small glasses and they can use sequins, wire, braid etc to decorate for 'tealight holders'. If you can find cheap enough canvases for one each, provide sequins, braid, paints and let them create their own artwork to take home. If you have a photo printer and a digital camera, you could take some photos, print them off and provide some scrapbooking supplies, glue, papers, stickers etc. and once again they can be artistic! Most girls love to create/make mess /make beautiful things!! Hope you have a fabulous party.
- Contributed by Beryl Carder, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Beryl Carder, 29th January 2010
Camping Weekend Celebration
My sister had a 12th birthday party at a caravan park. She used our campervan and pitched two small tents. This was in early December (just before peak.) They had a BBQ dinner, parent support at that time - the girls got to use the park amenities, swam in the pool, had a spa, jumping pillow and had a movie in the entertainment area. All told a very stress free night I am told and girls had a great night for about $100.
- Contributed by Trudy Trickey, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Trudy Trickey, 29th January 2010
Create a Day Spa at Home
I would do a pamper party for the girls. Enlist the help of a few girlfriends/aunties/grandparents to set up a couple of "beautician stations" . 1) Manicurist - You generally can buy a ten/twenty pack of buffers/file for around $10 shipped on eBay (for hygiene each girl gets to take home the buffer as party favour). Then a couple of cheap but cheerful colours to paint nails (can pick up for $2 per bottle) 2)Pedicure - One or two people you know are sure to have a foot spa packed away somewhere so ask if you could use these (changing water over for each girl). Trim nails with clippers and add a coat of paint. You could also use some cuticle cream and sorbolene moisturiser for added extras on the manicure/pedicures. 3) facials - use a clean wet flannel (can buy a cheap towel $3 and cut it up into face size), dip in hot water and leave on face to steam for half a minute to open pores. Use sorbolene cream to massage into face as facial. Then you can use clean cotton buds dipped in a tub of Vaseline ($3) for lips. If you like you can do some basic make-up if you have room in budget for some lippy and eye shadow (use same product but fresh cotton buds for application). The girls should be invited to bring robes and slippers to set the mood and make sure you burn some essential oils (lavender oil about $5) and play some classical or rainforest music. For food it should be finger food and non alcoholic punch served in champagne flutes (borrow or you may have in cupboard)... Easy finger food like mini sausage rolls...little samosas/spring rolls even a sushi platter (my local has a nice sized platter for around $30). If you set aside $50-60 for food and $40-$50 for supplies you should be on budget.
- Contributed by Rose Babic, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Rose Babic, 29th January 2010
Glamour Party
A friend of mine gave her daughter a 'glamour' party. They had make up and did each others nails and even had a red carpet fashion parade. I think her daughter was a bit younger but you could add in a couple of chick flicks and have a real girly day! Instead of lolly bags or thank-you gifts she made a little makeup bag for each girl with a lip gloss and makeup applicators.
- Contributed by Cathy Hutton, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Cathy Hutton, 29th January 2010
Thirteenth Birthday Make-over Party
I held a make over party for my daughter when she turned 13. I had great friend who is very make up savvy come in as "the Makeup Guru". She went to the trouble of dressing up as if she was from a company with really dressy outfit. I left her to be the guru instead of daggy old mum running the show. We whipped up some different food based masks - yoghurt and honey, avocado and almond meal, strawberry and oatmeal. All were very cheap and quick and only required a small amount - a 300ml tub of yogurt and 2 teaspoons of honey and one avocado mashed with a teaspoon of almond meal and handful of strawberries and 1 cup of porridge oats vitamised with some water. All had some leftovers at the end of the day. My friend applied the masks whilst giving the girls a chat about skin care and once they had all rinsed off she set about enhancing one feature on the girls with some inexpensive make up I bought at Priceline. The idea was that the girls were not made up like 30 year olds but got a positive message about themselves ("I am going to do your gorgeous eyes" or "this lip gloss is perfect for your lovely lips" and of course "remember less is more ladies"). No one left plastered in make up and everyone had a lovely time. We made sure to take photos with the masks on and off and looking lovely. The girls still ask about my friend the Make Up Guru and I have even been asked if she can be booked for other parties. I think the whole thing including some nibbles - homemade dips and cake came to around $90.
- Contributed by Naomi Fantuz, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Naomi Fantuz, 29th January 2010
Survivor Party
When my daughter turned 13 she had a survivor party and they all loved it. Two teams face-painted and made up a team chant then did a number of challenges such as an obstacle course around the garden, crawling through a toddlers tunnel and running through a toddlers pool of slime (soap flake detergent with water and food colouring). We also had a blindfolded eating challenge (foods such as noodles that we said were frogs legs and sheep's eyes that were lollies etc). I found a lot of these ideas from Googling 'survivor party' once we decided on the theme.
- Contributed by Anita Champion, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Anita Champion, 29th January 2010
Let the Guests Make a Party Souvenir
I've a couple of ideas for a fun party. Get all the party guests to bring along 3 - 5 of their favourite photos preferably with the same theme. Pop along to Spotlight/Go Lo and get some cheap scrapbooking papers, stickers etc and have a scrapbooking party. Alternatively, visit Go Lo or a bead shop and grab a stack of assorted beads along with cheap necklace/bracelet wire and claps. All the girls can make their own bracelet and/or necklace to take home.
- Contributed by Cathy Heffernan, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Cathy Heffernan, 29th January 2010
Cheap and Simple Movie Party
I don't think teenage need you to organise too much as they tend to make their own fun and spend most of the time laughing and talking! Last year we had 6 girls for a sleepover party. We hired DVD's and then picked up pizzas from Pizza Hut at around $6.50ea. For dessert we used the birthday cake and ice cream. Snacks were popcorn (popped at home), a few blocks of chocolate and mixed jubes etc. I bought a few bottles of home brand soft drink and once that was gone I had individual bottled water that we put each girls name onto and simply refilled when they needed more. Our total costs were under $100. Having done the pizza thing though, next time I would seriously think about cutting back even more and just doing a sausage sizzle - cheaper and simpler! In the morning we had pancakes (prepared by my hubby). My daughter was turning 12, but on the off chance that by 13 girls have become more fussy and suddenly more health conscious (a good thing), then other options would be things like home made chicken kebab wraps (the chicken could be cooked on the BBQ), and dessert could be fruit skewers. hope this helps.
- Contributed by Bron Taylor, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Bron Taylor, 29th January 2010
Sleepover Pizza Party
Thirteen year old girls love a sleep over, If that's not possible just make it a movie night. Let the girls order in pizza and hire 2 girly movies from your video store. You can play games like dress up like a movie star just with cheap make-up sets from the discount stores and if you have hats or feather boas and scarves use those. You can also make the invitations to look like movie tickets. Serve up pop corn and malteesers for snacks during the movie.
- Contributed by Sharon Helin, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Sharon Helin, 29th January 2010
Haunted House Theme
When I was a single parent on a low income I couldn't afford to compete with the other girls birthday parties. I decided to do a haunted house party for my daughter. I dressed up as a witch to wait on them for dinner but it was the 'cocktail hour' that proved a hit. I made dip, one dyed green with plastic bugs in it. One dyed red with an eyeball floating in it. There of course were drinks... red blood, green slime and black(cola) was vampire blood. Home made cake and treats with a similar theme. They watched Buffy..popular in its day. All you need to do is update the theme to present day, maybe 'Twilight'. You would be surprised how a video night with themed junk food goes down. The party was a success and the 'witch' outfit was so effective one girl refused to enter the house without her father.
- Contributed by Linda Stapleton, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Linda Stapleton, 29th January 2010
Decorate with a Balloon Arch
I did a sweet 16th themed birthday on a budget - one of the best things I made was a balloon arch - used plastic piping bent over (if you haven't got any a tip shop would have it cheap) then I bought balloons on eBay and wound them around the arch - it looked great. Have a look on You Tube for tips on making the arch - it was trial and error but effective. Another idea that I received for my thirteenth birthday from my father was a bunch of flowers in a box (could buy a box and some florist's oasis and push the stems in yourself) with lollies such as Minties attached to the stems - it's a long time since I was 13 but it is still special.
- Contributed by Angela McCormick, 29th January 2010
- Contributed by Angela McCormick, 29th January 2010