Planning a baby shower on a budget

So, you have to host a baby shower for your sister, friend or cousin. And although you want it to be great, you don't want to spend a fortune on it. Here are some tips to help you host a fabulous shower without breaking the bank:

The location will be about five percent of your budget.

How to Save: Use your home (a relative's or a friend's will work to) to host the shower instead of using a restaurant or club. Additionally, consider having the party in a public place like a local park; just be sure to determine if you'll need a permit. And if you choose an outdoor venue, you also need to create a rain plan.

Invites and stationery are usually about 10 percent of your budget.

How to Save: Forget about snail-mail invites and use an online service like Evite, pingg or MyPunchBowl. Guests will be grateful for the ease of RSVPing by email, and you get to feel great about saving the trees and money. (However, if older guests will be attending, this might not work for them). And instead of having a guest book, cut out stars from heavy card stock. Ask guests to write their well wishes to the little one. Afterward, paste the stars into a baby book with a cute heading like "A Star Is Born" or "When You Wish Upon a Star."

Decoration will be about five percent of your overall budget.

How to Save: Purchasing items in bulk is one of the best ways to save. Before buying anything, compare online warehouse prices to your local store. Use latex balloons instead of mylar. For tablewear, look into stores like Christmas Tree Shops where you can buy dishes and cups inexpensively. You can also find lots of DIY decor ideas in the baby shower themes area on TheBump.com.

Rentals are usually around five percent of your budget.

How to Save: If you have the shower at someone's home, you shouldn't have to rent any furniture. If it's outdoors, get creative with seating options. For instance, you can spread out blankets on the grass and pack large picnic baskets with finger foods like tea sandwiches, strawberries and homemade cookies. Remember that the mom-to-be still needs a comfy chair.

For five more ways to save on a baby shower, check out 10 Tips For Budget Baby Showers.

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