Party Items You Should Buy at the Dollar Store

I love planning parties on a budget. One way that I do that is to get as many supplies as I can at the Dollar Store.  Yesterday, I had to stop in and pick up a few things.  Since there are so many items that are to great to use for parties available there, I decided to dedicate an entire to post to Party Items You Should Buy at the Dollar Store.  This is not a sponsored post for the dollar store, I truly do love to shop there when planning a party.

One of the biggest ways to save money on parties is to buy your disposable tableware at the Dollar Store.  Why pay $3.99 for a package of plates at the party store, when they are only going to end up in the garage.  I also love to buy plastic tablecloths, napkins, cups, and plastic silverware there. The savings really add up because you can get everything you need at a quarter of the cost.   If you child insists they really want themed tableware, there is still a way to save.  Buy only one package of themed  plates and one package of themed  napkins.  Choose a coordinating color of plain cups and napkins, and alternate them on the table.  One child will have a themed plate with a plain napkin, and the next a plain plate with a themed napkin. The child will be happy having themed items, and you will be happy paying a lot less. 

Whenever I need to wrap a present, I always check the dollar store if I need wrapping supplies. They have a large assortment of wrapping paper, tissue paper, bows and gift boxes.  Again, paper wrapping is something that ends up in the trash/recycyling bin so you do not have to pay top dollar for it. 

Prefer a gift bag?  No problem there, they have an entire wall of gift bags.  They have themed bags for little girls, little boys, even baby showers.  The also have a ton of different sizes, from very little to very large.   Gift bags at a regular store can  cost several dollars so this is a great way to cut the cost of giving gifts.  

Having three teenagers who have thrown and gone to many parties over the years, I have another money saving tip for you.  The majority of kids do not care about the card that comes with the present.  They look at it quickly, but what they really want to do is open their gift. Greeting cards can be very expensive, I have seen several that are over $5.  There really is no reason to spend that much money on a card that will be looked at for a total of 10 seconds only to become a forgotten memory by the end of the party.  Greeting cards at the dollar store are 2 for $1, and they have a pretty big selection of cards. 

Some of the larger dollar stores have a nice selection of themed party supplies, invitations and thank you notes. I saw boy themes, girls themes, baby shower supplies in blue, pink and green, Happy Birthday banners, and more.  All of these things are at a fraction of the cost of other stores.   

Having a dinner party?  You can stock up on many different kinds of party glasses, plates, and serving dishes. What is great about buying these items at the dollar store  is  there is no worry if someone breaks one. 

I love their selection of disposable cookware for parties as well. This type of cookware is great when you need to bring a dish to a party. You do not need to worry about having your dish returned.  They  also have several sizes with lids, which are great when you want to send home some leftovers.  

Want to decorate the table?  How about putting  cut flowers in a couple of the small vases, that will give your party table a pop of color. The small round vases are also a good size to use as votive holders, or candy dishes.  

Speaking of candy.  The dollar store has entire row of candy that can be used for the party, movie night, or just because you love candy.  I love the large selection because it makes it easy to find items to  use as embellishments on my cupcakes and treats.  

We always make some sort of craft at our parties. When I need some basic craft supplies like pipe cleaners, wooden craft sticks, craft foam, pom poms etc.. I always check the dollar store first, because they cost much less there  than the craft store.  

I also  love shopping at the dollar store for our goody bag supplies.  I personally don't like handing out those little plastic party bags with a lot of cheap little trinkets. I like to give something useful.   For my daughters Beach Bash Birthday we gave a goody bag that was a big hit with the girls. It was filled with themed  beach  items from the dollar store that they could enjoy that summer.  I love these binoculars and butterfly nets that they currently have in stock. We have used binoculars for a dinosaur party, and a safari party.  The nets would be fun to give at a butterfly or Spongebob party.   You can even make some of the items part of the party activities before they take them home.  Some examples might be decorating flip flops for a beach party, or playing a game of catch the jellyfish a Spongebob party. 

I hope this post helps you save money on your next party! 

I will be linking this post up on the following llinky parties. I hope you check them out.