This weekend I threw my neighbor a baby shower. There were about 25 guests and everyone had a great time. I was a little nervous about how much the party would cost since the guest list was a little large, but I managed to pull it off for a little over $100 including food, decorations and games. Here’s how I saved money on this baby shower:

I threw the party at my house. We considered renting a space that would be large enough for everyone to be able to relax in an air conditioned space, but that would have cost about $100. So instead, we decided to throw the party in our backyard. We have a circle driveway that actually turned out to be a great party space with plenty of room.

I borrowed tables and chairs. Rather than rent tables and chairs, I borrowed four six-foot tables and about 25 chairs from neighbors. This saved me a lot of money. I also used a card table and another round table to hold gifts and food. I also borrowed some paper lanterns to hang from the trees.

I used what I had. When my expecting friend told me one of the colors for the nursery would be chocolate brown, I knew that had to be one of the party colors. Not just because I wanted to coordinate with the nursery, but also because that was one of my wedding colors. I knew I could use table cloths and some other decor items that I already had to help transform the backyard.

I took any help that was offered. A couple of guests offered to bring food and I gladly took them up on it. Also, rather than pay for expensive invitations I asked a graphic designer friend to make them for me. I took the file to a local printer and paid just $12 for all of them.

I shopped at a bulk grocery store. The day before the big event I hit up Costco. I bought flowers, hamburger and bottled water here to save money.

I got crafty. I knew the look I wanted to go for when it came to the tables. Rather than buy fancy center pieces I made some from a guide I found online. I also got a little help from Martha Stewart and made tissue paper pom poms to hang from the trees.

I planned and planned. The date for the shower was set for about a month so I got started right away. This helped me keep an eye out for the items I needed so that I could find them on sale or search for the best price. Waiting until the last minute can be bad for your budget.