How to Host a Baby Shower on a Budget: Save $75 or More

Baby showers are a wonderful way to honor the mom-to-be and, of course, celebrate the new baby on the way. If you are the host, and you've crunched the numbers, you may quickly realize that hosting a baby shower can easily cost hundreds of dollars. In reality, a baby shower does not have to cost a fortune. Use these cost-cutting tips to plan a beautiful and memorable baby shower on a budget.

Skip the prepackaged decorations. Avoid the pitfall of buying pre-packaged baby shower decoration sets. While these sets are cute and seem easy enough, they are often very pricey for what you get. Many of the items included in baby shower kids aren't really needed (do you really even want a 3 foot long banner, or a sash for the mom-to-be to wear?). Skip these pre-fabricated baby shower decoration sets and choose your decorations separately. Shop bargains for solid colored plates, napkins, and cups. Purchase solid colored streamers in the nursery colors or blue and pink. You may pick up a few baby themed items like some confetti or a banner or two, but as a rule keep the baby shower decorations simple and avoid paying the price for baby shower themed packages. Estimated savings: $20+

Incorporate your gift into the baby shower décor. If you are able to use the gift you purchase for the mom-to-be as a decoration you can save money on wrapping paper and decorations. If you have purchased clothing for the baby, hang the adorable little outfits on hangers around the room. You can purchase a baby bathtub and fill it with ice to hold drinks for the baby shower. A diaper bag does double duty as a baby shower table centerpiece when filled with a little tissue paper and some streamers spilling out. Diaper cakes are a popular gift/decoration as well. If you can incorporate your baby shower gift into the shower décor you'll save a little cash. Estimated savings: $10+