My husband's income is the sole source for our home, and we live on a pretty tight budget. Even so, I still want to make my kids' birthday parties ones that they will never forget. I just have to get a bit creative and spend some time. Time is money — so if you don't have the money, you have to spend the time.

I have a few suggestions to help plan an unforgettable birthday on a budget. First of all, choose a theme. My kids will pick a theme based on  their toys. For instance, my son loves Nemo and has a few Nemo figurines and stuffed toys. For his last birthday party, I used his toys to decorate instead of buying decorations that will only get used once. You can also give the small figurine-type toys a good wash and then use them on the birthday cake.

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Second, for favor bags, I just use scraps of fabric and sew up the sides to make little bags. With a permanent marker or fabric paint, I write a child's name on each bag.

Instead of party games, I like to do a craft, and that is the "goody" that you can put in the goody bag. For instance, for my son's Nemo party, I got some fish sun catchers for the kids to paint. They were cheap and the kids loved doing it. You can even do something with construction paper and crayons, depending on the age of the children. Throw in a package of gummies (they make almost every kind) that match the party theme and you have a goody bag that every kid will love.

To save money on food, I have the party at a time of day when I don't have to serve a meal.  I put out some chips and homemade dips, along with Jell-O and crackers for the kids.

If you would rather serve a meal, almost every kid loves peanut butter and jelly. To make it more festive, get a cookie cutter and cut the sandwiches into shapes, for instance a fish shape for the Nemo party, or a bear shape for Care Bears, or even a car shape for a race-car party. Then make something like a pasta dish (without meat to conserve on cost) for the adults.

To save money on paper products like plates, get one or two packages of the themed party ware (depending on the number of guests), then go to the dollar store and get some coordinating solid color plates, cups, and plastic ware.

I can always plan great parties using these simple ideas and have even been asked by my realtives to plan parties for their kids.

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