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Baby Shower Q&A:
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A:
There are lots of ways to cut cost but I would recommend cutting costs with the prizes for the games by using items for decorations that can be given as a prize. I would also recommend the dollar store for a lot of your needs like napkins, paper plates, little gifts and decorations. Lastly, make the food yourself since that will cut a lot of the cost that would go into catering and make the shower mid afternoon when the meal would be lighter.
Q: Too Many Guests Invited?
Sometimes plans get changed and things can quickly get financially out of hand. See our Solution for Dealing with Too Many Guests.
Q:
How do I get started on figuring out the costs?
A:
Organize your thoughts with a worksheet and read through the 8-Step Baby Shower Guide.
Q:
I am hosting a baby shower, do I need to pay for it all?
A:
Generally, the answer is yes. If you are hosting, then you are the one that will be covering the costs. However, don’t hesitate to ask for additional funds from the mother-to-be’s immediate family. Many people would be happy to pitch in a few dollars and you can thank them for their help during the shower so that everyone knows that they were involved in getting the shower together, even if it was only as the backer.
Q:
If I'm hosting a baby shower for my friend (35 people) at my home, do I also need to get her a gift? I was thinking of doing a clothesline, and then having those items that I buy be her gift. Is that sufficient? I imagine the shower is already going to cost me about $200 and don't have much more to spend. Thanks for your help! -Amy
A:
What a wonderful idea for your friend's baby shower! Clothesline Showers are a popular theme.
In regards to your question, the general idea is that the hostess of the baby shower does give the mother to be a gift. However, since you will be supplying her with gifts on the clothesline, your gift is already taken care of. It may not be wrapped up in a "traditional" sense but it is still a gift. So for your shower, if you are providing a clothesline gift, then there is no need to purchase another wrapped gift.
Q:
I am planning a baby shower for my brother and his girlfriend. I was wondering how to get the money that we need to plan it.
A:
That is wonderful that you are planning a shower for your brother and his girlfriend. Budgeting can be one of the things that can make or break a party but don't feel that you need to have a shower on a huge budget. Find ways to save money by using prizes for decorations, things like stuffed animals and flowers. Also, make the shower a pot luck occasion so you can avoid the cost of food.
When it comes to getting the funds, the best way is to ask immediate family to help contribute to the shower. Also check with the immediate family of the expectant mother to find out if they can contribute some of the money needed. Another way to avoid asking for money is to ask people to contribute prizes, decorations, food, and anything else that you need.
Please read our 8-Step Guide to a Perfect Shower, and focus on the budget area to decide on the best way to pull off a wonderful shower.
Q:
Is it ok to ask the guest of the baby shower to contribute money towards the cost of the shower? - Zainab
A:
Thank you for stopping by baby-shower.com and for asking us this question. This is actually a fairly common question since many people worry about covering the costs of a shower, especially when they are throwing a shower for a friend or co-worker.
Although asking guests to share the costs of the shower is different for everyone, for the most part, the answer would be no. It is not appropriate to ask the guest(s) to contribute to the shower unless they were asking for specific things that took the shower out of you price range. So for instance, if the guest wanted an ice sculpture of a stork carrying a baby in its beak, then that guest should pay the additional cost if you can't cover it.
When it comes to planning a budget, there are actually a few ways that you can do it to save money and to still have a wonderful shower. Instead of having a full meal, make it in between meal times so all you need to provide are finger foods. You could also have a potluck baby shower where guests each bring a dish for the shower. This will lower your food expenses significantly. Another great way to cut costs is to keep shower gifts and prizes small and purchase most of them at a dollar store. You could also bake goodies to send home as the shower gift for your guests.
Another great way to raise funds for a shower is to ask her immediate family to pitch in on the cost of the shower. You could also ask one (or more) of them to co-host a shower so that your costs go down significantly.
For more information on creating a budget, I would recommend that you read our 8 Step Baby Shower Guide and focus on the section that covers budgets: All the Little Things.
I hope that this has been helpful and if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Do you have a baby shower question that we have not covered?
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