Hey, you guys. So I recently saw a stat saying that parents spend on average $314 on their kids'

birthday parties. And I would be honest, with all the custom balloon arches that I'm seeing on social

media, I'm surprised it wasn't more. But today, I want to talk about the root of why this is going

on, share my honest thoughts, and even offer a few tips for celebrating your kids on their

special day without sacrificing your family's financial future. And if you love this content,

make sure to hit the subscribe button so we can chat more about topics like this.

All right, first, USA Today reports that having a set theme for a kid's birthday party

automatically increases the price. So if you're a 90s kid, you know, it is Barney. Today,

it may be bluey or paw patrol, but throwing a specific theme birthday party usually means that the

price is going to increase. Because if you think about it, you got to get custom invitations,

you got to get the branded plates, you got to get the themed party favors, the matching napkins

and tablecloth and balloons, the custom cake. I mean, all of it together has to work if a theme

is happening versus just kind of finding what's on sale and what works and of it together has to work if a theme is happening versus just kind of finding

what's on sale and what works and throwing it together.

But again, the idea that like there is a theme and a color palette, you're going to end up spending more.

Another reason for the increase in kid birthday parties, I believe, is social media.

I think comparison culture is a real thing.

I mean, you really are watching people,

either that you know or that you don't know, maybe in your town or maybe on the other end of the

country, you know, throwing these birthday parties and you're like, oh, wow, look at that. That's

amazing. And naturally, you're going to compare what they're doing versus what you're doing.

And usually comparison leads

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