Cheap Birthday Party Ideas in Melbourne: The Budget Birthday 2024 Guide

These days it seems like birthday celebrations are getting bigger and better every year – ice cream cake in the McDonald’s playroom or a small celebration at home just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Still, creating the party of your dreams for you or your family doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. With a few simple cost-saving tips and tricks, these cheap birthday party ideas can help create an event your guests will remember. Keep reading to find out our cheap party ideas in Melbourne.

Cheap Birthday Party Ideas


1. Swap paper & stamps for evites

2. Recycle party essentials

3. Serve snacks instead of a meal

4. Book your venue early

5. Host the party in the backyard

6. Go with a smaller group

7. Go to an escape room

Child holding donuts over eyes, making a playful face

1. Swap Paper For E-vites


Fancy paper invitations and postage can get pricey, particularly if you’ve got a big guest list. Instead of packaging and sending out everyone’s invitations a couple months earlier, save money by sending out your evites through email or via social media apps. This way you can save on invitations and postage, while ensuring they remember to save the date.

2. Recycle Party Essentials


For cheap kids birthday party ideas, consider using decorations that you’ve already got stored away. Banners, bunting and tablecloths are definitely able to be reused… and no one is going to notice! They’re also easy to clean and store for next year. Plus, not only are these great and cheap birthday party ideas, cutting down on plastic party wastage is much better for the environment.

Bottles of beer with bowls of snacks on a rustic table

3. Serve Snacks Instead Of A Meal


One of the great things about birthday parties is that guests usually prefer simple tastes. Don’t worry about cooking up a big meal. Instead, save yourself time, money and effort by serving a selection of snacks. Chips, lollies and of course the Australian birthday essential, party pies, are always affordable (and cheap) hors d’oeuvres to satisfy your guests’ cravings.

4. Book your venue early


Some venues can charge more for last minute bookings. If you’re looking for cheap birthday party ideas but want to secure one of the best birthday party venues for kids in Melbourne, make sure you get your party booked early. It’s best to try and book at least 8 weeks ahead.

This means you’ll have plenty of time to ensure the party’s details and other costs are all sorted out before the big day. Don’t forget to tell your venue what kind of music you’d like played to set the right mood for your celebration.

Colorful garden party setup with balloons and decorated table

5. Host The Party In The Backyard


There’s nothing quite like celebrating in your own backyard with an inviting barbecue lunch and homemade cake. Here, you have full control over your party, and you can save a tonne of money since you don’t need to rent out a function room or hire a caterer.

If you’re celebrating a milestone and looking for cheap 30th birthday party ideas, for example, this is a great, low-key affair that still feels celebratory. Set up some board games, play traditional parlour games or host a karaoke or dance-off. Get crafty with some homemade decorations for the party, or even hire a cheap marquee for something a little extra fancy.

Friends celebrating a birthday with a cake and candles

6. Go With A Smaller Group


If you or your family have something specific (but more expensive) you want to do for your birthday party, a budget-friendly option is doing the activity with a couple of close friends, rather than a huge group. If your child has lots of friends and is concerned about offending or excluding some, why not go with a sibling or cousin instead? An escape room can be a great option for kids’ birthday parties with a small handful of people, particularly for tweens and teens.

People running down stairs in an escape room with blue lighting

7. Go To An Escape Room


Planning activities to last all day, or hiring out a space for a number of hours can dramatically rack up those costs. But what if you could have an experience that lasts an hour, yet packs all the adrenalin, excitement and fun into it for an entire day?

Our escape rooms in Melbourne are well worth their time as the main event for your birthday party. Though all our rooms are suitable for a minimum of two, save more per person with some able to fit up to six (meaning more people to celebrate with too!)

The Final Word


If you’re worried about spending too much money on a birthday party in Melbourne, then don’t be. As you can see, there are lots of cheap, quick and easy ideas that will allow you to save money without losing the fun that comes with throwing a party.

If you’re ready to book an escape room today, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team. Or, if you’d like more information, they’ll be happy to help answer any questions and make sure you throw the best (and affordable) party for your birthday.

Interested in other party-throwing guides and activity ideas? Consider these options:

How To Host An Office Christmas Party Everyone Will Love

Top 10 Best Melbourne School Holiday Activities

10 Best Kids Birthday Party Ideas: A Parent’s Guide

Top 5 Best Team Building Activities in Melbourne

Ali Cheetham
As the business manager and owner at Escape Room Melbourne, Ali holds a PhD in psychology with an additional background in fine arts, which she draws on to create authentic experiences that fit with the narrative of the rooms, using vintage items that have been repurposed and incorporating them into the rooms to add a sense of history. As co-founder with Owen, Ali discovered escape rooms by chance while travelling in Budapest in 2013, and was immediately hooked. Within two months the pair returned to Melbourne to build what would become the first of its kind in Australia (Flemington), starting a business that has since welcomed over 100,000 customers across its South Melbourne and Flemington locations.