During the summer months, I am ALWAYS looking for activities that I can do to keep the kids occupied, and keep me sane. Sometimes that involves getting out in the community, and other times we keep the party right at home. Throwing parties for kids can really put a cramp in your budget, but I’ve found a way to make it a little more affordable and fun.
Have you ever heard of www.Houseparty.com? This site allows you to throw parties for little to no money out of pocket. By partnering with manufacturers to sample and/or promote their products, you get the perks of free products and fun bonuses. When you sign up for an account on the site, you will give details about your family and interests that help you have an opportunity to host parties that are right in line with those interests. Every so often you will get emails that list potential parties, you can even log on to the site and request early notice about upcoming parties that you think you would like to host.
I usually go for the kids parties, like the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Party not too long ago. Like most “party packs”, our kit included reusable party favors like the photo booth props, posters and color change cups and coupons for party snacks. 
But in the past we have used House Party packs to supplement birthday parties with flatbread pizza or like homemade rolls or just stretch our regular food budget like when we got weeks worth of frozen Chinese food for FREE.
Through the years I’ve picked up a couple tips that help you stand out and have a great time.
- Only apply for parties you would enjoy hosting. There are tons of opportunities, some really connect well with your families and others not so much. The best parties are when you have a product you will enjoy and specifications like date and time that work for your family. Clearly my kids were planning on watching the awards show anyway, so this one was a win-win.
- Over-invite. Having plenty of people participate in the party is important to protect your opportunities to host and since last minute changes can cause guests to drop out, invite a few extra people just in case. Keep the snacks simple and enjoy the time together.
- Get social. Some social media interaction is generally required, and it always helps your chances of hosting, but in addition there are often extra prizes for party hosts who are active on social media like Twitter and Facebook. You remember that Kids Choice party I hosted? I was active on Twitter that night using the required hashtag and won this,
That’s right! In addition to the party pack and the great fun, we won a $500 Super Mario Wii U bonus prize that would not have fit into my budget in any way without the party. Not bad for not even a days work, huh?
Have you ever used House Party? Give me a shout, I’d love to hear about your family’s party time.
