• Budget your party with homemade foods and decor and creative, old-fashioned games.Birthday chocolate cake image by Coralie Palmeri from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
  
  With a little bit of creativity, it's easy to plan a memorable, fun --- but cheap --- birthday party for a 13-year-old girl. As with any party planning, keep in mind the girls' interests. Picking a suitable theme not only engages guests, but it opens up many low-budget, creative ideas for decorations, activities and refreshments. Whenever possible, select homemade or reusable items instead of buying lots of one-time, mass-produced party gear.
  
  

Classic Games

• Old-fashioned party games have withstood the test of time, and they deliver a lot of fun for relatively little expense. Girls of all ages love dress-up games, and 13-year-olds tend to be particularly bitten by the fashion bug. Assemble a heap of unusual garments and accessories and have a race for who can put on the most clothing in the least time. If you happen to have a lot of socks on hand, another alternative would be to have the girls race against the clock to put on as many socks as they can, at once. Another classic game with endless variations, hide-and-seek remains a popular favorite for teens, especially if given a new twist. Send the birthday girl out of the room and have all the guests decide where to hide a trinket or party favor somewhere in a room. Maybe hide the birthday girl's gifts. When the girl returns, she must find the hidden item, guided by the other guests' shouting out "Hot!" or "Cold!"
  
  

Decorations

• Avoid buying decorations that have no other purpose, and will simply be discarded after the party. Find creative and cheap items, or things around the house, to decorate according to a theme. At 13, girls often enjoy pop music, Hollywood celebrities or fashion themes. Hang posters of favorite pop musicians and teen idols; after the party, guests can take them home instead of party favors. String DVD cases into garlands for a whimsical Hollywood touch. For a fashion-themed party, recycle old fashion magazines to make a collage. Covering a wall with trendy fashion spreads to turn your home into a "design studio."
  
  

Food and Refreshments

• Undoubtedly, you'll want to budget for a menu of tasty and special treats. Be creative and let snacks serve double purposes. A candy buffet makes a great addition to any party and serves as decorations too, adding to the festive atmosphere. String doughnut for another tasty decoration. The doughnut display doubles as a challenging game when girls struggle to eat a doughnut without using their hands. At 13, many girls enjoy cooking and baking projects. Supervise a simple cooking activity and then let the guests eat their creations. Making your own pizza is cheaper and more fun than just ordering out. Individually decorated and homemade cupcakes are more fun, cheaper and easier to serve than a store-bought sheet cake.