Location

• In order to throw a low-cost birthday party, you will need to find a party venue that costs little or no money. The most obvious choice is your house or backyard. If this is not an option, see if friends or family members would offer their house. As well, many condominiums have party rooms residents can rent, so if you have a friend who lives in a condo, ask him if he has access to this type of facility. Alternatively, you can have the party at a public park, beach or campground.
  
  

Food and Drinks

• Fourteen-year-olds are not hard to please when it comes to food. Pizza is a favorite among many teens, so consider ordering a few party-sized pizzas with various toppings. Alternatively, you can create a make-your-own-pizza station. Simply buy ready-made pizzas in individual serving sizes and provide your party guests with tomato sauce, shredded cheese and a selection of toppings to assemble their own pizza. Then place them in the oven for about ten minutes until the cheese is melted. Alternatively, if you are having an outdoor party, you can grill hamburgers and hot dogs. For barbecue side dishes, serve potato salad, pasta salad, corn on the cob or potato chips. If you have access to a fire pit, push hot dogs onto sticks and let the kids roast their own hot dogs. This will be fun for them and will reduce the amount of time you spend on food preparation. Of course, you can't forget junk food and soda. To save you money, buy family-sized bottles of soda instead of individual cans.
  
  

Decorations

• Decorations can be expensive, but they don't need to be. Balloons, streamers and banners can be purchased from a dollar or discount store along with table cloths, napkins and disposable plates, cups and cutlery. If having a backyard party, hang Christmas lights or lanterns in the trees or along the house to add a festive feel. If having the party in an outdoor public location, have balloons filled with helium and attach them to balloon weights so they don't fly away.
  
  

Games and Entertainment

• In terms of games and entertainment, there are plenty of things you can do for little or no money. One idea is to do an outdoor scavenger hunt. Give each party guest a list of things to find in nature and see who can find all the items first. Whoever does wins a prize. Another idea is an army-themed obstacle course. For example, have each kid in turn run through tires or hula hoops, then grab a heavy backpack and run to a specified location, stop and do 20 jumping jacks, swing over a kiddie pool using a rope tied to a tree and finally run back to the starting line. As the host, it is your job to time each person. Whoever completes the obstacle course the quickest wins. Other ideas include setting up a dance floor with a strobe light, having a scary-movie sleepover, playing water games in your pool, having a water-balloon fight or three-legged race or sitting around a campfire.