What can I do for my boyfriend’s 40th birthday on a budget . He’s been talking about a new Apple Watch so I was going to get him that and take him to dinner but I feel like 40 is such a milestone birthday and feel bad that I’m not able to do more . His birthday is in 14 days I need some ideas
You already knows what he wants and it’s not an apple watch
I think the watch & dinner is sufficient.
Wait until the 50th and have him a party.that is a big milestone in life
50 years old is usually the big milestone not 40. You’re overthinking this and girl give him the watch, the dinner, and give him a little sumsum afterwards .
You could do a bunch of small things through out the day. A bag of snacks and a sweet card.
Dinner and gift.
A bag for the bed room. Oils for back rub
Take him out for a free breakfast
Who cares. He’s not a child
Ae do stiff for my mom each year and she always loves binfires. But Prob do bowling or axe throwing. Drive out to Brown County see if anyone want to meet up for dinner.French Lick in the fall is beautiful too.
Sounds lovely. I ended up doing something on my bucket list which ended up with an operatic group singing Happy Birthday in six part harmony. If you’d asked me six months before I’d have said probably a quiet meal somewhere. It’s not about the meal or gifts; it’s about spending it with you. Mine wasn’t planned - I was just out after a performance I’d been in. I did get to have Afternoon Tea at a famous teahouse too which was lovely and also unplanned.
Have some of his friends over for a small dinner
Have everyone meet at a bar or restaurant. Pay for your and his meal & drinks and everyone else pays for their own. Have the place make a cake or ask if you can bring a sheet cake you make or one from a grocery store/Costco. Reserve tables in advance and get some balloons from the party store. Maybe a silly hat or crown or sash or pin for the birthday boy.
And 40 IS a big milestone birthday!
Alternatively if the weather cooperates, have a picnic in a park. Get some giant sandwiches from Subway or the like, chips and sodas/water/iced tea/lemonade and ask invitees to bring sides like potato salad, coleslaw, chips, whatever. Have cake & candles, 40th birthday paper plates or napkins—or maybe you can ask guests to supply paper goods & utensils.
Get some helium 40th birthday balloons to tie to the shelter, which you will have to reserve in advance, especially for a weekend party. Probably no alcohol allowed. If you get all drinks in cans you can recycle them all. If you have koozies you can sneak in beer cans.
If hubs is more of an introvert, secretly invite an old friend who lives farther away/someone he likes & hasn’t seen in a long time for a surprise dinner at home.
If most of his friends are at work, arrange with coworkers to have a surprise party there. Contact the place and reserve a conference room/gathering spot.
Bagels, cream cheese, lox and cupcakes with coffee and juice is a budget-friendly breakfast/brunch option. You can add pastries, other breads, butter & jam if it’s in the budget. If it’s an office that does birthdays maybe they even have a usual supplier that delivers. Ask how to best put the word out without tipping off hubs, or maybe not make it a surprise if it’s too difficult. Be sure his boss knows to keep him there and get him to the party location.
Or an office/worksite afternoon cake (and ice cream if there’s a freezer you can use) plus balloons works too. Invite coworkers to get gag gifts. You can also do the yard-long cut up sandwiches, chips and cake idea for a workplace birthday lunch.
If you have time I once fed a crowd with bowls of homemade tuna, chicken and three-bean salads and different breads, plus paper plates, utensils, and drinks (sodas, water, lemonade, iced tea for example). If there’s money, add chips and fruit. Not too expensive, and no condiments needed with the mayo in the tuna & chicken salads.
I add water chestnuts and celery seed to my tuna salad; curry powder, chopped pecans and grape halves or raisins to chicken salad for a gourmet touch.