Okay, here’s the deal. I wanted to throw a surprise party for my friend’s birthday. And what’s a party without balloons, right? So, I started looking into how much it would cost to get a bunch of balloons.
First, I checked out some local party supply stores. I drove to the Party City nearby. I browsed their balloon section and found a wide variety of latex and foil balloons. I picked up a few packs of colorful latex balloons and a couple of larger foil balloons with “Happy Birthday” messages. I asked the staff about helium inflation, and they told me they could inflate them in-store.
- Latex balloons: These were pretty cheap, like a dollar for a pack of ten.
- Foil balloons: These were a bit pricier, around $5 each, but they looked nicer.
- Helium: This was the killer. They charged about $2 per latex balloon and $5 per foil balloon to fill them with helium.
I also went to Michaels to see what they had. They had a decent selection of balloons and even offered balloon decoration services. I noticed they sold DIY helium tanks, which seemed like a good idea at first. I compared the price of buying a tank and inflating the balloons myself versus having them inflated in-store. The DIY tank was about $30, and it claimed to inflate around 30 latex balloons or 15 foil balloons. I was in a dilemma as there was no clear winner.
Next, I decided to check online for balloon delivery services. I searched for “balloon delivery in Jacksonville” and found a few options. One company specialized in helium-filled balloon bouquets and decor. They had same-day and next-day delivery options. I looked at their prices, and they were definitely more expensive than buying the balloons myself and getting them inflated. However, the convenience of having them delivered right to the party location was tempting.
- Delivery: Some places offered same-day or next-day delivery, which was cool but added to the cost.
- Bouquets: Pre-made balloon bouquets were available, but they were more expensive than making my own.
I even stumbled upon information about hot air balloon rides. I read about a company called Airhound Adventures that offered private balloon baskets. While this wasn’t what I was looking for, it sparked an idea for a future adventure. It’s amazing, isn’t it?
In the end, I decided to go with a mix of options. I bought the latex balloons from Party City and had them inflated there. For the foil balloons, I bought them from Party City as well but opted for the smaller DIY helium tank from Michaels to save a bit of money. I figured I could inflate them myself at home. I skipped the delivery service this time since I had the time to pick up the balloons myself. I even bought one more fancy-looking number foil balloon to add more fun to the party!
My Balloon Cost Breakdown:
- 2 packs of latex balloons: $2
- Helium for 20 latex balloons: $40
- 3 foil balloons: $15
- Small DIY helium tank: $30
- 1 number foil balloon: $8
- Total: $95
It ended up costing more than I initially thought, but hey, it’s for a special occasion, right? And seeing the smile on my friend’s face when they saw the balloons will be totally worth it. I just thought I’d share my little balloon adventure with you all. Maybe it’ll help you out next time you need to get some balloons!