Check the dollar store first

Each 'dollar store' (The Dollar Store, Dollar Tree, Dollar other things... even different stores in the same chain) has its own selection, and quality is a definite consideration prior to purchasing, but for things where quality is less of a concern than that something functional be on hand when needed, a dollar or similar discount store can cut costs by a third with no other impact.

I find this especially true for party things. It's amazing how much party supplies can add up. A good party store is more likely to have exactly what you want for the perfect presentation and a very specific theme (It just has to be dinosaurs), but they often have unnecessarily large quantities and the the dollar-type stores sometimes have plenty that fits an appropriate theme, especially if all that really matters is that the holiday or celebration be right (I's not cool to have "over the hill" balloons for a kids birthday party, for example, or birthday napkins for an anniversary, but maybe it doesn't matter if its Thanksgiving turkeys or pilgrims or just fall colors). They may not have pirates, but they might have bright colors or clowns or something else appropriate for a birthday, and napkins and paper plates to match.

What they most often lack is large quantities. Occasionally they might have several packages the same but there's no guarantee. They are not a store for buying in bulk. Another thing they are good for is storage and presentation containers. When you are giving away cookies, for example, it's nice to give them in a container that the recipient keep, even better if it one they can keep. If they are only for one person, maybe a fancy tin is worthwhile, but if you have a lot of people to give cookies to, and you want them to appreciate the cookies more than the container, a dollar store might offer reusable containers (singly or two or three at a time depending on size and type) as cheap or cheaper than the grocery store disposal containers that have recently become more readily available (to the dismay of "green" supporters and environmentalists). They might not have the exact style you're looking for, but the recipients don't know what you have in mind and the dollar store's are likely to have something in the ballpark of what you need. Let the cookies take their attention. That's where you put the effort.