Can't afford class birthday party for 10 year old

My kid has been counting down to this birthday for months—but now I’m stuck between making her dream come true or being totally broke for the rest of the month 💔

I’m a single parent with three kids, and my oldest is about to turn 10. She’s been so excited this year because it’s the first time she’s actually going to celebrate with her classmates. In the past, we’ve always done something small at home—just the family, some cake, nothing fancy. But this year she really wanted a "real" party like the other kids.

Here’s the issue: some of the parents in the class have planned this big birthday party for all four girls in the class. It's sort of a shared party, and every parent pays their share. The cost? $500 per family. That’s not a typo. Five hundred. It covers a rented venue, entertainment, food, decorations—the whole deal. And since there are only four girls in the class, they’re inviting all 26 classmates, so no one feels left out.

But I just can’t afford that. I’ve done the math a hundred times. After bills, groceries, and everything else, there’s no way I can squeeze out five grand unless I skip rent or don’t pay my car insurance this month. The other parents don’t seem to get it—they're all couples with two incomes, and one even said something like, “It’s just once a year.” Easy to say when you’re not the only one footing every single bill.

Now I’m stuck. Do I sit down with my daughter and explain we’ll need to do something at home again this year, even though she’s been dreaming of this day? Or do I find a way to pay, and deal with being flat broke for the rest of the month? I’m torn because she’s such a good kid and I want her to feel included. I don’t want her to think she’s missing out because of money.

What would you do if you were in my shoes? Has anyone else faced something like this?