I love throwing parties, but I know how pricey they can be. Sometimes, though, even if you're really short on cash, you can't put off making a celebration (certain religious rites, for example, require celebrations) and when that has happened, I've self catered and done it on a really tiny budget. My friend Allen Brown is back with some more ideas, this time on how to keep down the costs of a party.
Everybody loves a good party. No matter who you are or what you do, celebrating is an essential part of life. It’s one of the few things that every culture in every country has. Now, there are some events that don’t really need much celebration. You know, things that happen often enough to acknowledge but not necessarily go all out for. Birthdays, for example, can just be a quiet dinner with someone special. But there are events that absolutely require festivities. Golden anniversaries, Bat Mitzvahs, graduations--these all call for some music and fun friends. But hosting can be a bit costly. If you go all out, you can be looking at a four-figure bill and a lot of cleaning up to do. Fortunately, there are options to save while still hosting a great party. All you have to do is plan ahead, and look for savings anywhere you see them. Here’s how you can do it without making it seem obvious.
Food Contest
One thing you can do is host a food contest. You can have a common theme of food and have all your guests come in with their best dish. People will flock to the occasion to show off their culinary expertise or their secret family recipe. This way, your guests can have fun while sharing their stories on how they learned to make it. And on top of that, you save a whole bunch of money on food. It’s still a good idea to have some hors devours laid out. But a few veggie plates and some cheese will cost you pennies in comparison to the large haul of guest-brought delicacies.
Host While The Sun Is Up
Hosting your party at night ensures that people will be looking for dinner-sized portions of everything. If you push it in the afternoon, you can avoid that. Small plates and light fare are perfect for when the sun it up. You can keep the drinks light as well. Some fresh juices and summer punch is perfect. This option is perfect for baby showers. You can fill the afternoon full of themes and mini games for your guests. If you’re looking for ideas, free baby shower games are available online and, as the name suggests, won’t cost you a dime. These daytime parties ensure that people don’t overstay, especially if it’s a baby shower. There’s nothing more unappealing than being on the brink of labor and having to clean up in the wee hours of the morning.
Go To The Dollar Store
Unless you’re having royalty over, you don’t need to have the fanciest party on earth. Whether it’s friends or acquaintances, the main focus of the party should be the people. With that said, with the right theme and ambiance, you can totally get away with using utensils from the dollar store. Everybody knows how much of a pain it is to prep for a party and the likelihood of people even noticing are slim to none.
Mandatory parties don’t have to break the bank. They can be just as fun with a few tweaks here and there. Plus, one of these parties usually signifies a major milestone in one’s life, and that’s where the real spending begins. With a baby on the way, college funds, retirement, or a first car, these events don’t need to be an extra burden. And even with these considerations, if you do it right, people will be talking about how fun your party was for years to come.