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How to Successfully Throw a Party on a Budget

sweetie-646775_1920Do you love to host fun get-together and catch up with friends and family but can’t afford it all the time? Join the club.

Home parties are super fun and a great way to unwind and create some great memories with others. There are only two downsides to throwing a party: the clean-up and the costs associated with pulling it all off.

If you want to plan a holiday party, sports-themed party or simple get-together with friends and family but don’t want to spend a ton of money, here are some frugal tips to help throw a successful party on a budget.

Borrow Items and Supplies

First, make a list of all the supplies you will need for you event. Then, instead of running out and buying new supplies that you may need, see if someone you know has decorations or furniture that you can borrow instead. If you make it a habit to share with others and loan items out when someone you know and trust needs it, other people shouldn’t have a problem loaning you a few kitchen supplies, decorations, games etc.

Seating is usually a concern for most hosts who want everyone who visits their home to be comfortable. See if a friend or neighbor has a card table or chairs that you can borrow for your party so you don’t have to buy them and let them sit in storage afterward.

Cook Food at Home and Make the Menu Simple

Food is often the main expense that can bust your budget when planning a party. It’s important to make sure everyone is fed and enjoys the food, but you should also focus on cutting costs by cooking a lot of the food. If you have a signature dish that everyone loves, make a large batch of it for your event.

Even if you can’t cook that well or don’t know how to make anything special, you can always cut corners by preparing simple appetizers and finger foods like BBQ meatballs prepared in a crock pot, mini-sliders or pigs in a blanket with Pillsbury Crescent rolls and Little Smokies. You can also bake batches of cookies for dessert which is easy and will probably be much cheaper and taste better than anything you can find at the store.

Ask Guests to Bring Something

In an attempt to avoid spending money on expensive catering, you can also ask guests to bring a dish to have a potluck style meal. Most guests are willing to help out and bring something or may even insist on it so don’t think it’s rude or cheap to ask.

Even if you guests just bring drinks or some chips, those are items that everyone can enjoy and you won’t have to worry about paying for it.

If you prefer to prepare all the food, you can asks guests to BYOB when it comes to alcohol. That will save you a ton of money in itself.

Stop by the Dollar Store

Visiting the dollar store is a must if you are planning a get-together on a budget. Dollar stores have stepped their game up recently and have a wide variety of decorations, supplies and other materials to help set the tone for your gathering.

You can find themed-decorations, table cloths, drink pitchers, cool cups, plates, displays, candles, cards and even games at most dollar stores. For just $20, you can rack up quite a few items to help enhance your event and dress up your home.

As you can see, there are multiple ways to go about saving in the most expensive areas of throwing a party. If you have a budget in mind, try to implement some of these tips so you can stay within your desired spending limit and still have a fun and successful event.

Will you be throwing any parties over the next few months? If so, what kind of parties and how are you planning to cut corners in terms of costs?

Posted in: Life Hacks

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