Money Saving Tips for Your Next Party

Parties, all though loads of fun and sociability, bring lots of time, money, and effort. Especially for those who only go to parties and never plan them, their first few "party plannings" can be a bit hectic and hard on their wallets. Of course, throwing an inexpensive yet thoroughly fun and entertaining party is not impossible- you just have to get creative!

Always start with a budget.

Before doing anything, create a budget. When planning for a party, always set aside a certain amount of money you are willing to spend on food and accessories. If you don't stick to a budget, all of the fun of having the party will be over in a couple of days, and you'll check your bank account to see that you have $7.60 left.

Planning for a party can be extremely fun, as you probably have tons of ideas to entertain the guests with. But most likely, your ideas will cost you money. Staying within a party budget not only saves money, it challenges your mind to be resourceful and creative, all the while forcing you to find deals when you go shopping. By sticking to a budget, you work with a value that is within your means, something you'll thank yourself for later. And besides, all of that extra money you spend isn't really going to affect what people think about your party - it's about having a social time with your friends, not throwing money around so you can inflate your ego.

Doesn't always have to be disposable.

When throwing a party, disposables such as plastic forks, knives, cups, and plates, should be cut down on if you are working with a tight budget. If you have silverware ready to use, then by all means, bring them out and use them. If you have a bunch of plates stocked away that you haven't used for some time, now would be a good time to bring them out. This saves you not only the money it costs to buy disposable paper plates and such (as they can quickly add up), it saves you a lot of time picking up trash and stuffing them in trash bags. Throw your dinnerware into the dishwasher! Lastly, disposables are a major source of CFCs in the environment, so by cutting down on gratuitous amounts of trash, you're doing our earth a favor.

Community Fun!

You can always ask everyone coming to bring at least 1 food dish. This way, you save money within your budget and you also get your guests involved by making it fun and interactive. If someone doesn't really like a particular dish, he or she can always try the others, as no two people will bring the same dish (hopefully). Potluck dinners are great, because they offer an assortment of different foods that are split between all of the people coming to the party, saving the host tons of time. If you DO decide to hold one of these types of dinner parties, you might want to make sure that you delegate certain types of foods to certain people, just to make sure that not all 17 people bring deserts.

Snail mail = money.

If you're tempted to send out actual concrete invitations, you might want to think twice. Especially if you're throwing a huge party for 50+ people, the costs of the cards and envelopes quickly adds up. If you would still really like to send out cards, you can always make them yourself, by making them with certain programs such as Microsoft Publisher. You can even make them by hand, provided you have lots of time (shouldn't you be cooking then?). Instead of using envelops, rolling the invitation up, or tying it with ribbon is a great idea to consider with respect to saving money.

Instead, send out email invitations or evites. These days, it is rare for someone to not have an email account. You can make an animated invitation, package it, type a name on it, and send it to someone's email. If all else fails, use the telephone!

Clean your house.

If you are having a house party, always remember to keep areas clean, as it will give a bad impression to the guests if you have lots of clutter jumbled around and dust mites milling all over the place. Especially in the winter, keep your coat closet empty so that guests won't have to pile all of their clothes on a chair where it is visible. As for the bathroom, remember to keep some cleaning products inside so as to not leave your guests in the dark if they need anything. Partygoers love to secretly judge your house, but if you keep it reasonably clean, you should have no reason to be let down. They understand that you have a busy schedule - everyone's just here to have some fun.

Arrange your furniture.

Besides cleaning up the major areas you plan to hold the party in, arrange your furniture so as to give the illusion that there is more space in the room, or arrange your furniture so that your guests will have an easy time interacting. If the sofa is facing a wall (why should it be anyways), people will feel hesitant to sit on it, as they will be facing away from the party. The arrangements you make with your furniture can determine if the party is socially awkward, or lots of fun and laughs.

Other useful tips

- Serve foods that are filling. Less appetite = less food needed.

- Send your guests home with leftovers, but remember to be prepared with Tupperware and such. You don't want to be giving away your best silverware!

- Drinks are expensive. Make some punch.

- Buy in bulk. It's better to have leftovers you can finish later than leave your guests starving because you didn't buy any food. Buying in bulk also saves money.

In any case, your party should be entertaining rather than lavish. It is no secret that humans can create fun times and do interesting things without that much money. Your inexpensive party planning shouldn't go so far as to skimp on unnecessary things, but remember that the life of a party doesn't lie within the amount of dollars spent.