Everybody loves throwing a great party, but conventional wisdom. says that every memorable gathering comes at a massive cost. However, that doesn’t always have to be the case! Here are two dozen can’t-miss tips for hosting a budget-friendly party that will stand the test of time, wow your guests, and not put a significant dent in your bank account. Let’s dive in.
1. Choose Paper and Plastic
There’s no need to bust out the expensive dishes and silverware for your next party; give yourself much-deserved peace of mind by buying inexpensive paper plates and plastic utensils. Not only will they relieve your wallet, but they’re impossible to break, ultimately saving you the cost of replacing some everyday wares. Plus, you don’t need to wash them afterward!
2. Have the Party at a Park
Like most memorable events, a budget-friendly gathering is all about location. If you want to spare your home the extensive post-party cleanup process, consider having your gathering at a local park! Is there anything more intimate than an outdoor party underneath a wooden picnic area flanked by countless charcoal grills? I think not! (Make sure you respect the environment and clean up afterward.)
3. Make the Party a Potluck
Who says the host must be responsible for all the food at a party? Throw a potluck instead of catering yourself! Not only will you save much-needed cash, but you and your guests will be in charge of a delicious spread of homemade items that will surely be crowd-pleasers. Never underestimate how willing men and women are to show off what they can do in a kitchen.
4. Order Food in Bulk
There’s nothing wrong with ordering Domino’s pizza, Subway sandwiches, or other tasty food for your next special occasion. But if you go this route, be smart about it. Take advantage of bulk-ordering specials. Many to-go restaurants offer significant discounts if you purchase food for large groups. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how affordable a dozen pizzas are when you order everything at once!
5. Utilize Your Crock Pots
Every savvy home chef knows the unparalleled convenience that Dutch ovens bring to any gathering. With a minimal investment at the grocery store and minimal effort inside your kitchen, the next party you host could include delectable slow-cooked pulled pork, pot roast, mashed potatoes, and nearly any other dish you can dream up! Crock Pots are true “set it and forget it” appliances, so use them to your advantage to save money on ordering tons of food.
6. Simplify the Adult Beverage Selection
I get it; we responsible drinkers must be satisfied during any social event, and your budget-friendly gathering is no exception. However, save time and stress by offering a budget-friendly, sensible spread of adult beverages. Nobody needs a hired bartender and three different gin drinks on the menu; a few light beers and two different wines will be all you need to please your imbibing guests!
7. Take Advantage of Your Space
Take advantage of the unique spaces in your home! If you have a particularly incredible backyard, don’t be afraid to host your event outside. If you have a great television and surround-sound home theater setup, a movie or sporting event can be just what the party needs to become truly memorable. You’d be surprised how efficiently (and cost-effectively) you can take advantage of your home!
8. Have a White Elephant Gift Exchange
Gift exchanges aren’t exclusively meant for holiday parties; I’ve been to a few gatherings where we were told to bring gifts and were pleasantly surprised by the competitive nature of our fellow guests when it was announced an impromptu White Elephant gift exchange would be taking place! Sometimes, an unexpected event is what every gathering needs to make it extra special.
9. Ask For Help
If you’re having difficulty coming up with budget-friendly and frugal ideas for your next gathering, don’t worry; ask for help! Frugal-minded people are everywhere these days, and if you can’t find advice from friends and family, internet forums provide a near-limitless resource for handy tips and tricks. Leave no stone unturned when seeking advice; you never know when you’ll encounter the next idea to save you tons of money!
10. Make Homemade Decorations
If you consider yourself crafty, make homemade decorations for your next party! Homemade decor gives the event a much-needed boost of originality and creativity, especially for birthday parties, anniversaries, and children’s events. Countless men and women are great at repurposing things and making things out of scratch; you’d be surprised how much money you save by avoiding a trip to Party City and decorating the party yourself.
11. Plan Ahead
You can avoid unplanned expenses and last-minute party-prep purchases by planning ahead. Create a plan or checklist of things to do and ensure they’re all checked off by the event day. Trust me, nothing will throw you (or your budget) off-track more than taking a last-minute trip to the grocery store to grab necessities you “were sure you had.” By planning ahead, you will keep associated costs to a minimum and protect yourself against unforeseen expenses.
12. Keep It Simple
Believe it or not, not every party has to be the be-all, end-all social event of the century. Sometimes, a well-organized and thoughtful party is all you need to create memories for you and your guests! If you’re feeling overwhelmed and expenses are adding up before your eyes, take a step back and begin simplifying. If you are less stressed planning the party, your guests will be less stressed attending it.
13. Provide Your Own Entertainment
In order to save serious money, it may be time to bust out your old magic act or similar talent. By providing the entertainment, you eliminate a substantial party cost. Homemade games and activities also go a long way toward making the guests come together to create unforgettable memories and put smiles on their faces. Remember, nobody said hosting a budget-friendly gathering was easy; sometimes, you must make the magic happen yourself!
14. Create a Reasonable Budget
Stay focused when creating a budget; stick to the basics, plan responsibly, and you’ll be rewarded with a memorable party. Even a budget of “only” a few hundred dollars can be impressively stretched if you are savvy enough. Budget-friendly parties don’t have to look budget-friendly if you know what you’re doing. In many cases, enlisting the help of a frugal-minded friend or relative can pay off in a significant way.
15. Get a Sponsor
While this is arguably the most unorthodox tip I’ve found, countless people reveal they were able to offset party costs by bringing a sponsor on board! In many towns, local businesses are more than happy to sponsor small community events in exchange for free advertising. It never hurts to ask: If you have a favorite pizza place, what do you have to lose by asking them to sponsor your party and provide the food and refreshments?
16. Accept Donations
Sometimes, a simple message at the bottom of an invitation that says “donations welcomed” can go a long way. While there are more tactful options, sometimes you must pull out all the stops to put forth the event you want. Don’t be embarrassed; you’ll find there are plenty of people who are happy to help donate to the party fund, so don’t turn your back on others’ generosity!
17. Keep the Guest List Small
Your party expenses will increase with each guest, so keep your guest list small. Introducing more and more people increases the odds of a disaster; packed rooms and spaces mean a greater likelihood of your television getting knocked over, chairs breaking, or accidents happening. Keep the guest list manageable, and enjoy hosting a gathering with less chaos potential!
18. Get Creative
Frugal-minded parties are the ideal place to flex your creative muscles in terms of activities that occur. Don’t be afraid to get wild; Cost-effective features like an ice cream bar go a long way toward making a party memorable for you and your guests! A general rule of thumb is that the more creative you are for children’s parties, the more your fellow parents will appreciate the effort you put into hosting them.
19. Break Out the Board Games
Unless you’re throwing a party for a group of impressionable, Instagram-obsessed, clout-chasing teenagers, there is no shame in busting out the board games for your next event! I’ve seen board games at weddings, anniversaries, and birthday parties; they’ve been crowd-pleasers each time. Who would say no to a competitive game of Yahtzee or Scrabble during a social gathering? I know I wouldn’t! (This is where I reveal to the world that I’m the most competitive Yahtzee player I know.)
20. Use Free Invitation Services
There are countless ways to save money when hosting a budget-friendly gathering, and free online invitation services are among the best. Websites like Evite make it incredibly simple to invite people worldwide to your next party without shelling out a dime. While handmade and extravagant physical invitations look fantastic on a refrigerator, no self-respecting man or woman cares if an invitation is made online these days (weddings included).
21. Pick a Reasonable Theme
Your party’s theme should reflect your budget; if you want to save money, some themes like “Astronaut Laser House Party” and “An Ode to Versace and Gucci” should not make it past the planning stages. Consider a more reasonable (and affordable) theme instead. Something like “Food Stamp Fiesta” or “The Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck Party of the Millennium” would be much easier to pull off with a limited budget. Get creative, but stay reasonable!
22. Don’t Forget About the Kids
It’s far more critical to focus and prioritize kids at a party than for adults. If the children are having fun, the adults will fall in line and have fun, too! When kids are in the mix, parents have one goal: To make it out of there with nobody kicking or screaming by the end of it. It’s more challenging to entertain children, so make it a priority, and you’ll create a safe space for people of all ages to enjoy themselves!
23. Time Your Event Away From Meal Time
Be mindful of when your gathering begins and ends. There is a “sweet spot” of timing that any host will appreciate: The early afternoon. That part of the day is after lunch and before dinner, so in many cases, you can forgo buying food for the entire event because, logically, people would have already eaten before they arrived! This strategy is a devilishly straightforward method to cut back on costs. In the end, it’s all about proper timing.
24. Shop at Dollar Stores
These days, even legacy party-planning stores like Party City are grossly overpriced. Why pay more for party supplies if you don’t need to? Instead of places like Party City, shop at local dollar stores. If you’re throwing a frugal-minded party, the quality of the plates, silverware, decorations, and party favors shouldn’t matter. If the presentation is excellently executed, your guests won’t realize you saved money by shopping at dollar stores!
