Are you wanting to host a party for a special occasion, but you’re maybe feeling a bit lost because you’re needing to stick to a budget? Let me help you find simple ways to cut the costs associated with hosting parties and give you some tips and tricks for making your party fun so you and your guests can make some awesome memories no matter what your budget is!
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Timing
When you’re planning your party, the time of day can make a big difference in how much money you spend.
Try to plan the party around the most comfortable times of the day according to the season. I love throwing outdoor parties because I am able able to tie in elements of nature with my decor, and I am able to entertain more people comfortably. If the weather is hot, I plan an evening party and plug in a few fans around the party area. If the weather is cold, then I do it during hours of sunshine.
When considering timing, don’t forget to take rain in to consideration for any outdoor party and have a Plan B if you’re planning an event in a rainy season.
The time of day also can make a difference in how much you spend on food.
You will spend more on food if you plan a party during lunch or dinner times. If you have a party in between meal times you are able to serve simple snacks and appetizers (bonus points if they go with your party theme!) and it can easily help keep costs down.
Which brings us to our next topic…
Food
It is so easy to go over budget when buying party food. I highly recommend finding party food items that are cheap or on sale.
I have so much fun matching my menu to my party theme! When I’m planning my parties, I like to challenge myself to find cheap food items that I can prepare or label in a way that goes with whatever theme I’m doing. I can turn fruit into a turkey for Thanksgiving or have simple “Meaty-or” meatballs for a space party. In the picture below I mostly used labels to tie in my Splash Pad party theme.
The week of the party, check out your local grocery ads. See what is on sale and check out available coupons.
Then I would highly recommend jumping on Pinterest to see if there are party foods or food displays you can make with those sale items.
If you’ve got a deep freezer and pantry space (and you’re planning your party with plenty of time to spare) you can keep an eye on sales each week and buy your food items over time so you aren’t limited to only one week’s sale items.
Discounted Party Supplies
When looking for paper goods, decorations, or other party supplies, make sure you check for sales and discounts!
You can get things like colored paper plates and plasticware from the Dollar Tree, but local grocery stores often have sales on paper goods as well.
If you know you will be hosting parties in advance, it is a good idea to check for Seasonal items when they go on sale. This is usually one of the easiest ways to cut party costs. There have been times I have been able to stock up on things like paper plates and cups for under $.50 a pack and get decorations for up to 90% off just because I bought them after the season was over.
My favorite items to look for are the ones I am able to use for more than one type of party. Like plain red plates can go on sale after Christmas, but they are also able to be used for Valentine’s Day or even a kid’s party that has red as a main color.
Recruit Help
It can be hard to ask for help, but I’ve learned over the years that it’s ok to not have it all together all the time and the people we love usually want to help in some way, but they don’t know what we would need help with.
If you’ve got friends or family that want to help (and you know you can rely on them to follow through) then definitely recruit them! Hosting a party on a budget gets a lot easier when someone else brings food, drinks, or party items.
For example, my mom and sisters frequently offer to help with party food for my kid’s birthdays. In doing this, it relieves some of my stress and I’m able to focus more on decorations, entertainment, seating, etc.
Evites
Another tip to host an awesome party while on a budget is to send out an evite instead of a paper invitation.
It is super simple these days to make an invitation on the computer using something like Microsoft Word or, my personal favorite, Canva.
On Canva you can easily use an invitation template that they already have, change the colors, fonts, or graphics, and then download the final product.
After you download the invitation, simply send it out to your guests in an email, text, messenger, or however you keep in touch with them!
If you’re super crafty and have items on hand, you also have the option of making an invitation, taking a picture of it, and then sending that out to everyone as well.
If you really don’t have time to make your own invitations, there are many cheaper options on Etsy that are quick and easy to edit and download as well! (I have some kids party theme invitations available in my shop!)
Reuse Your Home Decor And Sprinkle In Some Nature
Within the last week or so of my party, I usually go around my house (and dig through my garage) to see what I can find. I look for anything that can match with my party theme or can be used for staging.
You can use things like mason jars, vases, books, bowls, decorative containers, etc. Pinterest is full of amazing ideas if you’re not sure how you can make things work!
You can also see what kind of greenery and flowers you have outdoors. The day of the party, snip it and place it in a container with water to add to your party decor. It’s a super simple way to add life to your party without needing to spend a dime!
Make Your Own Decorations
The main thing I tend to spend the most money on (besides food) is my decorations.
I love being able to bring a party together throughout the whole space I’m working with. To stay within my budget I do a lot of DIY.
If you’ve got craft paper or even something like burlap hanging around, you can make a garland! A plain colored sheet can be used to start a backdrop setup. You can even turn a cardboard box n to SO MANY different kind of party decorations like a photo prop or backdrop decoration.
You’re only limited by your imagination!
Kid’s Entertainment
If you are also hosting kids at your budget party, you’ll probably want to have something to entertain them so the adults can enjoy the company of other party guests.
It can be as simple as chalk on a sidewalk or wood fence if you’re doing an outdoor get-together or you can set up a themed craft table.
For my budget parties in the past, I have done things like bubble paintings, balloon pit scavenger hunt, and party themed coloring pages.
You can usually find some free printables on Pinterest for the kids to color and most of the time you can even find themed party printables as well. The Dollar Tree now has a decent craft section which can make finding a fun craft for the kids even more budget friendly! You can set up kids entertainment for next to nothing!
Let me know if I’ve helped inspire you today! I love hearing your ideas!
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