Party Like a Rockstar (on a Budget)!

It’s that time of year for firing up the barbecue, enjoying an ice cold beer around the bonfire, or an informal dinner under the stars. There’s nothing better than a summer party, while the days are long and the air is warm but unfortunately, parties often aren’t too kind to your wallet. Plan a flawless summer soiree for little to nothing with these money saving tips.

Enlist a co-host to have a party in a budget

Planning a party is not only cheaper but also easier when you have a co-host! You don’t have to shoulder the burden of doing all the shopping, organizing, set up and clean up alone. Choose a friend or family member to co-host with. Flip a coin to decide who’s place you’ll be using and switch the next time around. Sit down together and create a list with two columns, one for yourself and one for your co-host. Place different responsibilities under each column. Create a shopping list the same way.

Organize a Pinterest Pot-Luck to have a party in a budget

This idea is fun for guests and easy for you! Tell your friends you’re throwing a Pinterest Pot-Luck Party. Randomly select recipes from Pinterest (try to choose dishes equal in level of difficulty and price to make) and hand them out to guests. Guests will make their Pinterest dish and bring it with them. You will provide dinnerware, drinks, and a lovely location. There will be plenty of food to go around and much to talk about! Added bonus: People take them dish home with them, so clean up is a breeze!

Brunch instead of dinner to have a party in a budget

Dinner parties are fun but they’re often more expensive than if you were to get everyone together for brunch. Breakfast items are much less expensive and take less time to prepare. Not to mention, they can also be family friendly! Tell your friends to save the babysitter money for another time and bring the kids along. Prep outside with kid friendly toys and games while serving the adults mini quiches and mimosas.

Or choose one dish buffets to have a party in a budget

A one dish buffet is a guaranteed hit! Too many options often feel like the host tried too hard and guest may feel pressured to try everything. Choose something you know your guests love and give them the option to customize. For example, create a taco, potato, pasta or burger bar. Make a bunch of the main ingredient (i.e. chicken and beef for tacos) and then line up a variety of toppings to choose from (i.e. cheese, lettuce, assortment of peppers, sauces, sour cream, etc.). For pasta bars set out a white and red sauce, an assortment of noodles and mix-ins for the taking (i.e. broccoli, artichoke, onion, sautéed peppers, etc.) This gives guests a sort of “activity” while allowing them the freedom to “create their own” meal.

Controlled bar and BYOB to have a party in a budget

If you’ve been to just about any bar recently, you know booze is expensive. So if you’re providing it for your party, you’ll need a classy way to cut corners. Try a controlled bar with only one or two signature mixed cocktails. Or tell your guests you’ll be providing an assortment of beers and anything else is BYOB!