Not Made Of Money

We don’t entertain nearly as much as we used to. Most of our parties are now “kid friendly” but we still have found some methods that help us to save money when entertaining family and friends. We’ve found that we can still have an enjoyable party without spending a load of money and what matters most is the time spent together rather than the food we serve or the party decorations we bought. Here are some ways we save money on entertaining expenses:

1. Set a budget and stick to it. We always start by deciding what our party budget will be and we do not go over that amount. If you are tempted to overspend, then take only cash with you when you are shopping for party needs. When the money is gone, it’s gone.

2. Plan way in advance. We always plan parties well in advance which allows me time to prepare the food myself, purchase any needed items on sale, and just generally avoid last minute spending. I like to make a timeline of when certain items will need to be accomplished which helps to keep the stress of last minute preparations down.

3. Do it yourself. I save a lot of money by preparing my own appetizers, dips, and other snack food. It doesn’t take much time to put together a veggie tray, bake a plate of cookies, or even make a batch of cupcakes.

4. Use what you already have. When hosting themed parties we just gather together items that we already have. I have several nice tablecloths for different occasions, so instead of purchasing a disposable one, I choose one that fits the theme of the party. Likewise, if I am hosting a party for grownups I use my nice dishes instead of paper plates.

5. Shop the dollar store for party goods. When I do need to purchase paper goods such as plates, napkins, utensils, etc. the dollar store is my place to shop. You can’t beat their seasonal supplies either with all kinds of great party goods for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Super Bowl, etc.

• Saving Money On Family Celebrations
• Five Great Deals From The Dollar Store

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