Bill Gray's white hot dog, macaroni salad, and side salad (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Money-Saving Party Planning Tips
With summer barely days away, the good vibrations of summer partying is slowly creeping up the atmosphere along with the summer heat. Sure, partying is fun especially if your only concern after the party is how to nurse a hangover. However, for the host of a party, another source of headache aside from Johnny and Jose’ lurking in your head the morning after, is when your Benjamins start bolting from your wallet. The cost of a party can get out of hand if you are not careful; the frenzy and fun energy of the party and during the preparation can get you carried away when shopping for party supplies. So this post will discuss some useful summer party planning tips to protect you from excessively spending for the event.
Saving Money Does Not Necessarily Translate to Skimping on Fun
There are several ways of saving money when throwing a party, including setting a budget, refraining from using disposable party items, and proper planning. Heck, that is why you plan, to make things go smoothly, and that includes your finances. Choosing to hold a party in the summer is money saving enough since your party can be as casual as the season. Adopt any of the other tips below and your wallet won’t have to go thin when fall arrives.
Shield Your Wallet With These Party Planning Tips
1. Make the Most of Products that are in Season
Plan your menu and recipes based on what is in season and buy the ingredients at the local farmer’s market. In this way, you can buy them fresher and cheaper. Better yet, make summer’s bounty the theme of your gathering by calling it a Summer Salad Party. Include in your menu a selection of summer main dish salads, such as antipasto, green or vegetable, pasta, and potato salads. Of course, you need to include some meat into some salads (unless you are taking it even farther by calling it Vegetarian Summer Party), but you do not need to spend as much than if you serve barbecue or steaks. This is healthy, not just for the heart, but for the pocket, as well.
2. Make a Hot Dog Bar
This is an alternative, if the salad party would be too much for your mostly carnivorous guests. Dish up your most-liked hot dogs beside the finest buns in your area. Give your guests numerous options by spreading out as many toppings as you can, such as cheese, mayo, ketchup, mustard, onions, chili, relish, sauerkraut, even marshmallows and sticks for the kids. Include tofu dogs so that your vegetarian guests will not feel left out. Supplement your hot dog ingredients with fries, potato chips and pickles.
3. Throw an Ice Cream Party
Who doesn’t love ice cream in the summer? Transform a hot and sweaty summer afternoon into a literally cool party especially among the kids by giving this sweet and cold frozen delight the starring role in your menu. Include various flavors, toppings and other ice cream varieties, like frozen yogurts, ice pops and Italian ices. Examples of toppings would be nuts, fresh fruits, crushed cookies, chocolate chips, candies, fudge, whipped cream, and many others. Talking about reinventing the term “afternoon delight”, but with a more wholesome meaning.
4. Arrange a Post-Fishing Trip Party
If you or your family is fond of fishing in the summer, and often brings home catch too big for family consumption, then you can host this money saving party. All you may need to do is do some grilling, add some side dishes like corn on the cob, tossed salad and bread, then your party is ready to roll.
Get inspired by these money-saving summer party planning tips and avoid a source of headache that could be worse than a hangover – overspending.
Related articles
- Planning A Party? Spruce Up Your Party With A Bit of Decor (plananevent.org)
- Party Planning Checklist – Party Planner’s Map To A Fun, Worry-Free Bash (plananevent.org)
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