We all love hosting stellar parties for our friends and family, but when it comes to hosting and feeding a bunch of our loved ones, things can get a little expensive. In fact, per-person costs can sometimes push your final cost into the hundreds of dollars for a single night or afternoon of fun.
With that in mind though, you don’t always have to pay through the nose to have a fantastic party, and you also don’t have to offer up lacklustre food and drinks either!
In this article, we’ll take a look at some smart ways to host parties on the cheap and still make sure all of your guests have an incredible time, take a look.
If There’s Alcohol, Shop Smart
One of the first things that come to mind when we talk about hosting a party is, sometimes regretfully, the types of alcoholic drinks that are going to be on offer. If you’re looking to provide drinks for family and friends, it’s always best to shop smart when getting your drinks.
When it comes to drinks for a lot of people, it’s much more affordable to buy in ‘bulk’ rather than in smaller packs, and so we suggest for beer, cider and other canned drinks, to go for the larger slabs. For wines, looking at the larger and affordable bottles,and bulk purchases from sites like Grays where you can.
It might also be worth creating your own mixed drinks to offset some of the cost and keep things more affordable.
High Volume Foods
Another key thing to keep in mind when throwing a party on the ‘cheap’ is to look for foods that are going to go a long way but don’t cost all that much.
For example, in this vein, we suggest taking a look at dishes beforehand and determining which meals you’re happy to make at home while hosting – and then shop based on these! You will be reverse engineering your food offering to be affordable and that’s a great place to start.
In some cases, if you’re a great pasta chef, you could feed a group of 10 people for around $30 to $40 and just topping on a few drinks, you’d have spent not too much at all!
Don’t Stylise the Home
One other factor that we’d like to point out is that you don’t really need to dress the home for a party unless it’s explicitly for a birthday or an event.
Work on rearranging your furniture and decor to make space look more party-ready, for example, though spending hundreds on your party decor isn’t something we would suggest if you’re looking to save money when hosting.
Added to this, the place will be easier to clean up afterward.
Remember, Time Affects Cost
An easy tip we have for you is to remember what time you’re hosting and adjust based on the amount of food you’re looking to buy.
Most parties after dinner are going to be almost entirely decked out with small, cost-effective snacks given that everyone will have eaten already. You may need to spend a little more on drinks, however, this shouldn’t be too much of an added cost if you shop smart.
Plan a Party Fund
If an event you’re planning is a while away, it’s a good idea to simply have a fund set up for it and work to stick to it. You’ll be able to see what your budget is for the party and have more control over your spending given that you’re restrained to this budget.
On top of this, you’ll also be able to use the tips we outlined above to tie yourself to this budget and work to stay within it.
A fun little tidbit here is to have a coin jar, or even a round-up savings app for your loose change, and use the little savings from these to buy some added extras for your party. You’ll have the base budget, and then these nifty little extra dollars here and there to add a dessert or some decorations.
The Takeaway
Our tips above out of the way and you have a little more guidance when it comes to saving some money when hosting a party.
Always be sure to take a look at exactly what you might need and cut back on costly expenses that you don’t need, such as lighting, decor, and other items. Keeping a close eye on your food and what you’re going to be cooking is also a great way to save money when hosting a party.
