Every new year brings a wealth of new reasons to celebrate. When you’re living on a limited budget, celebrating can seem like an unnecessary expense. But, everyone deserves to throw a good party, and here’s how to throw your next one without spending too much.
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Celebrate the Non-Traditional Holidays Every day has multiple national or international “holidays.” Use these smaller holidays as an excuse to throw a small celebration. Small-scale celebrations mean small amounts of spending. For example, instead of spending all of your money to cook a feast for a traditional holiday, buy a box of donuts and throw a “national donut day” celebration. It’s just as delicious, but it doesn’t strain your wallet.
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Shop Sales During the more commonly recognized holidays, decorations and party supplies are sold at a high price because there is a high demand. Plan ahead and buy all of your decorations for next year during the sales of this year. Sure, you’ll have to make some extra space to store it for an entire year, but the savings will be worth it.
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Get Guests Involved If you’re throwing a party for all of your friends, don’t put all the burden of the expenses on yourself. If it’s a dinner party, you can make it a potluck! Your guests will have fun getting involved and showing off their culinary skills, plus you won’t have to pay for all of the food. If you’re planning a big party, ask your friends to co-host. They can help design the theme, decorations, and activities while splitting the cost with you. If you’re throwing a dance party, ask a friend’s band to play and then charge a small cover and split it with the band. You’ll have some cash to cover the expenses, your friend’s band will love the chance to play, and your other friends won’t mind supporting them.
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Do-It-Yourself With the rise of Pinterest, many people are turning to parties with a more DIY feel. Homemade decorations and mismatched tableware are now seen as quirky and hip, so save money by using what you already have at home plus a few craft supplies to supply your party. Bust out the mason jars, paper bags, and tissue paper- it’s time to get crafty.
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Give Valuable Gifts Even when you aren’t throwing the party yourself, attending a celebration can get costly when you’re expected to give a gift. Instead of picking an expensive item off of their wish list, give them something that they’ll actually use. For example, a pack of Z-Grip Ballpoint pens won’t break the bank and is so useful that you won’t need a gift receipt. Also, take advantage of the non-traditional holidays to show your friends you care. Use a pack of Z-Grip Plus Ballpoint pens yourself to write a handwritten letter to celebrate “National Letter Writing Day” for a gift that’s more personal.
Money shouldn’t get in the way of a good party. Here’s to your next big bash- on budget.
