Being a good hostess is almost as important as being a good mom. Take it from the Hostess with the Mostest when I say, throw a shindig that’s less than spectacular and you’ll forever be known as a party flop.
Now, having said that, throwing a great party can be extremely expensive. You almost have to take out a second mortgage on your house just to supply enough food and drinks to keep guests happy. How can you throw a holiday party that’ll keep guests talking about it until the Fourth of July without spending your life’s saving? Take a peek at the suggestions below on how to save money!
1. Social Media is your Friend
It’s true. If you’re anything like me, you spend a great deal of time on Facebook and so do your friends and family. Rather than spend money on paper invites and postage, create an event on the largest social media platform and invite all of your guests to join. Virtual invites are easy, less time-consuming, and give guests who are already on Facebook something easy to refer to for details. Of course, there will probably be those who don’t have a Facebook account, but it should be pretty cheap to invite them via snail mail. And you thought Facebook was just a way to cure your boredom…
2. Potlucks are Fun
Why should you be the only one supplying the eats? There’s nothing wrong with having your guests bring a dish to pass. Not only will it save you money, everyone will get to enjoy a wide variety of food that otherwise wouldn’t have been available had you had to buy and make it all yourself.
3. Make it a Keg Party
If most of your guests are beer drinkers, save a few bucks (several, in fact!) by buying beer by the keg rather than by the case. Go to the dollar store and buy holiday party cups to dress it up a bit. For wine drinkers, ask guests to bring a bottle of their favorite bubbly to share. You never know — maybe you’ll find a new favorite this way.
4. Go Easy on the Decorations
Alright, I understand half the fun of the holiday season is the decorations, but you can create a really festive atmosphere with just a few simple pieces. Set up strands of lights, some cleverly placed ornaments and garland, and you’ve set the mood for a great Christmas get-together. To save even more, you can try making your own decorations. Time-consuming, yes. Expensive? Definitely not!
5. Plan Ahead
It’s a little late in the game for this to be an effective tip, but thinking ahead for next year can save you a ton of money. Don’t wait until the beginning of December to begin buying party supplies. Instead, keep an eye open early in the year for things like paper plates, cups, and more and pick them up early. Something else I like to do is buy supplies for next year right after Christmas. The stores put everything on sale at super-reduced prices, so that’s the perfect time to stock up for next year’s soirée.
Photo credit: Thinkstock
