8 Ways to Save Money – Budget Entertaining

How to Save Money – Budget Entertaining Ideas that will work for any season! 

Today I’m sharing some ideas that I use often, as I love to host at home. Saving money when entertaining is something that we value in our household. Entertaining friends and family truly doesn’t have to break the bank!  The whole point of hosting and entertaining is creating a fun and relaxing environment for those who are near and dear to your heart.  If you are wanting to create that type of atmosphere for your guests, why wouldn’t’ you want that for yourself as well?  As the host, you have control of the ins and outs of the party.  You hold the keys to the party kingdom…how will you plan?  The idea that entertaining has to be pricey couldn’t be further from the truth.  There are ways to host a lavish looking and feeling party, without the price tag that comes along with it!  Need a few ideas on ways to save money when entertaining?  Here are a few great suggestions to help you start planning your next budget-savvy party.

8 Ways – Save money budget entertaining ideas

1. Save those stamps!

Long gone are the days when mailing out paper invites are necessary.  It takes time to track down all the addresses that you need, and you also have to purchase the invites and stamps to go along with it!  Talk about some extra costs that can add up!  Try hosting an event and sending out those e-vites.  Not only are they sent and delivered immediately, they can save you some serious dollars! Below is a sample of my daughter’s wedding reception invitation on Paperless Post. They also did their registry on-line and it just made everything so easy.

2. Host at home.

Why splurge on a venue to host your event, when you can cut that cost and have your friends just come to your house instead?  Hosting at a different location can be quite expensive. Save money budget entertaining ideas with the plan that I had helped me host my daughter’s wedding (see it HERE) and it was elegant and thrifty as well.

3. Plan ahead.

Nothing adds up quicker than last-minute purchases and additions.  Think of the last time you had to buy something last-minute.  There wasn’t time to price around or try to find the best deal possible…You literally had to buy the first item that you saw.  The same concept goes for hosting and entertaining.  If you know that you are going to have a holiday party, why not start planning and preparing for it earlier in the year?  Not only will you be less stressed as the event gets closer, but you will also have the ability to shop and buy items needed as they go on sale throughout the year.  What a great way to appear cool, calm and collected the night of your party!

4. Have guests help!

If it matches with the theme of your party, why not have guests contribute a bit?  A perfect opportunity for this is for an outdoor BBQ.  Have each person bring a covered dish to share.  Immediately, your food costs are cut down dramatically.  Not only does this help with your bottom dollar, but it also gives the fun option to try all different types of yummy foods.

5. Keep it simple.

Don’t overcomplicated details.  Too many options, too many choices, can cause that cost to keep rising.  Decide on a plan, and stick to it.  For beverages, stick to a couple of options to offer, water included.  Another easy way to keep the budget low is by skipping on providing alcoholic beverages and having those guests in attendance BYOB if they so choose.

6. Use items you have at home.

Think of items that you have around your house that you can use to entertain with.  A punch bowl that was given as a gift at your wedding?  Perfect.  Some white Christmas lights in storage?  Sounds like a fun way to spruce up the outdoor patio area for guests to see at night!

7. Serve simple foods that are in-season.

Planning your menu around food items that are in season and on sale is a great way to save money instantly.  Veggies trays that you put together yourself are a great money saver and skip paying the extra convenience fee for pre-cut up fruit platters.  Scour the sale ads and head to the store to stock up on fresh fruit that you can cut up yourself.  Saving money on food can be simple!

8. Host with friends.

Have you ever given thought to hosting with another family or hosting with other neighbors in your area?  It can be a lot of fun and creates a great atmosphere of teamwork as well.  Splitting all the costs is also a great motivator, too!

Don’t let the fears of cost shy you away from hosting or entertaining!  There are a ton of great ideas and ways to be able to entertain within, and under, your budget.  Try a few of the suggestions to save money with budget entertaining ideas above and see if any may work for you.  You may be surprised that by following a couple of these tips, you’ll actually have money left over in your budget to put towards something else you’ve had your eye on!  Have fun party planning and learning new ways to save that money!

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