It seems like Thanksgiving has only just happened and yet, for many of us, it’s time to start planning our next holiday party! ‘Tis the season, after all.
In order to keep you feeling festive–rather than broke–here are five simple tips to save money on a holiday party:
- Plan Your Menu Around Sales: Plan your party menu around sales at your favorite grocery store. Do some research to find out what’s on sale, review the grocery coupons you have on hand and then plan your menu accordingly! Visit our grocery section for even more tips and articles that will help you save money on groceries.
- Let’s Do Brunch: In a season that’s filled with dinner parties and other evening events, why not mix it up and throw a brunch party? Ingredients for brunch tend to be a lot less expensive than dinner, so you’ll end up spending a lot less at the grocery store. If you’re not crazy about brunch, how about just doing hors d’oeuvres or a dessert-only menu? This will give your party-goers something to nosh on during the festivities, but you won’t have to break the bank to pay for it. We’re also big fans of potluck dinners and/or BYOB parties…after all sharing is in the spirit of the season, right?
- Buy Wine in Bulk: Ask your local wine shop for a “case price” to buy 12 bottles of wine at a time. This will usually save you 20% or more versus the single bottle price and the discount will only get better if you buy even more. This can be a great way to stock up if you’re throwing more than one party too. In addition to the wine shop, consider sites like Bevmo.com on the West Coast, or Winelibrary.com on the East Coast, for great deals.
- Dishwasher vs. Disposable: Although it can be convenient to buy a bunch of disposable plates and cutlery for your parties, it’ll end up costing your more in the long run. Using your own dishes and utensils and then running the dishwasher will be cheaper and better for the environment.
- Skip the Print Invitations: This is probably a no-brainer these days, but using email, Facebook, Evites or any number of other online resources is a lot cheaper (aka free!) than the cost of printing and mailing physical invitations to your party.
Following these simple tips will help cut your costs on the next holiday shindig. Do you want more tips? No problem! Just visit LOZO’s Parties & Holidays section for even more ways to save money on parties.