Need a few tips to plan a low-budget party? We have got you covered!
In the wake of what the world has gone through over the last two years, people are now eager to plan and host parties to enjoy themselves with friends and family again. Of course, most of these people want to be able to do it without seriously depleting their bank balance. This makes it more challenging for them to host a memorable party with limited options. However, Meadowvale Party Rentals has got you covered. This article will share some of the best tips that will help you host an event without breaking your bank account.
❇️ HAVE A MAXIMUM LIMIT FOR THE NUMBER OF GUESTS
Look, the more people you invite, the more dollars you will spend. There are many things to spend on, such as food and drinks, seating arrangement, an enormous cake, games if you wish to have them and so on. If you are on a budget, it is best to limit the number of guests you will invite. You can have a party at a smaller scale, and it can still be a lot of fun. The ‘fun’ and ‘memorable’ elements do not come from the number of people you call over, but rather the quality of time you all spend together. Hence, feel free to review and reduce your guest list to make sure you get the right audience to have a good time with your loved ones.
❇️ SEND OUT DIGITAL INVITATIONS
After you have decided when and where you will host your party, the next step is to send out the invites. Ideally, you would like to send out a tangible invite that can be retained as a souvenir or a reminder of a good time. However, considering the constraint on your budget, we recommend that you create digital invitations and send them to your friends and family through social media. There are numerous websites you can use to create and send out invites, and most of them are free of cost. Here are some options you can consider browsing:
⭕ Canva
⭕ BeFunky
⭕ Piktochart
⭕ Vectr
⭕ Crello
Do some more digging, and you would not even need to hire a fancy graphic designer to design a party invite. If you hold some skills in designing yourself, you may even consider more professional software to create your invites, such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe XD, and Adobe Photoshop. Moreover, it completely takes away the cost of printing and couriering the invite to your guest list. So consider creating innovative and personalized digital invites when you need to cut down extra expenses for a budget party.
❇️ GO TO A DOLLAR STORE TO GET ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES
More often than not, people start overspending on supplies they do not need. Granted, it adds a fancier touch to the party, but we recommend that you skip this part when you are having a party on a budget. There is simply no need to get extraordinarily fancy with essential supplies such as plates, cups, and décor. When planning a party on a budget, dollar stores are your best friend. You can cut down a large chunk of cost by getting decent quality essential supplies from a dollar store. You can also find nearly every necessary item for a party at a dollar store for a fraction of its price. When you have a constraint on your budget, never forget that dollar stores are a huge help!
❇️ HIRE A PARTY RENTALS COMPANY
You might be thinking if this point is even legit or not. Let us guarantee you that it is. There is more to planning and hosting a party than just having the proper plates and cups. You might need tables, chairs, tents, and other accessories to decorate your party location. Event rental companies such as Meadowvale Party Rentals will simplify this task by providing you with an all-inclusive rental service. You can rely on them to set up and take down the tent, arrange the tables and chairs, and light up your location up with an aesthetic décor. Moreover, it takes away the burden of after-party clean-up as well. Therefore, if there is one factor you should always consider spending on, it is an event planner.
❇️ SELECT A COST-FREE PARTY VENUE
Many party venues are extortionate enough to drain half of your budget for the party. In such cases, we recommend you to go for cost-free party locations. If you have a small-scale party with a limited number of guests, you do not need to rent a vast and fancy venue. Here are some alternatives that you can take your pick of venue from without paying extra dollars for its rent:
- Backyards: Your backyard or a friend’s backyard would make a decent venue. It is simpler to access and offers you more time for last-minute preparations.
- Local parks: If your event is slightly larger than what you can fit inside your backyard, then going to the local parks is the perfect, free-of-cost alternative. Local parks are clean and spacious and add the soothing element of nature to your party that keeps your guests fresh for a long time.
- Beaches: Host your party at a nearby beach. The breezy venue and the soothing sound of the ocean will add an extra flair to your party. It may also help you cut down any additional entertainment costs as the sea itself is a great entertainment.
❇️ GO FOR HIGH-VOLUME FOODS
If you have hosted a party before, you probably know that there are some foods you can make in high volume that do not cost a king’s ransom. High-volume, low-cost foods offer your guests various options to choose from while falling entirely within your budget. Here are some of the foods you can get inspired to include in your menu without emptying your bank account:
- Pasta: You can follow a timeless pasta recipe to provide your guests with. If you got for a potluck, ask your guests to bring their favorite toppings or sauces. It allows everyone to share their desired add-ons to the main course.
- Soups: A classic starter that you can use to serve plenty of people. If your party is in the winter season, then the soup is your ultimate lifesaver for a party on a budget.
- Cheese and crackers: While you can offer soup crackers alongside soup, there is a variety of crackers that you can keep as a separate dish. Cheese and crackers are simple yet tasty food items that will keep your guests wanting more.
- Baked potatoes: Baked potatoes topped with some cheese – or not – will go a long way. They can be kept as tasty bites that anyone can eat casually while walking around and keep your guests full.
❇️ GO FOR A POTLUCK PARTY
Potluck parties are those where you ask each guest to bring one dish to the party. These are great for bonding and getting a variety of food to the table. If your group of guests is from different backgrounds, it is an excellent chance for everyone to try different cuisines. Moreover, it takes away the burden, costs, and responsibility of providing the guests with all the food and drinks. Hosting a potluck party will let every guest contribute something to the dishes and drinks. You can use this to cut down any excess costs you may not have the budget to spend on when you have a party.
❇️ SELECT A THEME FOR YOUR PARTY TO STAY FOCUSED
Most people get distracted by the unique variety of party essentials available at a store. From sparkly items to fancy décor items – everything seems inviting. In such moments where your decision-making may waver, having a single theme for your party will limit your options in choosing the décor items. If you are one of the people to get easily distracted by the endless possibilities, you should probably consider having a themed party. It will allow you to stay focused on the theme for décor supplies and ensure that you do not add everything you find attractive to your cart. Here are some themes you can get inspired to make your party about:
- Circus or Funfair: All you genuinely need for this theme is some circus-relevant music, some signs, and a red-white-and-blue colored balloon arch. You can ask your event rental company to set it up for you, and we assure you it will be within budget.
- Heroes VS Villains: A fun party idea especially for couples where you can dress up as heroes and villains. You can also coordinate with different guests to dress up as your favorite characters if you are single or need more members to help you pull the idea off.
- Halloween: It truly depends on the month you are hosting your party, but having a Halloween theme is an all-time favorite for both children and adults.
- Casino: Go for red and gold cloth curtains, cards, dice, and DIY some dollar bills and a sign to make your venue shine and scream the theme for itself.
- 80’s Retro: Set up an 80’s playlist, some bright mocktails, and wear bold colors with a heaping amount of permed hair, and voila! Your theme and décor are all done with minimal effort.
❇️ SET UP A BOUNCE HOUSE TO ELIMINATE EXCESS GAME-COSTS
If children are coming to your party, it is a crucial requirement that the party has a corner dedicated to them. It allows their parents to have fun instead of only running after the kids throughout the party. You can rent a bounce house for the kids to keep them occupied for hours. It is more cost-efficient than setting up multiple game corners. However, it also depends upon the venue you have selected, as some places are not suitable enough for a bounce house. Consider going for smaller-sized trampolines in those cases, as they will serve the same purpose while occupying less space. In any case, it is one of the simplest and the most budget-friendly ideas to keep the young ones busy throughout the party.
❇️ SET A MAXIMUM LIMIT FOR YOUR BUDGET AT THE START
Many people tend to overspend because they do not have a maximum limit for their spending budget. Often, it makes them spend on unnecessarily fancy items instead of the essentials. Therefore, this one is the last but not least of our recommendations: you should have a predefined maximum budget. It enables you to work smarter with spending your money and helps you cut down on costs that you can cut down without lowering the overall quality of the party. Whether it requires you to DIY the décor or contact a professional party rentals company, you will be able to make better and more profitable decisions when you have a predefined budget set in order.
CONCLUSION
To sum it up, there are numerous factors to consider when planning a party on a budget. It is reasonably simple to get distracted by the number of options available at a store when you go shopping for party supplies. However, having a predefined budget in mind helps you restrict overstepping the boundary of your budget line. Going for more intelligent options will also be helpful when looking for ways to cut down unnecessary costs. For instance, go for e-invites for your limited guest list to avoid paying for printing and delivery costs. You can use user-friendly websites to help you design a personalized invite and send it to your guests via email or social media. Having a cost-free venue will allow you to cut down on the hourly rent of a fancy location. Moreover, making the party a ‘one-dish’ will help you reduce the amount of money you spend on food and allow everyone to contribute their favorite dishes to the table. It is a surprise to none that planning and hosting a party can be expensive; however, with the help of this article, we hope you can eliminate all excess costs to host a perfect party within your budget.