Six Steps to Saving Money for your Halloween Party
Halloween parties are a lot of fun, but they can also
be extremely expensive. The more people you invite,
the more food you have to provide, and decorations,
entertainment, and costumes are also a party of the
party atmosphere. Don't worry-you can have a great
party even on a tight budget. Here are six steps to
saving money when you planning a Halloween party.
1. Have a potluck meal. Instead of planning several
snacks yourself, ask everyone to bring something. Make
sure to be very specific as to what not to bring. For
example, maybe you'll make the main dish yourself or
the desserts yourself. You don't have to have a meal.
You can also ask everyone to simply bring finger foods
if your party will be later in the evening. If you are
choosing to have a meal, plan something relatively
easy and inexpensive to make, like Bar-B-Q sandwiches
or cold cuts.
2. Go cheap with the costume. You'll already have
lots of other expenses; so instead of buying a high-
priced costume, make your own inexpensive version. A
pair of your or your spouse's overalls and a flannel
shirt can be a great start to a farmer's costume or a
bed sheet can easily become a toga, for example. Look
around your house to get the creative juices flowing.
3. Plan ahead - way ahead. If you host a Halloween
party every year, purchase party supplies in November
when they go on sale. Of course, you'll have to
purchase candy and other food items fresh, but
decorations and costumers can be found 70% off of more
starting on November 1st. Check out party supply
stores, but don't forget to look for deals at
department and discount stores as well.
4. Get double the use for your money. Look for items
that can be used more than once in different ways. For
example, pumpkins can serve as great decorations, kids
can decorate them with paint during the party as a fun
activity, and then you can use the insides to make
delicious pies or other baked goods the next day. If
nothing else, save your decorations from year to year.
Garland, fake spider webs, and lights can be used
again and again.
5. Keep the party small. I know it's tempting to
invite the whole neighborhood, but you probably don't
have the space or the money to do that! Make your list
and then cut back. A good way to do this is to keep it
adults-only, or you can just invite your closest
friends. Don't feel bad about keeping people off of
the list. Everyone understands that planning a party
is hard and if it's too large it will be too expensive.
6. Buy in bulk. When you can, buy items in bulk-
especially candy. You can find great deals if you buy
larger sized bags, and whatever candy you don't use
you can stick in the freezer to use throughout the year.
Remember, your party should be fun, not stressful. If
money stresses you out, consider scaling back on your
party or enjoy the holiday by going out to others'
parties. At the very least, use the tips above to save
money on your party.