by Mrs. Not Made of Money
After the stress of the holidays, there’s nothing better than hosting a New Year’s Eve bash to help you cut loose and have some fun. What won’t relieve stress, however, is having to begin the new year by facing leftover bills from your party. Vow to start your new year on the right foot by throwing a killer New Year’s Eve party that doesn’t break the bank. Here are a few tips I have for saving some money on your party:
Free Invites
Saving money on your party can begin as soon as you start inviting folks. Forget spending any of your previous party fund on invitations and postage. Instead, send out your invitations electronically with websites like Evite.com. I love that I can track my invitees responses and send updates about the party to everyone at once.
Inexpensive Eats
Since New Year’s Eve parties tend to start later in the evening and ramp up until the clock strikes midnight, you can skip the elaborate dinner you might have prepared for a Christmas or Thanksgiving party. All you really need to provide for a New Year’s Eve party are great appetizers. Scour the frozen food aisles at your supermarket (or whip up your own) for simple appetizers that you can stock up on. At the party you can give your appetizers a little extra glamour by placing them on festive trays or dishes.
Drinks You Can Afford
You could easily spend a small fortune trying to stock up on different types of beverages for a New Year’s Eve party. Alcoholic drinks can require many different types of liquor to create them. In addition, you might want to have something on hand for your guests who don’t drink alcohol. Before you know it, your beverage list can get out of control. Instead of trying to guess what drinks your guests might want, choose a “signature” drink for the evening. Then you can focus your shopping on making sure you have enough supplies on hand to keep everyone’s glass full for the big moment at midnight.
Entertainment on the Cheap
Hiring a band or renting karaoke equipment is sure to blow your party budget out of the water. Fortunately, with the advent of mp3 players, you can probably get your hands on some great music without spending a dime. Chances are that you have a friend or two who already has quite a collection of music at his disposal. Ask him if he’d mind providing the music for your little party.
Stunning Décor for Next to Nothing
To decorate your home for your New Year’s Eve party, all you really need to do is pare down your Christmas decorations. As you take down your Christmas tree, be sure to keep your strings of lights handy. Then, string the lights throughout party central. Use lots of metal or glassware to give the lights something to reflect off. The resulting effect will be glamorous without being too over the top. Then, dim the room lights and turn up the music.
Reader Questions:
Are you hosting a New Year’s Eve party this year?
If you are do you have any money saving tips to share?
