Summer is a time when many enjoy spending additional time with family and friends, even hosting parties in order to enjoy warm outdoor weather together with loved ones. Hosting a party, however, can get expensive quickly—at any time of the year. Here are some ways that you can save on your party expenses during the summer.
Make it potluck style.
One of the best ways to save on a party’s most common focal point—the food—is to have guests contribute. Consider preparing one focal dish yourself, such as the hamburgers at a barbecue, and then asking guests to contribute condiments, bread, side dishes, and desserts.
Plan out food portions wisely.
One of the most common sources of additional summer party expense is purchasing and preparing more food than is needed. Get a head count of who is coming beforehand and be realistic when planning out what food to buy. And remember: chances are that if you have a wide variety of foods at your party, your guests are not all going to select one serving of each thing. So, in other words, you do not need to make enough to serve every person at the party for every dish that you put out. Of course, if you do happen to have leftovers, be sure to save them and get creative with how you enjoy them over the next few days. You’ll likely enjoy savings in meal costs with your leftovers.
Feature in-season produce.
If you plan on having fresh fruits and vegetables at your party, be sure that the produce you select is in season. Options for summer include blueberries, cherries, grapes, melons, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, and zucchini.
Include inexpensive entertainment.
Entertainment at your party does not need to be expensive in order to provide a memorable experience. Let the warm weather outdoors be the focus. Consider investing in affordable outdoor games or outdoor bonfire supplies, rather than spending hundreds on a rental water slide or outdoor movie projector setup.
Use reusable party supplies.
It might be tempting to save money initially on disposable party items such as plastic tablecloths, but investing in reusable supplies like fabric tablecloths and cloth napkins just once will save you money in the long run.
Be mindful of future needs.
Once summer is drawing to a close, be sure to plan ahead of time for what you will need the following year for summer parties. That way, you can enjoy major savings at Labor Day and clearance sales and get the party accessories at a significantly discounted price.