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Throwing a Summer Party on a Budget!

by: Katie | last updated: August 21, 2009
Category: Saving on Everything | Tags: party, budget party, summer party, garden party, party ideas, barbecue party, cheap party ideas, throwing a party, party tips

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Throwing a Summer Party on a Budget! Having a barbecue in the garden can be a great way of having an affordable party in the summer.But it's also easy to get carried away! If you don't keep tabs on your spending, the cost of even a small garden party can mushroom.

Here are lots of tips on how to keep your spending under control - so you can enjoy your barbecue without it burning a hole in your wallet.

The Garden Set-up

If you need ‘hardware' like the actual barbecue, or tables and chairs, it's worth trying asking for them on Freecycle - an email list where people offer up items they no longer want - before you spend any money. You can find some good-quality, second-hand goods this way that perform far better than their ‘cheap and cheerful' new equivalents.

You really don't have to decorate much in an outdoor setting. If you'd like just pull out those Christmas tree lights and sting them in a tree for a starry effect.

Food and drink

Use Plastic cups, paper plates and napkins for serving that can often be picked up very cheaply in your local dollar store.

You can keep your costs right down by asking all guests to bring a simple dish, or a bottle of something. People are usually very happy to contribute, and it'll mean everyone will have at least something they like to eat or drink. get remember to have a general idea of who's getting what do you don't end up with 5 salads, wine and nothing else.

Meat or fish is usually the most expensive part of a barbecue - so bulk up the menu with plenty of cheaper, carb-heavy dishes. Pasta, rice or potato salads are all good options because they're cheap, easy to adapt to individual tastes, and simple to make in bulk.
However, for the ‘main event', get the best burgers and sausages you can manage. Poor-quality meat tends to shrivel and dry up to virtually nothing on a barbecue - so it could prove a false economy.

Before and After the Party

Ask guests to bring their digital cameras, take a few snaps and email them to you afterwards.

You can then put together a ‘slide show' of the day and email it to all the attendees as a reminder of the occasion.

Alternatively, if the party was in honor of a particular person, get the photos printed and assembled in an album as an affordable-but-special gift for them.

Precautions! Finally, make sure you don't end up with a huge cleaning/breakages bill at the end of it all.Make sure there is easy access to the toilet, with a floor covering to guard against muddy footprints on the carpet.If you think your do might get a bit rowdy, stash away any breakable objects. Your guests may not treat those garden gnomes with the same respect you do!

As you can see, the key to a cheap barbecue is to plan the whole thing well in advance.

Now you just have to hope it doesn't rain on the day.... good luck!

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Guide Comments

Marlene said about 1 year ago:

heh heh, liked ur suggestion on how to avoid muddy footprints on bathroom floors. And it makes so much sense to share tasks when its an informal gathering. One being, frenz feel involved and at home with the responsiblities..Two, you dont have to fret over things uve forgotten or panic abt whther evrything is covered and as per the plan.