Party Planning on a Budget - 18 Great Money Saving Tips For Your Next Celebration

Do you want to plan a party, but are worried that it will cost too much? You can still have a great celebration without breaking your budget. Here are 18 top tips to help you save money.

1. Borrow music CDs from your library. Maybe you need dance music to liven up the crowd. You might want easy listening melodies as a background for conversation or Hawaiian songs for a luau theme party. Your public library should have it available and ready to lend to you.

2. Decorate with balloons. Balloons are festive and cheap, especially if you fill them with air, instead of helium. Search online and you will find instructions for making impressive balloon arches, garlands, columns and more.

3. Rent a helium tank. If you prefer helium filled balloons and you need lots of them, it's cheaper to rent a tank and fill the balloons yourself. However, if you're only buying a few, you can save money by purchasing them already filled at the dollar store.

4. Light lots of candles around the party for instant, inexpensive atmosphere.

5. Keep your little, white Christmas lights handy. String them around the buffet table, doorway, centerpieces, potted plants, just about anywhere to create an elegant look to any party, without spending a lot of cash.

6. Buy a reusable ice sculpture mold. These can cost under $20, are easy to fill, fit in your freezer, and can be used over and over again. Find them online for a low cost, yet fancy touch to your celebration.

7. Forget flower centerpieces. Yes, they're pretty, but expensive. Instead try tealights floating in a large shallow glass bowl filled with water. Or you could place framed photos of the guest of honor on the table for a nice tribute. You can even display party favors as the centerpiece.

8. Make your own invitations. With greeting card software on your computer, your printer and a little creativity, you can save money by doing these yourself.

9. Browse online for cheap invitations. If you're not the crafty type, you can find great bargains online for invitations. Do some searching, and you may be surprised at the deep discounts available.

10. Go with photo invitations that feature the guest of honor. These can even cost less than regular paper invitations, if you hunt around the internet for the right company. You can also trim the price by choosing a smaller size, like 4 x 6 or 4 x 8 inches.

11. Invite less, save more. Sure, it's nice to have a big bash. But if you're watching your wallet, nothing cuts expenses faster than shrinking the guest list. Think quality over quantity. It's better to have a smaller party, than no party at all.

12. Cut costs on party favors. You can obviously eliminate them if your budget is extremely tight, but if you decide you want to send your guests home with a little thank you gift, you can make them yourself. One simple idea is to use occasion appropriate gift wrapping paper to wrap Hershey candy bars as a thoughtful giveaway.

13. Order cheap favors online. If you don't want to make your own, you don't have to resort to the dollar store for favors. For around the same price you can find inexpensive personalized items, some even with a photo. You just have to be willing to do a little searching.

14. Consider having your party from 2 - 5 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday. No one will expect a big meal during those hours, so you can get away with just serving coffee and cake.

15. Invite your guests for just appetizers or dessert. Your invitation can say something like "please join us for an open house with hors d'oeuvres".

16. Go with a buffet, if you want to have a full dinner for a lot of people. Include inexpensive, but crowd pleasing pasta dishes and casseroles. Find recipes you can make ahead and freeze.

17. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Make it a potluck and request that guests bring a dish. If you can, borrow rather than rent chairs, chafing dishes, outside tents, etc. Enlist a friend to help you serve.

18. Be kind to the environment and your budget by using real plates, glasses and silverware. Of course, disposable paper plates, cups and plastic forks make clean-up easier, but they add to your expense. Use what you have, wash the dishes and save money.

Yes, you can have a great party without spending a lot of money. With a little creativity, time and effort you can cut expenses. But that's not all. You can leave your guests with the impression you actually splurged.

About The Author: Linda Kling, as the owner of Photo Party Favors, has offered ideas to people planning parties and celebrations since 1992. Visit her website for cheap unique photo favors and inexpensive photo party invitations plus lots of free make ahead party recipes.