How to Host a Party on a Budget

Why You Want to Watch Your Expenses

Throwing parties needs to be affordable in order for it to be sustainable. Anyone can set aside enough money to throw a fabulous and remarkable once-in-a-lifetime bash, but if you want to make partying a regular event, it needs to fit in your disposable income budget. How much you spend on your party may vary depending on the type of party you throw or the theme, but ultimately it’s entirely up to you. You don’t have to spend a ton to have an amazing party. Hosting on a budget simply requires a little thought! Here, I’ve got you covered.

Three Basic Ways to Throw a Party on a Budget

1. Replace Other Expenditures with Party Expenditures

Depending on how far you can stretch your disposable income, you may very well find that [throwing a party is a more cost-effective and beneficial way to have fun – link to post]. It could easily be cheaper than, say, regularly going out for meals or for drinks, or buying pre-made coffee every morning. So if hosting parties more often seems like it would strain your budget but you really want to do it, consider other ways you spend your disposable income that you could comfortably sacrifice.

a) Analyze your budget to determine what ongoing subscriptions you can sacrifice

If you subscribe to a streaming service such as Netflix but don’t often use it, you may consider canceling that subscription. After all, you’ll find that party planning and preparation (and the actual parties) takes time away from when you would watch TV anyway. However, think twice if you are more inspired to host movie-watching parties since your streaming subscription may prove valuable for that. An alternative that I’ve often employed is to loan DVDs from the library. Libraries often have their own streaming service, too.

b) Analyze your spending habits to determine where you can cut back

I realize these are basic budgeting guidelines, but it goes without saying that if you want more money for something, you can usually cut back where you spend somewhere else. The alternative is to generate more income, which is obviously ideal so long as it doesn’t strain your time or energy. But assuming your income remains the same, you can pay attention to where and how you spend it.

Many people opt to shop at cheaper grocery stores like Aldi or other businesses that spend less on advertising, overstocking or store aesthetics. That’s a great option so long as you can find what you’re looking for. For produce and the like, you can often find it much cheaper (and fresher!) at local farmer’s markets. Coupons can also add up to be a huge help. If your schedule is flexible enough to shop when the coupons specify, take advantage of that.

There are other resources you can look into for cash back apps and everyday savings. With a little time and effort, you may be able to save a significant amount that widens your disposable income for other endeavors (like party hosting on a budget!).

c) Analyze where your money goes during your free time

If you’re one to go out and enjoy pricy meals at restaurants, think about the cost savings if you reduced that activity. If you are an avid foodie who enjoys every aspect of eating out, then this may be more important to you. But if you find yourself going out for a meal and/or drinks because ‘that’s just what we do after work on a Friday,’ then consider whether a fun party wouldn’t be more interesting. It all depends on your priorities and how you would rather spend your time. If hosting an awesome themed party with all of your friends for an entire evening sounds more appealing, put eating out on hold and use that money you would have spent for party food, decor and supplies for your party.

2. Find Affordable Party Supplies

It can be tempting to grab all of your party supplies at a retailer like Target, which isn’t a terribly expensive store when you buy one thing. But you will find that all those costs add up quick, and the next thing you know you’ve spent way more than you anticipated. For hosting on a budget, think ahead and plan to purchase party decor and supplies from more affordable shops.

a) Shop at your local dollar store

Dollar stores won’t necessarily carry top-quality products. The focus is to provide affordable merchandise, so you get what you pay for. But you’re shopping for party decor and supplies, not furniture. You won’t keep your party decorations up for years to come (but you can if you want to!). While you don’t want total trash that looks bad or falls apart, you just need things that fit the bill.

While you can find plenty to outfit a relatively generic party at the dollar store, you’ll want to shop elsewhere for more elaborate themes. That’s where DIYing and other resources come in handy, which carries us to the next tip.

b) Check out your local thrift stores

Thrifting is a toss-up – you are never guaranteed to find what you’re looking for, but you just may stumble upon it! If you have the time to spare, it’s definitely worth checking out. Consignment stores often also have delicious party decor. There, you’ll pay more than you would at a thrift store, but usually less than new retail prices. Many local preschools throw biannual consignment sales that often include party supplies at a low price. Like a thrift store, though, you have to luck out to find what you’re looking for. Party hosting on a budget requires some hunting. But what you do find is usually significantly less than you’d pay at a consignment store.

c) Peruse online marketplaces

There’s always Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and any local organizations that buy, sell or exchange goods. If you frequent these platforms regularly, you can find some incredible deals on these sites. My local community has a ‘free’ Facebook group where members can give away or receive items free of charge. This helps reduce landfill waste, and it’s also perfect when you find something you can use without paying! You just have to be watchful enough to find something shortly after it’s posted (before somebody else gets it)!

d) Ask friends if they have leftover party supplies

I’ve given away leftover birthday party serveware to friends and have also received the like from neighbours. When we throw any kind of party, we usually have to overshoot so we don’t run out of supplies. This leaves us with more paper or plastic supplies left over, which just sort of sit around…somewhere. People love to free up space in their drawers or cupboards by donating unused party supplies to a friend who will use them. So ask around! Most likely, somebody has some napkins or cups or utensils floating around their kitchen.

3. DIY Your Party Decor and Supplies

The beloved ‘Do It Yourself’ method fits hand-in-hand with party hosting on a budget. Of course, it’s easy to end up spending just as much money on the materials with which you DIY. But if you’re careful, you’ll ideally spend far less than you would for finished products. Or, you could scavenge materials for free – whether from friends with scrap wood, from paper bags or things you already have around the house, or from the side of the road. However you DIY, the most important thing you’ll need is time. There are so many YouTube tutorials and books that can guide you through any step-by-step process to make something. So you don’t have to be extraordinarily skilled. You just have to have the time, and the patience and attention to follow directions.

a) Scavenge things around your house

Do you have any old sheets that you never use and could spare? With some scissors and paint, you could shape any sort of tapestry or backdrop to fit your party’s theme. Hang it from the wall, drape it across an entryway, or drape it over furniture. Get creative with how you portray your party’s mood, and use what you already have!

Do you store paper grocery bags under the sink (or in a closet)? If you can part with them, cut out ‘placemats’ and decorate accordingly. If you tend to hoard glass jars like me, you can remove any labels (or cover them decoratively) and fill them with whatever – rocks, candy, grass, use them as flower vases – whatever suits your theme (or just looks nice). Do you save gift wrap supplies from gifts you’ve received? You can hang tissue paper from the ceiling in whatever shape/colour/arrangement to add dimension to the space above and create whatever environment you’re going for. Same with spiral ribbon.

You probably have plenty of other disposable/expendable things in your own home with which you could DIY. Just rummage through some closets and less-frequented places for anything you can spare. If you can envision it, you can make it!

b) Visit yard sales and scan the curb the night before trash day

As with thrifting, you’re unlikely to find exactly what you’re looking for when you visit yard sales or check for things people kick to the curb. But you just may get lucky! Or you may find something else that you realize you could use. Yard sales often have some weird stuff including leftover materials for any given purpose – so look around for signs nearby and check them out. And while perusing people’s throw-away goods the night before trash pick-up is less likely to produce what you specifically want, you’ll often find something useful like a small wooden table. If you don’t want to paint it and use it as a prop, perhaps you could take it apart and use the wood pieces in some way. That’s just one example, but it’s worth looking around – you never know what you’ll find!

c) Shop at stores that sell DIY supplies

This is obviously the most expensive option, but it’s still cheaper than buying pre-made decor and goods. You can find plenty of supplies at home improvement chains like Home Depot or craft chains like Michael’s. You may have other local options near you. My community has a craft thrift store filled to the brim with everything you could think of, for very cheap. So when you see something you would love for your party on Etsy and you don’t have the budget for it but you do have the time to make something similar, buy the raw materials and go from there to make your own inspired creation. And don’t forget online retailers for DIY supplies. Sometimes you can find good deals there.

Overview of Party Hosting on a Budget

Here is a recap of the 3 effective ways to throw a party on a budget:

1. Replace other expenditures with party expenditures. Analyze your budget to determine what ongoing expenses you can sacrifice; analyze your spending habits to determine ways to get everyday items cheaper; and analyze how you already spend your money during your free time to compare whether it’s really worth it in light of what you most want to do.
2. Find affordable party supplies at local dollar stores and thrift stores. Check online marketplaces for items people are selling or donating nearby. And always ask friends for any leftover party supplies they’re willing to spare – you never know!
3. DIY your party decor and supplies. To find materials, you can scavenge things around your house; visit yard sales and scan the curb for items people set out for trash pickup; and shop at stores that sell the materials you’ll use.

Now that you know ways to budget for a party, no more complaining that you can’t afford to host one! Every party doesn’t have to be a lavish gala. If you would love to throw a party, then you absolutely can make it happen. Sure, you may not have all the thrills and scenery you envision, but you can make what you can with what you have and still create an awesome time for everybody. It really doesn’t take much to create a fun environment for happy socializing. Hosting on a budget is about doing what you can with what you have, and watching it come to life!