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Planning a Halloween party can be one of the most
enjoyable and
memorable times you, your family and friends can have, yet
it can also be very stressful, particularly during the current economy
crunch. We barely have enough to make it from pay check to
pay check but we still want to be able to give our families
a fun Halloween on a budget.
Everything from the specific theme of the party to the
Halloween decorations
you want to use
should be planned out as far ahead as you can so you can
start planning a Halloween spending account. Below are some
money saving tips that can help keep your cash in the piggy
bank, while still throwing a Halloween party to remember.
Hopefully some or all of these ideas may help keep your
wallet from emptying while still having a Halloween party
filled with great memories and fun for everyone. Remember,
no matter how much or how little you spend, the true of
Halloween value is having good friends and family together
for a the special event. Happy planning!
Create a Budget -
Let's face it, things are tight right now and any savings we
can find are always welcome. The first thing that can
really help is to
Budget for Halloween as much as you can and as far in advance as possible, so that you
will have
the extra cash for your special event. have a yard sale in
early Fall to bring in some extra bucks. Not only will it
help with your Halloween budget but it will also get rid of
things cluttering up your life that you don't need anymore.
Plan Early - The
early vulture catches the carcass, as we say around
here, and early
planning can be a lot easier on your pocket book.
First, you need to decide what type of party theme you want
to have and then research
early for reasonably priced products for that theme.
Planning early can
save money on food, drinks, decorations and party ware as well as
increasing the odds that more party invitees can attend
if you get your
Halloween
party invitations out early. In fact, if you hit the
after Halloween sales you can pick up all kinds of things at
anywhere from 50% to 75% off their normal price. Halloween
themed paper plates, drinking glasses, serving bowls,
utensils and decorations for inside and outside your home
can all be found at mass market retailers, party stores and
Halloween specialty shops.
 Buying Online -
Use the Internet to find deals on spooky decorations, table ware, games and other items needed
for your party. You can often find bargains through your
favorite search engine by typing in the name of the
product you are looking for
followed by the word "discount" or "coupon".
Also do comparison shopping. Some search engines will bring
up a list of the product that you are looking for and show
the price given by different retailers.
Ordering decorations and other party
goods online early can also save
on the shipping since last minute purchasers often have
to pay more
to receive their order with higher priority shipping rates and
may not be able to have time to find discounts. Some sites even offer
specials such as free shipping on large orders and no sales tax
when ordered from out of your home state, except California, which
now charges sales tax no matter what state the order was
placed from.
Food & Beverage -
Most of us already have boxes full of decorations from
previous years, but food and beverage are expendable
items that must be purchased or created each year.
Cooking up your own treats can save money and usually tastes better
when made using your favorite Halloween recipes. You can
also throw a
pot-luck party, where everyone brings a
different dish or treat. This should be coordinated a head
of time, though, so everyone brings something different. You
don't want 10 bags of chips and 10 cases of drinks and
nothing else. It takes a little more effort to get one of
these together but it saves money in the long run.
One for All - Get a
group together and plan the party together, sharing the
expenses of the event. This can also be helpful in
creating decorations, bringing set up supplies and
splitting responsibility, especially for those who are
also working while trying to plan the party. Rather than
renting, borrow any extra tables and chairs that you
need from friends and family. You can also do this by
having a
Halloween Block Party which would work basically the
same way. Your whole neighborhood gets together and plans a
party for your street. This works great in suburban
neighborhoods where you are close with your neighbors.
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