How to Save Money on Your Fourth of July Party
It is hard for me to believe it, but the 4th of July is here! If your family is anything like mine, they love to get together for 4th of July backyard cookouts. These can be a ton of fun, but if you are not careful costs can get a little out of control. Here are some tips that will help you save money without cutting into your holiday fun. This is inspired by an article I ran across on US News titled How to Save on Your July Fourth Party.
How to Save Money on Your Fourth of July Party – Decorations
- Your best bet is to hit the dollar store here. Simple red, white, or blue table cloths are a simple way to incorporate the 4th of July theme without going crazy.
- The dollar store is also a great place to pick up utensils and plates.
- If you are the creative type, consider making your own decorations if you have colored construction paper readily available.
How to Save Money on Your Fourth of July Party – Food
- Don’t be afraid to ask folks to bring food! Turn your party into a potluck – chips, dip, beans, deviled eggs, and desserts all make great requests.
- Hot dogs, hot dogs, hot dogs – these are a cheap way to fill up guests.
- Shop early for the best prices on hamburger, steaks, etc. Often, you can purchase meats a couple of weeks ahead of time and store them in the freezer. Prices tend to go up the week before the 4th of July.
- Also, consider fixing chicken vs. beef as current beef prices are pretty high in comparison.
- Prepare your own food vs. buying pre-made convenience items such as fruit or vegetable trays. It may take an extra 10 minutes to prepare, but you’ll save quite a bit.
How to Save Money on Your Fourth of July Party – Drinks
- Skip individual cans of soda and juice boxes. Instead, spring for the larger 2-liter bottles or gallons of juice.
- To really stretch your dollar even further, make up lemonade or OJ from concentrate cans for the kids.
- Announce ahead of time that the party is BYOB.
How to Save Money on Your Fourth of July Party – Entertainment
- Instead of dropping $40 or more on fireworks, scan your local area newspaper of online calender of events to find the nearest fireworks display. It will probably be larger, more impressive, and cost much less that $40 is gas to get there and back. Don’t forget to bring along your own snacks so that you are not tempted to visit local concession stands.
- If you cannot make it to the fireworks display, or it is too far away, consider sparklers. These are fairly cheap and kids love them. Just be careful not to throw the old ones on the ground – they stay EXTREMELY hot for a long while (don’t ask me how I know this)!
- Come up with free games to play vs. spending money. Watermelon seed spitting contest, kick the can, etc.
How to Save Money on Your Fourth of July Party – Final Thoughts
Throwing a great 4th of July party doesn’t need to break the bank. With a little bit of up-front planning, some creativity, and friendly potlucking, you can stretch your dollar pretty far and have an awesome party!
Happy fourth of July to you Derek as well as your family! By buying larger gallons of juice or by making your own drinks would definitely save you a lot, soda is too expensive.
Clarisse @ Make Money Your Way recently posted…5 Smart Finance Tips for New College Grads
Clarisse,
Thanks for stopping by – hope you had a good fourth 🙂 Hope yours was enjoyable. I think probably the cheapest option would be the powdered crystal light or something 🙂
Here’s my inexpensive party food tip: make your own fruit tray! First, the ones from the grocery stores never look all that appealing (or fresh). Second, it’s way cheaper to make your own. I’ve made some great looking ones for less than $10. A little yogurt in the center and you’re ready to go!
Addison @ Cashville Skyline recently posted…Roundup From the Ranch: Fourth of July Style
Addison,
Great tip – those premade trays are great if you are in a hurry, but folks with 10-15 minutes to spare can really save a bundle as you suggest.
Completely agree that the dollar store is the way to go when it comes to decorations. There’s just no need to go all out with great quality as they usually find themselves in the trash. The idea of a potluck is always a good one!
E.M. recently posted…July Budget Preview
EM,
Thanks for stopping by, hope you had a great 4th of July. I hate throwing away perfectly good decorations, but if they came from the dollar tree, it doesn’t hurt quite as bad 🙂
We went to a party this weekend and it was a potluck party. It was nice to bring something and with everyone bringing something, there was much more variety of food than had just one person done all of the cooking.
As for the party favors, less is more to me. As others have pointed out, they typically end up in the trash so in the long run, it’s wasted money.
Jon @ Money Smart Guides recently posted…20 Awesome Investing Quotes To Remember
Jon,
Awesome – glad you were able to save some dough! Agree 100% on party favors – mostly just wasted money.