frugal party ideas

Frugal Super Bowl Party Ideas

Linsey Knerl — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:24:21 +0000

As with most years, the upcoming big game sends consumers frantically dashing to the store to stock up on paper supplies, good eats, and spirits to indulge in. Even with the annual sale pricing on common staples like corn chips, sodas, and little weenies, it can be a financial drain to go all out for the event. Since many of the most frugal ideas are also more creative — and fun! — I’ve rounded up some expert tips to help you have the best blow-out without blowing up your budget. (See also: 45 Other Things to Do on Super Bowl Sunday)

Super Bowl Stew

Reminiscent of the fairy tale “Stone Soup,” this modern-day feast can easily accommodate as many guests as you can fit into your home and will likely get cheers from the crowd. Bjorn Karger, author of The Underground Guide to Living Frugal dishes on the details: “It needs everyone's help to win; just ask everyone if they could bring something to add to the stew. Have a simple broth going — water and a powdered soup-packet will do, or slice up an onion and add a few herbs and oil. Even with a small party of four to six guests you'll be surprised at how much food will come in and how fun it will be.” Ideas for ingredients guests can bring include potatoes, chicken, shrimp, okra, carrots, and even coconut and curry. Sounds like a fun and delicious way to bond!

Grilled Cheese Station

If the idea of a hotel waffle bar gives you tingles, you’ll likely be the type to appreciate a grilled cheese station at your next Super Bowl party. The idea is simple — set up a table with an electric griddle, and lay out an array of unique ingredients to create one-of-a-kind grilled cheese sandwiches. Don’t forget to include five or more varieties of cheese, and remember that the thicker the bread is, the more filling (and affordable) the sandwiches will be. Not a grilled cheese fan? Put a twist on it by offering the same set-up for paninis or even quesadillas.

A Presentable Potluck

Is asking your guests to bring a side dish or even alcohol acceptable in today’s culture? Most definitely! Will it yield positive results? Not always. As many experts have pointed out, many people interpret the word “potluck” as “stop by the dollar store and pick up a few jumbo-sized bags of chips.” If you’re concerned that guests won’t put effort or creativity into their offerings, assign categories of food to people based on their last name (first letters of A-E bring one item, F-K another type, etc.) In any case, don’t depend on guests to provide the bulk of the food and drink; always have a main course and a substantial amount of non-alcoholic offerings to go around.

Budget Beverages and Tableware

While most people assume that food will be the most expensive part of the party, drinks and tableware can be even more costly. Wona Miniati, co-author of the popular Cooking With Trader Joe's cookbook series, suggests starting simple where tableware is concerned: “Thrift stores are a great place to pick up one-off pieces. A collection of non-matchy-matchy plates and glasses can be cute and eclectic.” She also likes the idea of serving plain water with a selection of fancier garnishes like fresh citrus fruits, cucumber, or pomegranate seeds. For an affordable spritzer, combine one part juice with one part sparkling water.

With less than a week until the Super Bowl, it may be too late to use some of the more extreme tactics of coupon-clipping and ad matching. What tips do you have for making the big game gathering even bigger?

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This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

15 Theme Ideas for a Memorable Halloween Party

Ashley Watson — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:24:11 +0000

Whether or not you consider yourself a creative person, you can throw a memorable Halloween bash without too much fuss. Choosing a theme is one way to make your party unique, and your guests will appreciate not having to think too much about their costumes. Themed parties can also streamline decisions on what to serve for food and drinks, if you include those in the theme. (See also: Last Minute Halloween Parties That Pop!)

Always send invitations, even if you don't go with a theme. I like to send electronic invitations using Evite because I can design my own cards, send out multiple invitations, and pay nothing. Handmade cards are also nice and cheap. People tend to attend parties that have a formal invitation because they know the host has taken the extra time and effort to send them something personal.

No matter what method you choose, remember to send out invitations at least a week before Halloween. It's always a good idea to send an email reminder a few days before the party as well. Be sure to include details, such as what to bring and what to wear if it's a themed party.

Here are fifteen theme suggestions to help make your Halloween party unique and stress free.

1. Pumpkin Carving Contest

A few years ago, I went to a BYOP pumpkin-carving party, complete with a contest for the best jack-o-lantern. To save on cost, the hosts provided pulled pork and a crockpot of spiked cider, and guests were asked to bring their own pumpkin and their favorite snack or drink. The hosts didn't participate in the carving contest so that they could judge at the end of the night. The winner received a modest gift certificate to a local restaurant just to make the competition more exciting, although you could come up with a cheaper prize or a gag gift. You don't necessarily have to make an entree, but it's nice to provide something for guests to eat and drink. Make sure you create a space large enough for people to work. Our hosts covered a long table with newspapers, but you can always move the party outside if it's warm enough. You can make costumes optional, which is nice for people who don't enjoy dressing up for Halloween.

2. Murder Mystery

I tried this last year at my house, since I've always wanted to host a murder mystery soiree, a la the movie Clue (without the actual murders of course). A few weeks before Halloween, I started some online research to find out how to actually host a whodunit dinner party. I found lots of great murder mystery websites, but every site charged a hefty amount for the script and rules to the game. I did eventually find a few free mystery packages after I had made up my own script, which I admit was a bit lame. A word of caution — some of the scripts can be up to 69 pages long! Give yourself enough time to prepare if you want your murder mystery party to be a success. They also work better with fewer guests, particularly if you want to serve dinner at the party.

3. Classic Costume Party

Ghosts, vampires, witches, zombies, and werewolves — you can't go wrong with classic horror. You can add a costume contest and hand out prizes to the best costumes, and/or hand out prizes for the lamest costumes. Guests could also bring their favorite classic Halloween music. (See also: 12 Sites to Find Affordable Halloween Costumes)

4. Rocky Horror Picture Show

Why not bring the cult classic into your home? You can show the movie if you have a large enough space for it. If you think this theme is overdone, you should see the crowd standing outside the theater any time this movie is shown. People who love this movie will definitely show up, and you might introduce it to those who've never seen the film.

5. Couples Costume Contest

One of the best costumes I've ever seen was actually a duo costume. A couple showed up at a party dressed as the main characters in Raising Arizona. The guy even had pantyhose on his head, and he was carrying a bag of Huggies. But you don't have to be a "couple" just as long as it is a costume that requires a pair.

6. Classic Literary Characters

This is a great theme for all the bookish types out there. You can also add famous authors to this theme. There are dozens of costume choices for your guests, including more options for couples or groups (consider the various Round Table groups throughout the 20th Century). You can also ask guests to bring a favorite poem or short excerpt from a novel to read.

7. Food-Themed Party

Have your guests dress up as their favorite food or drink. This helps guests decide what to wear and opens up possibilities (I saw someone dressed as a piece of sushi once). You can also pair the costumes with a potluck and ask guests to bring their favorite cuisine. Make sure you offer a few different dishes so that there's some variety, just in case everyone shows up with pizza and hamburgers.

8. Film Nut Party

There are many ways to host a film-themed party. You can ask guests to dress up as characters from their favorite films, or they can dress up as classic or modern movie stars. If you turn it into a contest, you could hand out "Oscars" to the best costume, best supporting costume, etc.

9. Halloween Cocktail Contest

I know the "contest" theme has been a prominent one, but having a contest at any party makes it more interactive and adds energy to the evening. Plus, there are dozens of ways you could make a Halloween-themed cocktail. Asking guests to bring the ingredients for their entry will also save you money if you plan on serving alcohol anyway. Adding a contest will motivate guests to come up with some amazing drinks, and you can have different categories (drinks that call for wine, beer, or a specialty liquor). For prizes, you can give away a bottle of fine wine, a case of a microbrew, or a bottle of top shelf liquor. (See also: 13 Halloween Drink Recipes)

10. YouTube Halloween

Although I've never done this with a Halloween party, I was invited to a potluck where guests were asked to pick their favorite YouTube video under three minutes. The host hooked up her computer to a large flat screen TV to show the clips. I saw some of the strangest and most hilarious videos that I would never have seen otherwise. You could ask guests to pick Halloween-themed videos, but make sure they're under three minutes if you plan on having a lot of guests, or it could go on all night.

11. Couch Potato TV Party

Like the film party, you can ask guests to arrive dressed as a character, but from a specific television show, with enough characters to provide options for everyone. (I'm thinking The Simpsons or Arrested Development, or this could easily work for a movie with a large cast, such as Grease or Star Wars.) You could also incorporate games. At the risk of sounding like a complete geek, I own The Simpsons trivia game, and it is more fun when you have teams competing against each other instead of individuals. But you could make up your own trivia game for whatever show you pick and offer a prize to the team that wins the most rounds.

12. Brothers Grimm Party

One year my companion and I dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. It was an easy costume to put together, and we didn't have to answer, "What are you supposed to be?" all night as long as we remained in close proximity to one another. In any case, you could make this party interesting and ask guests to arrive as lesser-known fairy tale characters, and offer a prize to the most obscure costume.

13. Dead Rock Star Party

If you've ever seen the movie Spinal Tap, you know from the spoof on dead drummers that there are plenty of famous rock stars who died young. Even so, you may have multiple Hendrixes or Joplins show up. In that case, you could offer a prize to the "Best Dressed." You could also incorporate another trivia game about the lives of the deceased rock legends. After all, Halloween is all about celebrating the dead.

14. Era Party

If your friends are the last-minute type, choose a decade and tell them to come dressed as someone from that era. It's easy to pull together a 1920s flapper costume or a hippie from the '60s or '70s. (See also: 85 Easy, Frugal Halloween Costumes)

15. Political Party

Not only is this a nice play on words, but there are plenty of political players on the scene to choose from (just look at how many Republican presidential candidates are in the race). You don't have to limit your guests to elected officials or running mates. People like Jon Stewart, Bill O'Reilly, or even the Wall Street protestors are also considered political figures. But you don't want everyone showing up in business attire, so offer a prize to the most creative costume.

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This article is from Ashley Watson of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Frugal Fourth of July Party Ideas

Meg Favreau — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:00:17 +0000

Growing up, Fourth of July was one of my favorite holidays. I lived in rural New Hampshire at the time, an area that isn't exactly known for having a lot to do. But every Fourth of July, a small carnival would come into town; the day was filled with parades, entertainment, and contests; and at night, everyone from the surrounding area would gather on the baseball field to watch the fireworks.

These days, I tend to celebrate the Fourth of July having a low-key barbecue with friends. If you're planning a Fourth of July gathering this year, here are some ideas to keep it fun, frugal, and festive. (See also: Some Fourth of July Numbers)

1. Have a Potluck

This is pretty much my favorite frugal suggestion for any party. If you're having a classic Fourth of July barbecue, provide the dogs, burgers, and buns, and let your guests bring the side salads, chips, and drinks.

2. Take Advantage of the Free Entertainment

Even if you're hosting a party, that doesn't mean you have to skip big events in town. Consider having a pre- or post-event barbecue. Invite everyone over for some food and drinks after the parade or before the fireworks, and that way you don't have to worry about providing things to do beyond good company and good eats.

3. Pass on Purchasing Fireworks

If fireworks aren't already illegal in your state, pass on purchasing anything greater than sparkler-strength. There's likely already a great fireworks display happening somewhere nearby anyway, and fireworks can be dangerous.

4. "D" the Decorations

In this case, "D" stands for both DIY and dollar store. Check out your local $1 emporium for cheap Fourth of July themed decorations as well as stand-alone red, white, or blue elements like vases and plastic plates. (You might even be able to raid your Christmas or Hanukkah decorations for items that are simply red, white, or blue.) And on the DIY side, red, white, and blue paper chains make lovely Fourth of July decorations (plus they're a great way to get kids involved). Or try cutting out paper stars in those patriotic colors and hanging them from the ceiling with different lengths of string.

5. Skip the Pricey Berries

So many Fourth of July dessert recipes suggest decking cakes and other desserts with appropriately colored raspberries and blueberries. But depending on where you live, those berries might not be in season yet. Don't feel the need to spend $4 a container of raspberries (as delicious as they may be) — look to less-expensive strawberries, get frozen berries if it's appropriate for the recipe, or use food coloring to make your cake colorful.

6. Get Active With Games

Check out Family Fun Magazine's collection of 26 Outdoor Games. While the list is kid-focused, there's fun to be had for adults as well. And you can never go wrong with classics like kickball, touch football, or even a good-ol' three-legged race.

7. Throw Out (Some) Tradition

Just because the Fourth of July is traditionally a barbecue party doesn't mean you need to do that. Check out Julie's Fabulous Party Ideas for the Frugal-Minded for great ideas like a make-your-own-pizza party (and hey, you can always cook that pizza on the grill).

Do you have any ideas for celebrating a frugal Fourth of July? Share in the comments!

This article is from Meg Favreau of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Frugal Oscar Party Ideas

Meg Favreau — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:36:32 +0000

Ah, the Oscars. That magical awards ceremony where Hollywood's finest don their most elegant regalia, vie for the most prestigious honors in their industry, and get drowned out by music when they try to thank too many people. Whether you're a film fan or crave celebrity gossip, watching the Oscars with friends and family can be a lot of fun. (See also: Three Cinematic Theme Parties for the Home Entertainment Crowd)

Hosting an Oscars-watching party can also get pricey, though, as you try to replicate all the swankiness of Hollywood. Here are some suggestions for having an enjoyable, classy, and/or amusing gala, even if you didn't make half a million on your last film.

Make It BYOB

Offer Oscar-worthy cocktails for less by creating a BYOB cocktail bar. Tell your guests that you'll provide a variety of mixers and garnishes, and ask them to bring their own alcohol. This works best if you let your guests know what you'll have ahead of time so they have an idea of what will mix well; you can even provide some recommended recipes in your invitation or at the event. Some good suggestions for items to have on hand include lemon and/or lime juice, club soda, tonic water, sliced lemons and/or limes, maraschino cherries, bitters, simple syrup, and cranberry juice. Don't forget the ice!

Pop Your Own Popcorn

Popcorn is standard movie-watching fare. But if the threat of popcorn lung isn't terrifying enough to turn you away from those microwave bags, the sheer frugality of popping your own should be enough to convince you — a 32 oz. bag of kernels is around $2. And you don't need one of those air poppers to get perfectly fluffy kernels. Personally, I like popping mine in a big pot on the stovetop with a little bit of olive oil. Just add three tablespoons of oil over medium high heat, then pour in a 1/3 cup of popcorn. Put a lid on the pot, and, using oven mitts or pot holders, hold on to the handles and shake the popcorn around until most of it is popped. Just be careful not to leave it still for too long; the kernels on the bottom will burn.

If you want a more hands-off approach, Get Rich Slowly details how you can microwave popcorn in a paper bag.

Focus on Finger Foods

Okay, you'll probably want to serve more than just popcorn to your guests. Keep food cheap but high-class by offering simple finger foods that can be presented elegantly. Combine chopped tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place on top of slices of toasted baguette for a simple bruschetta, then top each piece with a single basil leaf. Serve chopped vegetables or fruit on wooden skewers. Bake dips like Myscha's canned clam dip in individual ramekins, and place them throughout the viewing area with different types of crackers, chips, or vegetables.

Walk the Red Carpet

Play paparazzi, and take "red carpet" photos of your guests. Decorate a well-lit area with finds from the dollar-store (leftover star decorations from the holidays are especially great), and take guests' photos with a digital camera. Email the photos out, or post them online for everyone to see so you don't have to pay for photo printing.

Switch Decades for Dress-Up

If you enjoy having your guests dress up like Hollywood stars for your party, consider throwing back the dress code a decade or two. Challenge guests to find 80s formal wear hidden in their closets or at the thrift store, and vote for the best (and worst) dressed. At the very least, you're sure to get more of a laugh than if everybody arrives dressed in modern-day swank.

Take Advantage of Official Freebies

The Academy Awards' website features two free print-outs: an Oscars ballot (PDF), where your guests can check the films and actors they think will win, and a variety of Oscar bingo cards (PDF).

Put a Mustache on the TV (Really)

I'm a huge fan of Mustache TV, the "game" where you place a mustache in the middle of your TV screen and get to experience hilarious joy when the people behind the podium line up perfectly and look like they're wearing the mustache. Comedian Andy Daly used to sell actual Mustache TV kits, but you can do the same thing for free (as I was taught in an Atom and His Package song) by just drawing a mustache on scotch tape and placing it on your TV screen.

Do you have any frugal Oscar party plans? Share them in the comments!

This article is from Meg Favreau of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: