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Throw a great party with these money-saving graduation party ideas (and guests won’t even realize it’s on a budget).
Did you know the average grad party averages around $985? 😲 The good news: with a few smart swaps, you can throw an amazing party for way less – we guesstimated saving nearly $700!
Party smart with these graduation ideas that save money and impress!
1. Shop at Dollar Tree for budget-friendly decor in every color you can imagine.
The party supplies and decor sections at Dollar Tree are packed with all the essentials, and you can even choose your grad’s high school colors, their future college colors, or go with a general graduation theme.
Hip Tip: This cash-filled graduation gift jar takes all the guesswork out of grad gifting!
2. Save money by keeping invitations low-key.
Go with more frugal options using coupons, like Walgreens, CVS, or Shutterfly (your guests won’t notice the difference)! Then give your graduate a stack to hand out in person, or save the design digitally for them to text out.
HIP TIP: Make your invitations cute and functional with these customizable photo coasters!
3. Who knew? Hosting elsewhere might save you serious cash!.
You’d think that hosting a party at home would save money, but renting a tent, tables, and/or chairs is expensive. Host the party at a park with pavilions and picnic tables. While you’ll need to call ahead to reserve, many open-air spaces are free (or super cheap).
4. Save up to $16 when you serve punch instead of soda.
Use a powdered drink mix, and pick up a punch bowl from Dollar Tree (or this pretty dispenser that you’ll use again). Jazz up the punch with fresh cuts of citrus, or you could give this festive melon summer punch a try—it’s served straight from a watermelon!
Hip Tips:
Serving soda anyway? Pour from 2-liter bottles rather than cans and you reduce waste (and a bunch of half-empty cans all over the place). Plus, soda can be purchased weeks or even months in advance when on sale.
Don’t forget the ice. A bundt cake ice ring is perfect for punch bowls!
Keep ice chill. Designate a small cooler for ice instead of an ice bucket.
5. A basic cake + creative toppings = sweet savings.
Skip the custom-ordered cake and get the same effect for less by dressing up a plain sheet cake from the grocery store with a printed photograph, balloon-shaped cake pops, or these fun chocolate graduate caps.
6. Cut food costs by buying in bulk instead of hiring a caterer.
Even small-scale buffets can cost you around $6 per head. Instead, buy in bulk at a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club and take advantage of easy entree recipes like BBQ slow cooker chicken or slow cooker chicken tacos that can be made ahead of time.
For example:
- 40lbs of chicken breast and thighs ~ $60
- 40oz of BBQ sauce ~ $5
- Sandwich buns ~ $10
- 20lb of potato salad ~ $25
- Salad ingredients ~ $25
- Rolls and butter ~ $15
That’s a total of roughly $140 for a party of 50 people, as opposed to $300 for budget-friendly catering – over 50% in savings!
Hip Tips:
Save on meat. Shopping (and then freezing) the meat sales before the party for great deals on chicken, pork, or ground beef for burgers.
Sun’s out, buns out! Place a basket of rolls alongside a tray of meats, cheeses, basic sub veggies, and condiments. You can also ask a local grocer or sub shop to prepare the subs for you and cut them into 2″ sandwich slices. Easy peasy!
Outsource the meat entree to a restaurant or catering company and focus on easy sides, like a simple pasta or potato salad. You can make these ahead of time, and the cost of ingredients is very low.
7. Serve less and save more by timing your party between lunch and dinner.
Host a midday party (say 2pm-5pm) with appetizers and snacks rather than going all out with a big shindig. The format’s more casual and lets guests come and go as they please.
8. Team up with another graduate to save 50% more!
Consider hosting a combined grad party with a family member or close friend within the same friend group. Not only will you save money by splitting the costs for one party (decorations, outside venue, etc.), but your guests will appreciate only having to attend one party rather than two!
