5 TIPS FOR PLANNING A BUDGET FRIENDLY GRADUATION PARTY

After spending all that time, energy and investment on their studies, students deserve a great graduation party to celebrate their success. After all the hard work, it’s important to let off some steam by getting their family and friends together. But with the average cost of one year of university £10,133, it’s no wonder families need to find ways of planning the party on a budget. Here are 5 tips for planning a budget friendly and brilliant graduation party.

1.Set a Realistic Budget

Setting a realistic budget is key to planning a successful and cost friendly party. If your budget is too low and you plan to spend too little in line with your plans, it will inevitably lead to overspend. This is when the cost can build up quickly and spiral out of control. Set a realistic budget and don’t go over this amount – it will help manage and control your spending.

2. Go Paperless

Instead of spending money on paper or card invitations, go paperless! Take advantage of the digital resources at your fingertips – why not send invitations by email? Or create an event on social media? Inviting people online will not only reduce costs, it will also minimise the risk of the invites getting lost in the post or put in the bin by accident!

3.Host at Home

Hosting the party at your house will eliminate venue costs. There may be a lot of clearing up to do afterwards, but this is certainly worth it to save on expensive venue fees. You can also be your own DJ at home – use Bluetooth speakers which hook up to your phone. If you have any subscriptions to music streaming services like Spotify you can create a party playlist for free.

4. DIY Drinks

Ask guests to bring their own booze or refreshments to the party. Supplying drinks for an entire party can cost hundreds of pounds, as you inevitably find yourself having to buy a huge variety to try and cater for everyone. The cost for guests to supply their own drinks will be minimal and will keep your budget in check.

5. Minimise Free Food

Try to avoid planning your party around meal times when people are more likely to want more food. Guests will only expect nibble sat mid-afternoon or evening parties which are much cheaper and will create less waste. It is always hard to know for certain how many people are going to show up, but don’t be tempted to over-spend supplying unnecessary meals for guests.

There are many ways to throw a great graduation party on a budget. Follow these tips to ensure party planning success, without a broken bank balance.