Entertaining and Get-Togethers on a Budget
'Tis the season for parties, get-togethers, and hosting! While we've already explored frugal gift ideas, black Friday, + holiday fun; today we talk about entertaining. Having others over to our homes is not only daunting at times, but let's face it; EXPENSIVE! Of course, some of us relish the opportunity to provide an enjoyable experience in our homes, while other's of us don't even know where to start! The good news is, having get-togethers can be more attainable and far more budget friendly than we thought!
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- Low Key Hang Out: The kind that you did in your college dorm rooms, or in high school after class - hanging out wherever, with no purpose, and no expectations. Low key hang outs - getting back to our roots and making it cool to save money, or just be broke :)
Notable Notes:
Last year in episode 30 we talked about whether Black Friday is worth it. Then in episodes 33 and 34 we talked about frugal holiday fun and frugal gift ideas; we're excited to pick up where we left off and discuss how to entertain frugally!
What the Internet has to say:
This article from frugalwoods outlines some great ideas for hosting others frugally.
What Jen + Jill have to say:
- Instead of going out, offer to have friends over!
- There are some great and tasty dishes that can be made in large quantities without busting the budget (i.e. chili!)
- Consider something other than dinner - it doesn't always have to happen over dinner! Think 'drinks' or 'dessert'!
- Have a potluck! Share the burden!
More from the Internet:
This article from Fun, Cheap, or Free gives some excellent ideas on how to feed a crowd on a budget!
More from Jen + Jill:
- Plan the menu AND think about time of day - we love the graphic the website provides regarding what to serve depending on the time of the party
- Utilize 'variety' in your favor - having a little of a lot of items can a go a long way in looking classy, but remaining affordable
- We LOVE their party food ideas - spoiler alert - there's a lot of 'bars' (ice cream bar, potato bar, breakfast bar, etc) - all very simple to implement and so inviting!
BILL OF THE WEEK - Thanks Jill for sharing your bill about lowering bills - excellent tip to check out local vocational schools!
- If you want to submit your bill of the week visit frugalfriendspodcast.com/bill to leave us a bill
Lightning Round
Our favorite reasons to throw a party or get-together!
- The weather doesn’t suck!
- It's Tuesday! ...or Monday
- Your friend has a board game you haven’t played
- Your place is finally decorated
Frugal Friends Book Club:
- We are reading I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi for book club this month!
- If you want a free copy, leave us a review on iTunes or Stitcher, screenshot the review and send it to frugalfriendspodcast@gmail.com. We’ll select the winners at the end of the month.