This time next week the world will be ringing in the new year and, while there are many ways of celebrating the occasion, breaking your budget to do so is never a fun idea. That being said, here are a few ideas of how to say “hello” to 2022 while keeping the cost down:
01: Snacks V. Meal
If you find yourself wanting to host a get-together this year, a good alternative to prepping an entire meal for your guests might be providing snacks instead. Chips and dip, a veggie tray, a fruit tray and maybe even some small slider sandwiches are all popular items that you can consider.
02: Potluck
If you’d rather still have a meal for everyone, don’t rule out the idea of making your event into a potluck. Ask everyone to bring a dish or two of either their own liking or something specific you ask them to provide.
03: Signature Drink
The costs of drinks can add up fast - especially if they contain alcohol. So, instead of having a variety of different drinks options, consider picking one drink of choice to be the signature drink of the evening. Whether it’s a punch, a cider or something more complex, present it with flair and get your guests excited over it.
04: BYO Drinks
Of course you could always go the route of asking everyone to bring their own drinks of choice too. This is a great idea as it’ll help keep that cost down and guarantee everyone will be happy with what they’re sipping all evening. If there is alcohol involved, please make sure everyone has a designated driver or stays until they sober up from their celebration beverages.
05: Coffee/Tea/Hot Chocolate Bar
One other idea for drink options is setting up a DIY coffee and tea bar. Have both decaf and regular options and different flavored creamers your guests can help themselves to. If you want to have hot chocolate as an option, don’t forget the whipped cream, marshmallows and sprinkles!
06: Be Your Own DJ
If you plan to have music/and or dancing to liven up the party, you might want to consider opting out of hiring a DJ. There are many playlists available through music apps or certain websites that are there to provide hours worth of entertainment for everyone. If you’re not that tech savvy or would rather not deal with it, chances are someone in your crowd would love to act as DJ for you.
07: Watch the Decorations
Decorations are all fun and great and can liven up a party a lot, but they can also mess up your pocketbook very easily and a lot of times are just one-time-use then tossed away. Think about only buying a couple knick-knacks to dominate the decor world then either spend the rest of your decoration budget on another area of the party or leave it in your bank account altogether.
08: Keep it Low Key
Who said parties need to consist of a lot of people? Instead of inviting a plethora of people, think about inviting just a small amount of close family and friends. This is sure to be more budget-friendly and would open up opportunities for you to chat with everyone and maybe get a board, card or game of charades going - which are all things that could be difficult to do in large crowd settings.
09: Opt Out of Hosting
One other option that is the most budget-friendly of them all is to just opt out of hosting a party altogether. Let someone else take on the task or just enjoy staying home and relaxing instead.
Whether you end up hosting or not, the new year is going to arrive and good times are sure to be had. Stay happy, healthy and safe while welcoming in 2022!
