Green Party

(Not the political one.)

How to Throw a Green Party at Epicuious.com

I've been meaning to post this one for a while. Seems "the green life" is all the rage, even for parties. This one offers a range of ideas, from sophisticated to casual, and as well as being environmentally friendly, their suggestions are also almost always FRUGAL. It's the best of both worlds!

Check out the link above for a multitude of ideas and tips. These are great for the newbie party-planner as well, since they offer many general event-related suggestions along with their eco-friendly tips.

Frugal Friday: Found Table Runner

When you're throwing a party, sometimes the easiest way to save money on decorations is to repurpose something you already own.



Here, instead of buying a paper tablecloth that will be used once and thrown away, I used a multi-colored blanket as a table runner. We folded it in thirds and placed it over a fancy white tablecloth we already had. Search your closet for scarves, wraps, or other items that can be used to adorn your table. You might be surprised at what you discover that will inspire you!

(Thanks, Jennifer, for the beautiful blanket! Despite its inclusion here, I mostly plan to enjoy it as its meant to be used--as a summer throw. Don't worry, I'm taking good care of it! No Brazilian blankets were harmed during the celebratin' at this party. )

Free Stuff = Free Party

Over at Wise Bread, Linsey just posted about her experience with a service that lets you throw house parties for free!

Apparently, when a new product releases or a new TV series debuts, the companies behind those products and services will send thousands of households tons of free stuff to promote their "new thing." You can receive this free stuff just by applying for parties you are interested in and sharing those things with friends and neighbors!

What a great way to throw a themed party right in your own home for little or no money. Having a House Party would provide a fantastic opportunity to reach out to your neighbors. I mean, who doesn't want free stuff? And by choosing and applying for the ones you are interested in, it means you can choose things you think might appeal to people you know. Also, the privacy policy seems pretty sound--at least, they allow you to send a letter to opt-out of third party requests for your personal information.

Go check out the House Party website. If you have tried this, please let me know what you thought about the experience in the comments.

Entertaining on a Budget

If you haven't yet figured it out from my frequent links, Jennifer Sbranti, otherwise known as The Hostess with the Mostess, is the reigning Queen of Parties. Originally a graphic designer, she now hosts lavish get-togethers with and for some famous folk.

She has her own blog and contributes regularly to the Celebrations section of Real Simple Magazine, as well as other places around the web.

I find her party planning ideas fascinating and wonderfully done, but not always budget-friendly, which is why I appreciated one of her recent articles:

Entertaining on a Budget

She offers some great ideas for dressing up your table and some basic tips for how to achieve a polished look with very little cost and almost no effort.

Q&A: Debt-Free Party

Amy at The Motherload asks her readers for help:

In honor of our final payment to the company, I am going to have a wild and crazy party (within our means, of course). I was wondering if anyone had any fun ways to celebrate ridding yourself of credit card debt? I am looking for fun party ideas- cheesy ideas, wild ideas, symbolic ideas for celebrating.

Remember, this is a party that has been four years in the making! I am ready to party like it's 1999...or um, something like that but a little bit hipper.

I can't wait to get your feedback and ideas!

Now this is a party idea that perfectly fits the theme of this blog: a frugal celebration of ending debt!

Here are my suggestions:

Throw a "thank-you" party for everyone along the way who helped you out of debt. Perhaps these were encouraging friends and family, a financial advisor, or even your sister-in-law who loaned you money once or the friend who suggested the book or website that led you along the road to financial freedom.

Theme Idea: Man Doesn't Live on "Bread" Alone
Dinner suggestions: pita bread and dips, sandwiches (maybe some soup, depending), bread pudding for dessert
This doesn't have to cost much at all, especially if you buy bread on sale or make your own, but it would be a great way to thank all of those who have helped you meet your goals.

Raid thrift/Goodwill stores for old games with play money, or just print your own. It might be spring-like weather then, so if you are throwing the party outside, tie/staple/tape the play money to strings and hang them over the branches. Or, make a banner with the play money.

Activities could include, what else but money-themed board games?! (Monopoly, Life, Settlers of Catan, etc.) If you don't have any, check around on your local Freecycle or at thrift stores. Some people have way too many games and would be glad to get rid of theirs!

Also, at the end of the night, especially if the party is outside, you could ceremoniously BURN your old credit card that you finally paid off. Doesn't that feel good?

If you have any others you'd like to share with Amy, please post them at her blog!

Don't Worry, Be Happy (And Hospitable!)

The author of Frugalhacks asks a question with which many can relate: "Does your Thriftiness Impact Your Entertaining?"

Do you often think to yourself:

“I can’t host a Super Bowl Party because my television is too small. No one would want to come to my house and watch a game on my television.”

“I would love to have a big group over, but I can’t afford to buy the extra food needed to host a really good party. After all, don’t good parties have great beverage choices and fancy eats? My grocery budget is just too tight!”

” I don’t have enough matching glasses to entertain with.”

“My house is too small to entertain a group of people in. Where would we put everyone? Won’t people be turned off by my home?”

I'll admit that it is often my lack of housekeeping, rather than thriftiness, that usually makes me reluctant to invite guests over. But I also have a problem with wanting to impress others (ha!), and I have been known to go over budget when planning for dinner guests.

But I've found that it really is all in the presentation. You don't have to have matching glasses or fine china or expensive ingredients. Sometimes a bowl of warm chowder (presented in four different bowls!) or a one-dish crock pot concoction and freshly baked bread in any old basket with a clean cloth napkin really can be quite pleasing. In the case of entertaining, simpler really is better. The hostess can be more relaxed if she doesn't have to worry about multiple dishes or timing everything just right, and instead can enjoy the company. Edith Schaeffer's book The Hidden Art of Homemaking has some great tips in this area that I plan to share soon.

Do your efforts to save money impact how often you entertain? Join in on the discussion over at Frugalhacks!