Throw a Great Budget Friendly Super Bowl Party

Super Bowl LI is February 5th! So if you're getting together with friends and family to root for the New England Patriots or the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday - or maybe to just watch the commercials - we want to help you prepare for that great party without breaking the bank. Here are five tips to throwing a fabulous Super Bowl bash on a budget.

Potluck Dinner

Spread the wealth – or in this case, spread the responsibilities. Having a potluck allows everyone to chip in with food, relieves the pressure of just one person trying to organize everything, and it also spreads out the total costs. Just ask everyone to bring a snack and a drink big enough to share with other guests. Set up a big table where you can display all of the food everyone brings. Having a large table with tons of food on it makes for a great centerpiece to any party. Be sure to make plenty of space in your refrigerator ahead of time in case any dishes need to be refrigerated and make sure there’s plenty of ice for the drinks.

Reusable Plates and Cups vs. Paper Plates and Cups

It may seem at first that having disposable plates and cups at the party makes more sense. You can simply toss them out when the festivities are done - out of sight out of mind - right? Well, not so fast. If you happen to host multiple parties during the year, buying reusable, plastic plates and cups instead of disposable ones is a much better way to save. When the party’s over, simply run a load through the dishwasher and store them in your closet until your next party. We’re talking years of use my friends without ever having to buy more plates and cups.

Shop with Coupons

If you don’t take coupons seriously, you’re missing out on some hefty savings. Be sure to check out the Sunday newspapers which generally have all the coupons you’ll need. Or, a simple Internet search can help you find printable coupons for most of the food you’ll want for a party – chips, cheese, lunch meat, etc. You may think you’re only saving $.25 per coupon, but if you do that for 10, 15, or 20 different items, it adds up. Many grocery stores also double the value of each coupon on certain days.  

Buy Bulk

Put that membership at a warehouse store such as Sam’s Club or Costco to use! Buying bulk will take care of the needs for a large party and also leave behind some extras for you. Instead of buying 8 oz. packages of lunch meat at a “regular” grocery store, you can buy pounds of food at a time, saving you money by the ounce. Meat, bottled drinks, and paper towels are among some of the best value items to be found at bulk wholesalers.

Have Fun!

Finally, have the right frame of mind when you’re planning for the party. There’s always a chance of mishaps and mix-ups happening whenever you get a group of people together. But as long as you keep your mind on what’s important - the fact that you’re getting together with your buddies to watch one of your favorite sports events - there shouldn’t be any room for angst or worry. The game will be on, the conversation will be good, and bellies will be full. That’s the recipe for a great party.