Ways to Save on Your New Years Eve Parties

Im not a big fan of parties for one simple reason- MONEY.

I love to have get together s and I love to see family and friends but lets be honest- Parties cost money and most people don't have a lot to waste on feeding and entertaining other people right now.

We choose to spend New Years Eve at home with family (sometimes extended family) due to many reasons.

It is safer to stay home on New Years Eve because there are so many people on the roads who are drinking and driving on this night. I have no interest in endangering my families life anymore then I have too so we choose to stay home (I realize you can be in a wreck on any given day though out the year due to any number of reasons but the idea of drunk drivers going wild on this night is enough to keep me at home).

We also think it is cheaper in a few ways to stay home but the cost really evens out in the end. We would have to spend money on gas to drive to my distance families homes for their New Years Eve celebrations if we choose to go there. If we went there we would also have to bring a covered dish because they have a open spread for all who attend and everyone pitches in. This could add to the expense depending on how fancy I went but wouldnt probably change the budget because at home we would serve enough appitizers for the entire family but there would only have to spend money on one dish. If we choose to go out to a bar or pub then we would have to pay Gas as well as a bar tab (or soda tab) plus most people would eat so you would be paying for some form or food as well.

We choose to stay home, watch a movie on TV (for now) or a movie which we already own. We usually eat appetizers or finger foods for dinner since this is a special occasion of sorts and wait up to watch the ball drop (for some crazy reason?!). This still cost us a little money but we are thinking about sticking with out normal food routine which wouldn't change out regular grocery bill this week.




Lets talk about some ways for you all to save money this New years Eve:

Most obvious would be to cancel your plans and stay home but most of you will not do that in order to save money so...

Order water instead of drinks or order one or two glasses or water/cheaper soda throughout the night when you are just sipping a drink and keep your bar tab down. Or set a budget for drinks if you "can" afford it and once you reach that be committed to cutting Yourself off.

Use facebook or a only invite site to send free email invites. There is rarely a need to waste .44 on a stamp anymore

If you are hosting take people up on their offers to bring food or beverage items.

The Beginning

Welcome to my New Years Resolution!

I have been considering starting a blog about my ever growing and still learning frugal little family. I think I have a lot of good knowledge about frugal living but I know we still have a lot to learn and a lot of self control to learn. What a better time then at the beginning of a new year.

I am not big on resolutions because I am very OCD about things and I really stress about the failure that usually follows a few months in. Im not as concerned this year because I have written a blog in the past (which did fizzle out after a few months due to my own reasons but still...) and I have been tightening out belt since we were married last year.

Hope everyone enjoys what I have to write and say even though I am sure that our opinions on frugal and extreme may come to differ as this blog grows.

Here is to a wonderful and Blessed 2010 for my family and yours!