Throwing a New Year’s Eve party on a budget

This is not a cheap time of the year. Chances are you’ll already have shelled out quite a bit on presents, parties and popping to the pub, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pull the plug on your New Year’s Eve celebrations. We’ve come up with some tips to help you throw a New Year’s Eve party on a budget. Stick to these to keep your guests and your wallet happy.

Set a budget

It’s not a good idea to start buying before you set a budget. Decide what you can afford to spend and then work out what’s the best possible party you can have with that amount of money. You’re definitely going to need drink and probably some food. The life-size glittery unicorn, maybe not.

DIY decorations

Keep the Christmas decorations up and simply add a few choice New Year’s Eve themed pieces. And you don’t need to spend a fortune on the additional pieces, when you can make your own at a fraction of the cost. Why not try confetti balloons, put some of those empty wine bottles you’ve got lying around after Christmas to good use by making a New Year’s Eve table centrepiece, and add some extra fizz to your champagne glasses with a bit of glitter.

Skip dinner

You don’t need to provide a full-on meal at a New Year’s Eve party. The celebrations are going to go on beyond midnight so why not start your party at 8pm or 9pm and people can eat before they get there. You’re probably going to need something to soak up all that alcohol but some snacks should cover it. There’ll be less washing up that way too.

Get guests to help cover the cost

Times are tight! Any friend/family member worth their salt will be happy to contribute if they can. Why not ask everyone to bring a bottle and some snacks that can be shared around.

Save the champagne for the toast

Don’t pop the champagne corks too early! Save the champagne to toast in the New Year. You could probably keep your drinks costs down by serving up some large-batch cocktails. Remember to make a virgin version for any designated drivers!