Are you planning a party in the near future? Perhaps it will be for a graduation or a wedding. I for one, have offered to a friend of mine, to throw her a baby shower!
First off, I was so happy that she told me she was expecting. I was so excited, right off the bat I said to her, “You should let me throw your baby shower!” But when I sat down to think about the cost of it all, I almost wish I hadn’t. After all, the cost of everything is going up. However, it is not my style to back down from something I have already committed to do. So my question comes to this:
How much is too much?
I want this shower to be spectacular! I would love to be able to go all out, and get her everything she could ever imagine. But to keep things in perspective, I will have to come up with a lot of money for that, and that’s just not likely to happen. So, I have to work with what I’ve got. And that means making a plan, and sticking to a budget.
Here are some things to keep in mind when throwing a party of any kind:
1. Where will it be located? Depending on the size of the party, you might not be able to have it in your living room. So the cost of renting a building or even just a room of a building is an important factor to consider.
2. How big should the guest list be? This goes hand in hand with the first item. If you have a larger guest list, then you will need to have a larger area to entertain. However, having a small intimate party could be lots of fun, and you could quite possibly spend more money on decorations and things.
3. What kind of party will this be? More specifically, are you planning on feeding a meal, or will this be a “floating party”, one with finger foods and snacks? This is where things can get expensive. If you are not careful, you can easily use up the majority of your funds. Keep in mind your guest list here too, as you will want to make sure you have enough food to feed everyone, but not too much that it goes to waste.
See how easy it is for things to add up? Make a budget, write out a plan, and stick to it. Set a goal to put aside a certain amount each month so the cost won’t surprise you! And if you do happen to over spend (don’t feel too bad, we all do at some point), clear your conscience and confess here!
(Photo Courtesy: Earl53 / Morguefile.com)
