New Years is a time to start fresh and make positive changes in your life, so why would you begin 2015 with even more debt caused by celebrating it? Sure, it’s great to have a good time and send off the old year in style, but you don’t have to go on a spending spree to do so. With a few money saving techniques you can say goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015 without even breaking out the credit card. With these simple to follow tips you’ll start next year off on a positive note without having to sacrifice a good time or add to your already growing holiday debt! So, get ready to count down and ring in the New Year completely stress free!
1. Free Fireworks
A lot of communities like to host their very own New Year’s extravaganza, so make sure to check out what your area has in store. Many places will host a free firework display which will allow people of all ages to spend time together and make sure 2015 arrives in style. Often these events host some amazing local musicians as well as other small activities that will keep your family busy until it’s time to countdown. Before you leave for an event make sure to bundle up or bring extra blankets just in case you get too cold. This will prevent you from having to leave early or buy something to keep you warm while you’re outside. You may also want to pack hot cocoa and coffee in thermoses and pack some snacks so you won’t have to buy overpriced refreshments. This activity should take up most of your night and will allow you to skip buying pricey fireworks without having to miss out on their magic!
2. Leftovers
A lot of people will have enjoyed a huge feast for Christmas which might make buying another large meal way out of the budget. You shouldn’t have to stress about this too much though! Chances are you had a pretty good amount of leftovers from your holiday meal that no one is going to want to eat after a few days. Rather than putting all of the leftovers in the refrigerator after the big feast, try to turn some of them into appetizers or small finger foods. This is especially easy with meats, but you can also do it with fruit or vegetable dishes too. Another good thing to serve is the leftover pies and other sweets that aren’t going to be eaten as fast as you imagined. Simply cut each one into smaller pieces and you’re set for a tasty and budget friendly menu that will appease a wide assortment of guests. When you have your little treats and appetizers ready to go then pop them in the freezer so they don’t go bad between the two holidays. By the time New Year’s comes around your family will be ready for round 2 of the holiday meal which will cut down on leftovers all together!
3. Bring Your Own Drinks
One of the most expensive items for any party is drinks and most New Year’s parties require a whole lot of them. If you plan on hosting a party this holiday, don’t be embarrassed to include a Bring Your Own Drink tab on the invite. This will save you hundreds of dollars without actually sacrificing the quality of your party. If you can get everyone to sign up for specific drinks, or require everyone to bring at least one with them, then you should have enough to go around. This will allow you to spend a bit more on food, decor or entertainment without having to sweat a huge bill at the end of the night. You don’t have to limit drinks to alcohol either. Soda, punch and even water should be welcome on the list as people will require something else to drink throughout the night.
4. Decorations
Many people who host New Year’s parties want to go out and spend more money on decorations for this holiday. There’s absolutely no need to do so though. You can easily leave up your Christmas items which will set the mood for the occasion perfectly. If you don’t like to leave up the Christmas decor then put away the tree and other holiday specific items and then bring in the lighting from outside. The fun white lights will add to the ambiance of the room and will prevent you from having to buy even more decor! Tinsel is another great item to add to the mix as it will give a special shine to your home and is incredibly cheap to buy if you don’t already have some leftover from Christmas. Of course, you can still add some New Year specific items to the mix. Try creating a banner using cheap rolled paper, glitter and paint. You can also use print outs to spread the holiday joy throughout the home. Another idea is to leave around cocktail glasses as decoration which will set a fun mood for your guests. Fill them with decorative rocks or tinsel to make them look even more festive! There’s plenty more ideas online, so if you’re at a loss start browsing today!
5. Shop Bulk
When it comes to feeding a whole lot of people, nothing will save your budget quite like bulk buying. Try to head to your local wholesale store and see if there are any items on clearance from the holidays. You may also try to plan your budget around the bulk items that you can get at a good price. Many of these stores will offer great prices on finger foods and snacks that will keep guests satisfied throughout the night. You may also want to look at alcohol in bulk stores too. You’ll save a lot of money if you can manage to shop for boxed wine rather than the small bottles. These wines will last quite some time so guests won’t be disappointed by the lack of party supplies. You might also want to consider larger bottles of spirits. These won’t go as fast, so if you have any leftover you can span the contents throughout the year, which will save you even more money.
6. Clearance
Luckily, New Year’s follows one of the biggest holidays of the year, Christmas. Thus, you should be able to follow the Christmas clearance trail to everything you need for the holiday. You may want to start in the food section! Stock up on appetizers, desserts, sparkling cider and even wine for a special treat for your guests. It doesn’t matter if the food tends to be holiday specific because you can always redecorate or add some New Year’s decor to the dish to make it seem more festive. Another great item to buy during this time is lighting which can be used as decor for the party. White lights are the perfect mood setter and will ensure you get to enjoy a small burst of holiday fun before the decor goes back into storage. Another great item to buy is holiday poppers! They’re perfect to ring in the New Year and will be in the Christmas clearance bin too. There’s also a lot of other assorted props, so make sure to look around to see what you can find for your celebration!
7. Entertainment
If you’re having a party and are worried about keeping everyone entertained then you may want to relax as there is a wide selection of things to do which don’t cost a thing. Most parties thrive on music, but you won’t have to spend a bundle on CDs or downloads to make your guests happy. There’s lot of internet radios that don’t cost a thing and many will even have New Year playlists ready to go which saves you plenty of time. If you’re going to have guests for a few hours then come up with a trivia game based on the past year. You can easily find facts online for this as there will be an assortment of articles looking back on the past year published throughout the week. You can also create a charades game based on the past year. If your party is on the more intimate side of the spectrum then have everyone chat with a nice glass of wine. You can each take turns talking about your past year’s highlights. You may also want to talk about next year’s resolutions and predictions. This is a great time to start up support groups and could even lead to hours passing by without anyone realizing it!
8. Visit Relatives/Friends
Sometimes getting away for the holidays is an absolute must, but finding the time and money isn’t exactly on the agenda. If this is the case then you may want to ask a nearby friend or relative if you can stay with them for the night. This is particularly great if you live in a small town or suburb and want to experience New Year’s from a city dwellers perspective. Even if you can only stay for a day or two it should give you a refreshed feeling when you return back home to start on work. It will also give you some time to catch up with someone you may not get to see often. The best thing is, you’ll probably only spend a bit on transportation and other small travel costs so you won’t have to worry about your budget in the slightest. With these savings you might even be able to pay to see something cool in the city which will leave your family’s memories of this New Year’s even better.
9. Late Night Potluck
One of the problems with New Year’s parities is they tend to last hours longer because the party needs to at least last until midnight. If you want to host a party this year, but you’re on a tight budget you may want to ask your guests to join you in a late night potluck opposed to the classic party. This will allow friends and family to visit others before they come to you, so they’ll already feel the buzz of the holiday. With everyone bringing a dish along with them you can easily sit down to a meal at 10 or 11 and wait for midnight to ring you in to a New Year. With everyone showing up to eat dinner so late you won’t have to worry about spending money to entertain everyone, nor will you have to worry about providing them with hours’ worth of drinks. Thus, the party will become even more memorable and fun while saving you a whole lot of money!
10. Keep it Simple
Of course, New Year’s doesn’t have to be all about going out or hosting parties. Rather, you can save even more money by staying at home and having an easy night with your family. Instead of planning a big outing try to create a modest meal for everyone. You may even have the whole family cook together to help the night pass by faster. When you’ve finished your meal make some hot cocoa and play some board games. The kids will love the time as a family! You can also chat about the New Year in front of a fire and talk about future goals. When the time nears then switch on the TV and watch the ball drop. There’s really countless things to do as a family at home, so let the mood guide you!
New Years is a great time to hang out with friends and family and look back on the past year. With these ten easy ideas for your holiday, you should be able to have some fun with those you love without worrying about spending too much money. With a frugal celebration on your side, you’ll feel keen to start the New Year off right.
