How To Throw A Money-Savvy Super Bowl Party
February 06, 2023The Philadelphia Eagles will battle the Kansas City Chiefs for the Super Bowl Championship game on Sunday, Feb. 12th, 2023, and Rihanna will be headlining the halftime show. Of course, you’re excited, but with Super Bowl tickets north of $5,000 and food inflation up over 11% since last year, you might think throwing a Super Bowl Party worthy of such a game is out of reach! Fear not, I’m here to share some valuable tips to create an invaluable party experience!
Here are the tips I think will give you the biggest return on your time and money:
Start with a Financial Game Plan
Being prepared with a budget in mind is key to keeping your spending under control. Pick a reasonable amount of money you are willing or able to spend based on your other financial priorities and monthly cash flow needs. Doing this will help you avoid going into debt and increasing your financial stress while helping you maximize fun!
Shared Experience Shared Expense – Use a Potluck approach!
Now that you have your budget, implement the money-saving power of a potluck to make those dollars stretch!
Step 1: Start an email chain with the most responsible communicators of each household.
Step 2: Establish the menu and share it in the chain. Extra points if you can attach a shared document so that everyone can sign up in an organized fashion.
Step 3: Make it a BYOD (Bring You Own Drinks). Trying to provide drinks, especially alcoholic ones can get costly.
Keep It Simple
The simpler the menu, the easier the party will be to fund and manage. Try sticking to 1-2 of each: Appetizers, Mains, Sides, and Desserts. For example, my plan for appetizers are wings and guacamole with chips. A crock pot of chili and pizza (Costco pizzas are $10 and can feed four hungry adults!) make a filling entree. A tray of vegetables and fruit is always a crowd-pleaser. Finally, for dessert, cupcakes and cookies are sure to wow any partygoer.
Shop at Discount/Big Box Grocers and Buy Generic
Discount grocers like Aldi and big box retailers like Costco can provide big savings. Add buying their generic brand to your strategy, and you have the perfect combo of savings without sacrificing taste and variety. You can also keep an eye out for Super Bowl specific deals at your local grocery stores and shop the sales. At this time of year, things like wings, avocados, and snacks of every variety will be on sale.
You get bonus points for suggesting these money-saving ideas to your fellow “potluckers” too!
Decorate with Savvy
Your friends are there for the food and the company, not the extravagant decorations. Keeping it simple here will go a long way. Simply picking streamers, napkins, and perhaps plastic tablecloths that share your favorite team colors will go a long way. You might have some stored away in your house. If not, a quick stop at your local dollar store should provide you with plenty of low cost options!
Now enjoy the game and bask in your money-saving glory!
With a little money savvy, teamwork, and creativity, you can create an amazing party worthy of Rihanna, er I mean the Super bowl. I hope you find these tips helpful. Enjoy the game!