		 How to Throw a Party Without Going Broke 
	
The holiday season is rapidly approaching, making now the time to start planning your holiday party. Whether you host a holiday party every year or it’s your first one, here are some tips to help you plan a party that’s fun, festive and budget friendly.
	Set a budget
		List potential expenses, such as invitations, decorations, entertainment, food and drink. If you’re not sure how much each item will cost, look online for 	estimated pricing. If you’ve hosted the same or similar party before, review expenses from previous years Also, programs such as Party Budget Estimator from Evite calculate your costs based on information you type in, the number of guests and the duration of the party.
Prioritize where you’d like to spend most of your money. Is the food the most important aspect to you, or is it mood-enhancing items like décor? Once you estimate how much everything will cost, you can decide how you would like to prioritize your spending if you’re on a tight budget.
Choose a venue. If you plan to host a party at a restaurant or other venue, reserve it as soon as you know the date you want. Many host the party in their homes to save money. If that is your plan, focus the event in the living room, dining room and other common areas, and close the rest of the house to guests.
Choose a venue. If you plan to host a party at a restaurant or other venue, reserve it as soon as you know the date you want. Many host the party in their homes to save money. If that is your plan, focus the event in the living room, dining room and other common areas, and close the rest of the house to guests.
Save money with email invitations, which are free to send and allow you to easily manage who has responded and who hasn’t. If you use Facebook, create an event page to invite guests and communicate with them before the event. This is especially useful if you’re planning a potluck or are asking guests to bring snacks or beverages; you can ask people to post what they plan to bring, ensuring there’s no overlap.

	Plan your entertainment
		 Although your budget may dictate the size of your party, there are ways to cut costs so you can entertain more people. Are you planning a sit-down dinner party or something larger? Are you inviting families or only adults? If you’re inviting children, keep their interests and ages in mind as you plan activities. For example, be sure to have entertainment available to them, such as holiday movies in a playroom, holiday-themed games and toys, etc.
 If your guests love singing, buy, rent or borrow a karaoke machine and queue it up with holiday hits. Offer a prize for the best singer to encourage healthy competition.
 Encourage your guests to wear festive attire, including holiday sweaters and offer a prize for the best festive outfit.
 Have a friend or family member dress as Santa Claus and hand out candy to guests or small toys to their children.
 Create goody bags for young children at the party and include candy canes, crayons, holiday-themed coloring pages or books and stickers. This will keep them busy while their parents mingle pair people up ahead of time, once you know who’s coming to the party. If you plan to host a White Elephant exchange, let your guests know on their invitation so they remember to bring a gift.

	Create your guest list
		 Make sure your guests have fun at your party. Use a digital music service such as Pandora to choose holiday-themed playlists, or create a music list with a digital service like Spotify.
 Send invitations. If you plan to send paper invitations, be sure to send them as soon as possible. Schedules fill up fast over the holiday season, so be sure to invite your guests several weeks in advance of the party.