5 simple tips to throw cool parties on 10k budgets

I love parties. Social gathering is like a drug to me and I’m always looking out for the next hangout, bash or club turn-ups. But more than anything, I love hosting people at my place. I have done it almost every month for a long time. There are many others like me.

My partying lifestyle slowed ground to a stop recently because of the current economic downturn in the country. Everyone is slashing budgets and parties hardly make the list anymore, especially with the recent coronavirus lockdown. For many people, this meant a major dialing back on social lifestyles: no more partying, no more hanging out.

I want to feel the presence of a fun crowd around me again. The only thing stopping me is money and I know many people feel the same way. That is why I wrote this article: to help fun-lovers bring back fun TGIFs and party with friends on a budget that doesn’t break the bank.

How? Here are 5 tips to get you started:

Make it a House Party.

Party spaces often cost a lot. You can avoid this if you've got space in or around your house. Simply invite your friends over. A spacious sitting room, a comfortable garden or an empty compound is great for low budget parties. Even your verandah can serve. This way, you won't have to worry about paying for space. Plus, you control everything, including your music, thanks to home theatre systems, boom boxes, and Bluetooth speakers.

Buy Beer in Bulk.

Beer is easily the go-to drink for parties. But beer can be expensive. If you’re buying it, then targets beer brands that come in packs and buy in bulk. There are different brands of good beer that do not cost very much in the market. Some go for as little as N2,500 for a 24-bottles crate. That's more than enough refreshment for 10 people. If you prefer cans, buy them at malls (where they are seriously subsidized).

Make your Own Snacks (Food).

Another expensive item on party lists is refreshments. What do you feed your guests? Remember that they don't have to eat to their fill like they do at funerals and weddings. You can make snacks from party-friendly recipes that abound on the internet. You can choose between peppered meat, fish, ponmo, offals, and even gizzard. You can go all vegan and treat them to a nice spread of salad made with cabbages and mayonnaise. You could offer fried snacks like dodo, puff puff, dodo, yams, or doughnuts. And if you really want to cut costs, don't bother making them. Just buy lots of peanuts, chips, or even chin-chin! You could also buy ingredients and make cooking part of the party.

Make Fruit Punch.

Drinks are also a major item when hosting a party. They can dig really deep into your pockets. This where fruit punch comes in play. With flavoured powdered mixes like Nutri C or Eve, you can whip up your own delicious and tasty cocktail. Add slices of watermelon, pineapples, and oranges and the flavour kicks up a notch. If your guests prefer alcohol, add a bottle of gin, whiskey, brandy, rum, or vodka, and it becomes a delicious mocktail. If you have a mixture of both kinds of guests, just place the booze bottles next to the punch bowl and let them do the mixing. This option gives you and your guests opportunities to experiment while socializing. You can even go crazy with zobo!

BYOB

'BYOB' – Bring Your Own Booze – is by far, one of the most successful low budget party planning tactics on the planet. To make it work, you need to have great friends willing to split expenses. If you have friends like mine, you can have them support the party by telling them 'BYOB'. Imagine if you have 10 friends and each brings a bottle of booze, juice, or yogurt. You'd end up with more than enough drinks at a party of 25 guests. Beyond guaranteeing an infinite flow of drinks, it also helps you minimize costs and focus on providing more snacks and finger-foods.

I hope this article has shown that you don’t too much to host an amazing party for you and your friends. With a plan, an optimistic spirit, and true friends, that N10,000 in your pocket is enough to host your friends and have fun the best way you can.

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Alaric Bane is a writer, web-content creator, Natural Science teacher and self-taught cook. He writes scripts, product descriptions, synopses, outlines and articles for a living. Bane is also an amateur actor and sketch artist.