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How to host a Super Bowl party on the cheap
Football season might be almost over, but there’s still one more big game. Which means you have one more chance to throw a Super Bowl party your friends will never forget. (Besides, if you’re like me, the party is much more important than the game itself!) Here are a few tips to help you keep your party costs low.
Stick to beer, soda and water.
You can almost always find discounts on beer and soda at your local grocery stores. Start checking for sales a week before, and you’re bound to find a good deal. Beer is actually one of the big loss leaders for many grocery stores; advertising beer discounts is a good way to get shoppers in the door, so you can almost always find a sale. Liquor and wine can take a big chunk out of your budget, so avoid those. But, if you and your guests really like mixed drinks, consider making a large batch of a signature cocktail instead of offering individual servings of a lot of different drinks. By the way, @FLSouthernSaver says to check CVS this week for great deals on soda.
Keep the food simple.
Instead of serving gourmet food with expensive ingredients, keep your menu a bit more basic. Good football food is finger food – think about dips and things on toothpicks. You can still be creative with simple (and affordable!) ingredients. @Todds_wife has a great idea for an easy and inexpensive game day appetizer. If you want to try some Super Bowl-themed dishes, check out @Diana512’s blog for lots of great party recipes. Finally, Heather (who writes our Hatchling posts) has a yummy recipe for mini tacos:
- Arrange Tostito’s Scoops on a baking sheet
- Put ground beef (or beans) and taco spices in the scoops
- Sprinkle chips with cheese
- Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes til hot and cheese is melty
- Add dollop of sour cream and salsa
Go potluck.
Why not encourage your guests to pitch in and bring a drink or dish to share? Football parties are perfect for a potluck. You could assign roles (one person is in charge of dessert, another in charge of chips, etc…), or just let everyone bring what they want. You’ll have lots of variety, and it guarantees that every person will like at least one thing on the table. As a bonus, you won’t have to do all the cooking.
Order pizza.
Lots of pizza companies offer game day specials, so check around for a good deal. It can be a fairly inexpensive way to feed a group, and pizza is always a crowd-pleaser, particularly with kids. Be sure you call around before game day to make sure you have a game plan (ha, get it?), to make sure you know which pizza places are offering the best deals. Check the sale flyers that come in the mail the week before, as lots of the larger pizza chains offer coupons there.
Stock up at the dollar store.
For your game day decorations and paper products, look at your nearest dollar store first. They usually have a great selection of color-coordinated plates, napkins, cutlery and party decorations, and it all costs only $1! Buy plates in your your favorite team’s colors and you’ve got an instant party theme, especially if your guests will be wearing team colors.
Buy a new TV.
Okay, this last tip doesn’t really help you save you money on your party. But if you’re looking for an excuse to shop for a new HDTV, the Super Bowl is a great time to do it. We’ve found a lot of great TV deals the past couple weeks. So maybe we can save you a few hundred dollars on a nice new (and big) flatscreen TV.
Got any other money-saving tips for a great game day party? Leave a comment; we’d love to hear what you think. Enjoy your party!