Entertaining on a budget

Just because cash is a little tight doesn’t mean you have to miss out on fun with your mates.  It’s easy to have a great night in with friends without draining your bank account, emptying your wallet or loading up your credit card.

Entertaining at home means you can avoid the expense of costly restaurants, inflated drink prices and expensive cab rides home.  Plus you can dish out the duties to make entertaining even easier!  Here’s our top tips for making entertaining on a budget a breeze.

Creating a theme for your night in gets everyone involved, and even gets a bit of competition going.  Stuck for some dinner party ideas?  Here’s a few:

• Pick a colour that’ll be the theme for the food
• Pick a letter and make everyone wear something that starts with that letter
• Throw a 60’s party, make your friend dress from that era and create 60’s food

Who said you can’t have a great party during the day!  Hosting lunch or afternoonzies is a great idea for warm summer days and food options tend to be a lot simpler too!  We can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than grazing on delicious food with great friends.

For some great sharing food that’s low on cost, big on flavour and high on nutrition try a spinach dip in a cob loaf.  It’s super-easy and makes an impressive starter.

Meat is often the priciest ingredient in a meal, so why not go meatless for a change.  There are plenty of satisfying and delicious vegetarian recipes you can find online that are wallet friendly and gourmet.  Check out some great options from Epicurious. 

If you can’t get through a meal without some meat then you can make a great budget dinner that’s really tasty by opting for a low cost cut that you cook in your slow cooker.  It’s a cheap food option that’s melt in the mouth delicious.

We all like a tipple, especially when we’re with friends but it can be expensive, even when it’s BYO.  Keep an eye on the specials at your local liquor outlet and if you’ve never tried your hand at home brewing, now could be the time to give it a go!  

For the girls, a bubbly cocktail will really get the party started and if you grab some bargain bubbles and mix with cranberry or pomegranate juice you’ve got an instant cocktail that can stretch your dollar further.  

So there’s a few ideas to get you started on your next fun event with friends.  But if you’re tired of scrimping on everything and feel like it’s time for a little indulgence, why not check out a mini-loan and find out how easy it is to get some extra cash for when you need it.