Tips for Throwing a New Year's Eve Party

Throwing a New Year’s party can be a lot of hard work, without adding a tight budget to the mix. You might ask yourself, 'Why do I throw these parties every year.' After the ball has finally dropped, you find yourself bringing in the New Year completely broke, and you'll likely spend the rest of the year hearing about how great your party was while you can only vaguely remember cooking enough food to feed all the animals of the ark! I needn't remind you of your absence during the dramatic ‘scenes’ that usually occur when people get together on a holiday dedicated to drinking. There goes your gossip for the next revolution of the Earth! Well, not to worry. There’s a way that you can have your cake and eat it too! The first thing you’ll want to focus on is the menu. You’ll want to serve some respectable ‘bites’ while keeping your credit card from maxing out.

Try adding a fresh new twist to some of the old classics. Styleathome.com has a great recipe for curried devil eggs that won’t set you back much, will taste delicious, and can be prepared well in advance. Jamie Oliver also has an awesome new look for the standby crudité platter. For more Ideas, visit websites like FoodNetwork.com or About.com’s page on entertaining. Think outside of the proverbial box, and don’t stop until you find what you’re looking for. The second thing that can really affect your budget: décor. The biggest and greatest way you can help your wallet here is to stop by your local thrift shops. Find the home décor section and buy all the cheap used candles you can find, the fact that they’re already half burnt will make your party look like its been going on for so many great hours. You could also use holiday foil wrapping paper to cover a few of your picture frames.

Tying a nice black or grey ribbon around a silver-foil background will bring some uniformity to your décor. For the music just grab a few of your old CD’s and burn a mix that’ll go long into the night. Last but certainly not the least of these important matters, the drinks. You should have one signature ‘house’ drink that you keep a HUGE pitcher of in the fridge. No doubt some of your guest will bring wine and beer and such, so other than that, make sure you have a few bottles of mixing alcohol around for those people who really want to take the party up a notch. Don’t forget, the more they drink, the more gossip for your neighborhood newsletter. Be sure to keep all this in mind when you throw your next big New Years Party on a budget and you’ll be good to go.

Resources: Jamie Oliver’s Crudité Platter http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/cool-crudite-veggies-with-a-minted-pea-a Curried Devil Eggs (http://www.styleathome.com/food-and-entertaining/recipes/recipe-curried-deviled-eggs/a/30178).
Photo: dan

Advice for Throwing a Cheap New Year Eve's Party

One great way to have a cheap New Year's Eve party is to make it a potluck. Since the food will cost the most, everyone should bring a unique dish. Although most people will go out and buy something to bring anyway, it reduces the food cost to a bare minimum. The most you will have to supply are the cups, plates, and silverware which should cost $15 at the most from the dollar store. A nice centerpiece to have would be a glass bowl filled with sliced fruit or a punch bowl, or course "spiked" with your favorite alcohol to make things more fun but make sure everyone is above the age of 21.

Another great alternative to counting down would be to cut off the lights, and have everyone write a list of what they do not want to bring into the New Year. After they have done so, go outside and have a huge controlled fire to burn those. This should be very fun because when people have had alcohol and they see fire, it is likely that they will seeing a shooting star (or the illusion of one). The key to throwing a cheap New Year's eve party is to concentrate on your guests, the upcoming new year and the fun that you are having. After all, people will not remember the fancy food you had, they will remember how great of a time they had and how they felt bringing in the new year with precious loved ones.

A couple of things for a cheap new Years party is to have a potluck so food costs are minimized. You can also have play some fun games and some music playing. The music should be very easily accessible and free since everyone has some nice songs on their computer and if not you can download some. Then, at the time of countdown, you can have a bonfire which will top of the night. You can also buy some noisemakers and hats from party city from around a dollar each of the dollar aisle.

Since 2010 is the year of the tiger, you can ask that people dress as tigers which will enhance the mood and the environment. People are naturally creative so giving them some room to have fun and make something fun will make your cheap new Years party the most talked about of the New Year.

How to Dine Out Inexpensively New Years Eve or Other Occasions

It is possible to dine out to celebrate New Years or other special events without breaking the bank. You and your guests will have a wonderful time and you want feel guilty about spending money that you should not spend. We have a few suggestions that may help you with a dining out plan that you can refer to on New Years or at any time.


Take a look at your budget and decide how much you can afford to spend for this meal. This is a very important task because once you make this decision; you need to stay within the guideline that you choose. In other words, if you feel that you will spend $100.00 then that is what you will spend however less is acceptable. You are in charge of this celebration and the finances.

Go on line or make a few calls as to the prices of the meals at restaurants of your choice. There are also menus on line as well as reviews from clients that you can utilize to make a logical decision. You can also look in the paper for specials that are available for dining.

Choose the restaurant, the date that this event will happen and make a reservation for the number of people that will be attending this get together. Now you know how much you are spending, where you’re going and when the party will take place.

You still have work to do to save cash and have big fun. You may want to have a wine sip either before or after the dinner at your home. This saves cash and adds warmth to the occasion. You can purchase a couple bottles of wine, nonalcoholic drinks a bag of chips and you’re on and your pals will love it. Since you’re on budget this takes a bit from the stash of money that was allocated for the meal but will save in the long run because you can be clear with your guests that lunch or dinner is at the restaurant and alcoholic beverages are at your home.

Not drinking alcoholic beverages in restaurants is a big savings. As a matter of fact the check for alcoholic beverages in a lot of cases exceeds the amount of cash spent for the food. If you think that the guests will still order drinks on you it’s ok to tell the wait staff that you’re responsible for the food and soft stuff the guest’s are responsible for their own alcohol. According to my sources this is an acceptable practice and staff people are trained on how to give the patrons this information without being offensive. Another option for drinks may be you bring a bottle. Some restaurants allow this practice for a fee.

Now you have your budget and a plan for a wonderful celebration with your family and or friends. You can have a ball and keep cash in your pocket. Have a Great time! Happy Celebration!

5 Fun things to Do on New Years Eve

New Years Eve is a great time for celebration. It is a time to be together with your loved ones and start of the new year with a bang. There are many options that you can choose to spend your holiday, depending on what you find appealing to you.

1. Host a New Years Eve party. There is nothing more fun than having a bunch of friends and family over for a party. You will want to plan this well in advance so that more people will come to your party. A lot of people have parties over the New Year so the earlier you send out the invites, the better the turnout will be.

You will also need to plan for your party. Set a guest list and decide what kind of food and entertainment you will have. If you are planning a party with all adults, you can choose if you would like to serve alcohol. Remember not to let your friends and family to drink and drive, play it safe!

2. Sit at home with loved ones and watch the ball drop. It can be a really cold evening, and sometimes it is best to cuddle up with a blanket and watch the festivities on television. Pop some popcorn and celebrate safely from the comfort of your own home.

3. Attend a New Years Eve party. A lot of your friends may be having festivities at their own homes. If you are invited to a New Years Eve party, go! Play it safe and don’t drink and drive, but have fun. It’s always fun to ring in the new year with the ones you loved.

4. Go on a vacation. A lot of popular attractions have special events around the holidays. Check to see if your favorite destination has anything going on around New Years and go away for the holiday.

5. Visit a popular bar or nightclub. If you want to go out but stay in your local area, you can go to a bar or nightclub in the area. You don’t have to travel a great distance to have a good time. Just remember to have a sober cab so you can get home safely when you are ready to leave.

There are a lot of options for you to choose from when you are planning your New Years Eve. All you need to choose is who you want to spend it with, and what you want to do.

Tips on Planning a New Years Eve Party

New Years is a great time for celebration. It is a lot of fun to ring in the New Year with your loved ones, and start the new year off with a bang. With a little time and preparation, you can plan a New Years Eve party for your friends and family to celebrate together.

If you want to plan a New Years Eve party, you already obviously picked a date for the occasion. You will also want to select a location to have your party. Most people choose to have their party at their home, but if you are wanting to have a large amount of people, you may opt to rent a hall or party room. Keep in minding that renting a location could become quite costly on a holiday.

Create a guest list of people you would like to invite to your New Years Eve party. Since the party will be on a holiday, you will want to invite your guests earlier than later so that more people attend. A lot of people like to have parties on New Years Eve, and if you invite your guests late, not many people will show up.

Decide on a menu of food and beverages for your party. Since your guests will probably be at your party late, you will want to make sure you feed them. You will also want to consider if you want alcohol at your party. If everyone at your party will be of legal age, it is ok, within limits. If there is a chance of any kids attending your party, keep it away to stay out of potential problems.

Call the people you have invited to see if they are planning on attending. This will give you an indication of how much food to prepare, as well as plan any activities you may want to have during the party. This is especially important to do if the people you invite tend to never R.S.V.P.

Make sure that you have plenty of places for people to sleep if they need to stay longer than expected. Do not let people drink and drive home, it’s just not safe. Even when you think they may be ok, you never know how their judgment will be, so keep them there to sober up.

There can be a lot of work involved in planning a New Years Eve party, but it also can be a lot of fun if you like to entertain. It is a great way to get together with the ones you love, and start the new year off with a bang.

New Years Eve Ideas for Couples

New Years Eve is a great holiday to celebrate as a couple. There is nothing better than ringing in the new year with someone you love. There can be so many things to choose from for activities that it can be quite a difficult decision to make. Here are some ideas of things that you can do as a couple on New Years Eve.

Check to see if any of your mutual friends are having a New Years Eve Party. This is a great place to stay safe and have a great time. It is also a way to see your loved ones who you may not see often. Remember to stay safe and always have a sober cab if you are planning on drinking. Even though you may feel ok, it still will not be safe.

Take a quick trip or a romantic getaway for the holiday. A lot of popular attractions tend to have festivities going on around the holidays, and it is a great way to ring in the new year. If you have the money for a last minute vacation, this is the way to go. Check availability right away when you decide to leave town as things may book up quicker because of the holiday.

Plan a party with a few special friends or family members. This is also another great way to ring in the new year. Invite people early as a lot of people tend to have parties for the New Year, and you want to make sure that the people you invite are able to attend. You will want to make sure that you have food for your guests as well as a few activities if you are one to plan the whole evening.

Stay inside the comforts of your own home and have a private evening at home. It can be quite romantic to cuddle up with a blanket and popcorn and watch the ball drop at Times Square on television. You can talk about plans and goals for the New Year, and the best part about it is that you do not even need to leave the home. It is also quite inexpensive!

There are many options for couples to do on New Years Eve, but it all depends on what things you two enjoy doing. Talk to your significant other about things they would enjoy doing, and decide from there. No matter what you decide to do, remember that it only matters that you two are together to ring in the New Year in happiness.

Tips for Planning a New Years Cruise

Cruises can be a lot of fun, and it is a different way to vacation. Planning a vacation over a holiday, such as New Year’s can be a great experience and a fun getaway from the holiday. What a fun way to ring in the new year than on a cruise ship.

Start planning early. Because of the holiday season and a lot of people like to plan vacations during this time of year, it is best to book your cruise well in advance. You will have a lot more choices as to dates and rooms when you book earlier than later.

Decide where you want to go. Each cruise has a different path and a different destination. You can cruise just about anywhere, and you have to decide what you would like to see and do. Research the internet to see different itineraries to make a decision.

Pick a style of cruise. There are many different styles of cruises. There are some for adults only, and there are family cruises. There are also cruises which just go out to sea, as well as ones with many different ports. You need to decide which cruise fits your lifestyle best and meets the needs of your vacation.

Check for cruise deals. If you have the time to meet with a travel agent or spend some time searching the internet for deals, you can save yourself a lot of money. If you are a last minute shopper and are not too picky on your cruise, you can save a lot of money because they want to fill the ship.

Understand onboard rules and regulations. Especially with the holidays, they may have certain rules and regulations that you will need to abide to. Check to see what they are, and if they are any different because of the holidays. They may also have special events because of the holiday, and you will want to know if there is any differences.

You can have a lot of fun on a cruise over the New Year holiday. It is a great way to ring in the New Year and have fun. Celebrating the new year with friends and family at sea is a priceless moment, which you can make your dream a reality if you know how to plan ahead.

Photo: Bernie Condon