Wedding planning on a tight budget doesn't have to hold you back as much as you think...There are many very simple tricks to use that will greatly reduce your costs while keeping the wedding on the level you want. The key is finding the balance between thinking big and knowing your limits. The average wedding in 2006 cost $27,852. However, it is very easy to slash that cost by $10,000 or more so don't get discouraged.
The very first thing you should do is determine your budget. To do this properly, figure out the how much money you could spend, all sources considered. (Family, friends, loans, savings, etc.) Then, consider your honeymoon a wedding expense, too. Do some quick research online to figure out how much you'll need for the honeymoon. Planning a wedding on a tight budget requires looking at the big picture, and the honeymoon is a piece many go into debt over, because they fail to consider it in the costs of the wedding from the beginning.
The next thing to do is to break everything down into separate parts:
1) Attire (Dress, Veil, Accessories, Hair and Makeup, Tuxedo, etc.)
5) Honeymoon (Travel, Hotel/Resort, Meals, Extra Money)
This is a good list to start with. You'll find that by breaking things down even further than this will help you to keep things simple. There are great software programs that help with all this and more, which can be a great investment.
Here are some simple ways to decrease your costs without decreasing the quality:
1) Invite less people. This is often overlooked, as the guest list just starts piling up between each spouse and the rest of the family. However, when planning a wedding on a tight budget, keep in mind that the less people that are there, the less food you have to buy.
2) Borrow clothes. If you find someone that has a nice evening gown you would like to wear to your reception, then save a couple hundred bucks and borrow it! This can sometimes even apply to the actual wedding dress. Just remember: it doesn't hurt to ask.
3) Friends and family can cook, too. There is no rule that says you have to get catered food. If you have a few good cooks in the family, many times they will be glad to help by making the food for your wedding. Offer to pay them, and either way it will be cheaper than a catering service.
4) Location, location, location. If you can find a nice state park, a big backyard, or a cheaper place to hold your ceremony, reception or honeymoon, do it! Nowadays, there is no excuse when you can simply type in your location to Google and find everything. Do some research, and wedding planning on a tight budget suddenly becomes much easier!
5) Get as many of your friends and family members to help out with parts they enjoy to reduce your workload. You'll be surprised to find how much they will help, and it almost never costs a dime!
6) Who needs a wedding planner? Some people do. You may not. Don't feel like it's necessary. There are plenty of great resources online that you can download in minutes that will take you through every step of planning your perfect wedding on a tight budget. This one thing can save you literally $1,000's!
All of these things are very simple steps that can add up to a tremendous savings, and still create a wedding that looks and feels perfect! Try your hardest to remove yourself from the specifics, take a deep breath, and plan each part to the best of your ability on it's own.
Wedding planning on a tight budget is very easy when the whole thing is broken down. Do not let yourself get stressed out. Take frequent breaks from planning and start as early as possible. Follow these steps, and you'll have the wedding you've always dreamed of, and stay well within your budget!
One of the easiest traps to fall into when money is tight is to eat unhealthy foods. Healthy foods seem to be so expensive, after all. However, there are ways to save money while eating healthier foods. Yes, you can skip the ramen noodle section of your grocery store and still feed your family well.
What's the trick? Planning!
Whether you work at home or outside the home, your life can often be so hectic that it just seems simpler to order pizza or cook prepackaged convenience foods. However, these are typically much less healthy for you than foods you cook yourself.
Start by picking out the recipes you would like to make. Deciding on what you are serving ahead of time can keep you from deciding on something less healthy but easier to make just because you don't feel like taking the time to cook the healthier food.
If time is a major issue, consider recipes where you can prepare it partially or fully in advance. There are people who do an entire week's cooking in one day, storing the meals in the refrigerator or freezer. Even if you can't entirely prepare the meal in advance, consider chopping the vegetables in advance.
Planning your meals in advance also helps with your grocery shopping. Use your plans to create your shopping list. You may even want to plan your meals at the same time as you plan your shopping list by taking a look at what is on special at whichever grocery stores you plan to shop at. Buying items that are on special can save you quite a bit of money. You may even want to stock up.
To save as much as possible, limit yourself to what is on that list. No impulse purchases! It takes self discipline, but cutting back on impulse items can be a huge help.
They may seem expensive, but fruits and vegetables that are in season are actually quite affordable, and can be an excellent alternative to sugary or salty snacks. Their frozen counterparts are also quite good for you and may be quite affordable.
If you have space in the freezer, buy meats when they are at their best discount. You will want to keep track of what a good price is for each kind of meat. You will also want to be aware of when products get marked down. I know that my local Albertson's, for example, generally marks their ground beef from the butcher department to $1/pound somewhere around 9 o'clock every evening. Guess what time I shop there when I need ground beef?
Make the most of your leftovers. It's all to easy to forget them and have to clean out the fridge several days later. Wasted food is money you're throwing out. Pull those leftovers out for lunch!
Finally, pay attention to how you're cooking your food. You may not need as much oil as you've been using, for example. Stir frying can be a great way to mix your meat and vegetables up with a delicious sauce. Drain the grease when you cook ground beef to make it a little healthier. Trim excess fat from other meats to make them just a little better for you. And don't forget to eat your vegetables! Try mixing them up with some spices rather than butter... there are wonderful ways to bring out the flavors of vegetables.
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