How to Throw a Great Summer Barbecue on a Budget
When most people think of summer fun, they think of barbecues and outdoor shindigs. There are few better ways to spend an afternoon than chowing down in your own backyard on delicious grilled meat while catching up with family and friends. However, it is far too easy to get caught up in buying food, drinks, and decorations, and spend way more than your budget allows. Is it possible to have a good time and stay within your means? Of course! Below are a few tips on keeping your backyard barbecue experience cheaper and more fun than ever.
- Make a list of everything you plan on getting before you buy it. This will help you organize your thoughts and prevent you from purchasing far more than you will need. In addition it will help you make sure that you do get everything that you know you will need. It never hurts to plan ahead.
- Know whom you are inviting. You know what your friends and family like. This will help you determine which things are necessary to buy and which are not. Furthermore, try to only invite people who you know will have fun and won’t be overly critical. This will make your party more enjoyable for everyone.
- Use interesting sauces, marinades, toppings and other condiments to spice up your food instead of buying expensive meat. This will make the food at your party not only cheaper but also more interesting than people might encounter at other barbecues. Overnight marinades and other types of homemade sauces are an interesting way to spice up your meal.
- Try not to splurge too much on decorations. Decorating is a fun way to make your party seem festive, but it would be a mistake to cut too deeply into the budget for this reason. Your guest would probably prefer you spend more on food, drinks, and games.
- Use less fuel than you think you need when cooking. Amateur grillers often use far too much charcoal or gas simply because they do not realize how little is actually necessary to cook their meat well.
- If you are buying a grill, invest in a good one. It is a better use of your money to get a grill that will stand the test of time than to get one that will break after a year or two.
- Use your own silverware and dishes. It is useless to spend a great deal of money on plastic silverware and plates. Additionally it is better for the environment to use plates, bowls and silverware that will be reused.
- Make your barbecue a potluck. Invite your guests to bring a little something of their own to diversify the different types of food available and cut down on costs.
- Play lawn games to keep your guests entertained. These are fun and generally cheap or free.
- Serve treats like ice cream, lemonade and other cool sweets. This will help your guests fill up on something other than meat, and will keep their children happy.
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